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Norfolk Southern Railway (former)
Encyclopedia
The Norfolk Southern Railway was the final name of a railroad running from Norfolk, Virginia
southwest and west to Charlotte, North Carolina
. It was acquired by the Southern Railway in 1974, which was merged with the Norfolk and Western Railway
in 1990 to form the current entity of the Norfolk Southern Railway
.
, across the Eastern Branch of the Elizabeth River from Norfolk, via Elizabeth City
to Edenton, North Carolina
. On February 1, 1883 the name was changed to the Norfolk Southern Railroad, reflecting the company's ambitions to build further. It entered receivership
for the first time in 1889, and was purchased April 29 and reorganized May 1891 as the Norfolk and Southern Railroad. By that time it had acquired trackage rights
over the Norfolk and Western Railroad over the Elizabeth River into Norfolk. With the reorganization also came the acquisition of the Albemarle and Pantego Railroad in North Carolina from the John L. Roper Lumber Company, extending the line from Mackeys
on the other side of the Albemarle Sound
from Edenton south to Belhaven
on the Pungo River
, a branch of the Pamlico River
.
On November 1, 1899, the N&S bought the Norfolk, Virginia Beach and Southern Railroad
, running east from Norfolk to Virginia Beach on the Atlantic Ocean
. An extension which ran parallel to the oceanfront took the line north from Virginia Beach to Cape Henry
in 1902, but only two years later the N&S bought the competing Chesapeake Transit Company which had a line from Norfolk to Cape Henry via the Lynnhaven Inlet area and hence to Virginia Beach, and abandoned its duplicative trackage between Cape Henry and Virginia Beach. The passenger rail service to the Oceanfront area was a key factor in the growth of the Town of Virginia Beach as a resort in the late 19ths and early 20th century, which was only much later eclipsed by the construction of the paved Virginia Beach Boulevard
roadway between the Oceanfront area and Norfolk in 1922.
Also in 1902, the N&S acquired the Roanoke Railroad and Lumber Company's Washington and Plymouth Railroad, running from Plymouth, North Carolina
, south to Washington
, built a line from Mackeys to Plymouth, and began a car ferry
operation across the Albemarle Sound between Edenton and Mackeys (replaced by a bridge in 1910). The W&P had been built by the lumber company in 1889 to 3 foot (914 mm) narrow gauge, became a common carrier
in 1901, and was re-gauged by the N&S in 1904.
The Raleigh and Eastern North Carolina Railroad was organized in 1903 and renamed the Raleigh and Pamlico Sound Railroad in 1905. In 1906 it built a line from the end of the N&S at Washington
south to Bridgeton
, as well as a completely separated line from Raleigh east to Zebulon
.
On November 24, 1906, the Norfolk and Southern Railway was formed as a consolidation of the Norfolk and Southern Railroad with the Raleigh and Pamlico Sound Railroad and several other companies:
The company again entered receivership in 1908, and in 1910 reorganized as the Norfolk Southern Railroad. That same year it built a long branch from Chocowinity
(also known as Marsden) on the main line south of Washington west to the isolated section to Raleigh at Zebulon (that became the main line to Charlotte via Raleigh, while the old line to New Bern became a branch). Several shorter branches also opened that year - from Bayboro
south to Oriental
, from Pinetown on the main line east to Bishops Cross on the line to Belhaven
, and from Mackeys east to Columbia
(as well as a trestle
across the Albemarle Sound between Mackeys and Edenton).
The Egypt Railroad was chartered June 14, 1890, and opened October 15, 1891, running a short distance from Colon on the Seaboard Air Line Railroad
main line west to Cumnock
. It was leased to the Raleigh and Western Railway, another short line continuing west from Cumnock to Harpers Crossroads
, on September 6, 1893. The company entered receivership in 1907 and operations west of Cumnock were suspended in 1908. The Egypt Railroad was reorganized April 1, 1910, as the Sanford and Troy Railroad.
The Durham and Charlotte Railroad was chartered March 2, 1893 and planned to connect the two cities named with the railroad. On July 15, 1896, it bought the Glendon and Gulf Railroad, running from Gulf
(west of Cumnock) southwest to Glendon. After reaching Elise (Robbins
) in 1899, the Durham and Charlotte Railroad was building towards Star
. The company endured several years of litigation over the right-of-way with a Wright Tramway, which was built in 1896. The tramway was removed in 1901 and the Durham and Charlotte Railroad was then built to Star by 1902. Some time after 1900 it bought the former Raleigh and Western Railway right-of-way
and rebuilt the line from Cumnock to Gulf, and built an extension from Star southwest to Troy
.
In November 1911, the NS formed the Raleigh, Charlotte and Southern Railway (RC&S) as a consolidation of several smaller companies; the RC&S was merged into the NS in fall 1912. The RC&S was made up of the Sanford and Troy Railroad, Durham and Charlotte Railroad, and the following lines:
At the time, only the Raleigh and Southport Railway connected to the other NS lines. In 1914 the NS built a line from Varina on the former R&S southwest to Colon and from Mount Gilead west to Charlotte, giving it a continuous line, using the former S&T, D&C and branch of the A&A from Colon to Mount Gilead.
On May 27, 1920, the NS leased the Durham and South Carolina Railroad, giving it access to Durham
. The D&SC ran from Durham south to Bonsal
on the Seaboard Air Line Railroad
, and was extended to Duncan
on the NS around the time the NS leased it.
Another receivership came in 1932, and in 1935 it defaulted on its lease of the Atlantic and North Carolina Railroad, which was reincorporated November 16 of that year. Many branch lines were abandoned or sold during that period, such as the local lines in Suffolk, Virginia
, which were sold to the Virginian Railway
in 1940. On January 21, 1942, the company was reorganized for the last time as the Norfolk Southern Railway.
On January 1, 1974, the Southern Railway bought the Norfolk Southern Railway and merged it into the Carolina and Northwestern Railway, but kept the Norfolk Southern Railway name. In 1982 the Carolina and Northwestern name was brought back to free up the Norfolk Southern name for the planned merger of the Southern Railway with the Norfolk and Western Railway
. The new Norfolk Southern Railway
was formed in 1982; (Or, as some say tongue in cheek, the Southern tucked the Norfolk Southern name in its briefcase, stopped in Roanoke
to pick up a friend, and then went on to Washington, D.C.
). While the name had once represented simply the Virginia and North Carolina based railroad which ran south from Norfolk to Charlotte, it was now a combination of the names of the two merged Class I railroad
s.
Norfolk Southern still owns the main line from Gulf (near Cumnock) northeast to Raleigh. The part from Gulf west to Charlotte (as well as the branch to Aberdeen) is now the Aberdeen, Carolina and Western Railway
, the part from Edenton north to Norfolk is now the Chesapeake and Albemarle Railroad
, and the Belhaven-Pinetown branch as well as the Plymouth-Raleigh segment is now operated by the Carolina Coastal Railway
. The line between Plymouth and Edenton has been removed, with the famous Albemarle Sound Trestle having been demolished in the late 1980s.
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
southwest and west to Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
. It was acquired by the Southern Railway in 1974, which was merged with the Norfolk and Western Railway
Norfolk and Western Railway
The Norfolk and Western Railway , a US class I railroad, was formed by more than 200 railroad mergers between 1838 and 1982. It had headquarters in Roanoke, Virginia for most of its 150 year existence....
in 1990 to form the current entity of the Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
.
History
The Elizabeth City and Norfolk Railroad was established January 20, 1870, and in 1881 the line opened, running south from Berkley, VirginiaBerkley, Virginia
Berkley was an incorporated town in Norfolk County, Virginia. Chartered by an Act of Assembly in 1890, the Town of Berkley was located directly across the eastern branch of the Elizabeth River from the City of Norfolk in the South Hampton Roads area....
, across the Eastern Branch of the Elizabeth River from Norfolk, via Elizabeth City
Elizabeth City, North Carolina
Elizabeth City is a city in Pasquotank County and Camden County in the State of North Carolina. With a population of 18,683 at the 2010 census, Elizabeth City is the county seat of Pasquotank County....
to Edenton, North Carolina
Edenton, North Carolina
Edenton is a town in Chowan County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 4,966 at the 2008 census. It is the county seat of Chowan County. Edenton is located in North Carolina's Inner Banks region. In recent years Edenton has become a popular retirement location and a destination for...
. On February 1, 1883 the name was changed to the Norfolk Southern Railroad, reflecting the company's ambitions to build further. It entered receivership
Receivership
In law, receivership is the situation in which an institution or enterprise is being held by a receiver, a person "placed in the custodial responsibility for the property of others, including tangible and intangible assets and rights." The receivership remedy is an equitable remedy that emerged in...
for the first time in 1889, and was purchased April 29 and reorganized May 1891 as the Norfolk and Southern Railroad. By that time it had acquired trackage rights
Trackage rights
Trackage rights , running rights or running powers is an agreement whereby a railway company has the right to run its trains on tracks owned by another railway company....
over the Norfolk and Western Railroad over the Elizabeth River into Norfolk. With the reorganization also came the acquisition of the Albemarle and Pantego Railroad in North Carolina from the John L. Roper Lumber Company, extending the line from Mackeys
Mackeys, North Carolina
Mackeys is a community in Washington County, North Carolina, United States. Mackeys is located in North Carolina's Inner Banks regions and is located at the mouth of the Mackeys Creek on the south side of the Albemarle Sound.-Geography:...
on the other side of the Albemarle Sound
Albemarle Sound
Albemarle Sound is a large estuary on the coast of North Carolina in the United States located at the confluence of a group of rivers, including the Chowan and Roanoke. It is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Outer Banks, a long barrier peninsula upon which the town of Kitty Hawk is located,...
from Edenton south to Belhaven
Belhaven, North Carolina
Belhaven is a town in Beaufort County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,968 at the 2000 census. Belhaven is located in North Carolina's Inner Banks region....
on the Pungo River
Pungo River
The Pungo River is a river in eastern North Carolina, USA. It originally began in the Great Dismal Swamp in Washington County, North Carolina; the upper part of the river has since been supplanted by the Pungo River Canal, dug in the 1950s to improve drainage of local farmland. The river flows...
, a branch of the Pamlico River
Pamlico River
The Pamlico River is a tidal river that flows into Pamlico Sound, in North Carolina in the United States of America. It is formed by the confluence of the Tar River and Tranters Creek....
.
On November 1, 1899, the N&S bought the Norfolk, Virginia Beach and Southern Railroad
Norfolk, Virginia Beach and Southern Railroad
The Norfolk, Virginia Beach and Southern Railroad was a 19th century railroad that operated a line from downtown Norfolk to the Virginia Beach oceanfront, where the railroad owned and operated the Princess Anne Hotel. A branch split southeast from the present day Newtown Rd area and proceeded into...
, running east from Norfolk to Virginia Beach on the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. An extension which ran parallel to the oceanfront took the line north from Virginia Beach to Cape Henry
Cape Henry
Cape Henry is a cape on the Atlantic shore of Virginia north of Virginia Beach. It is the southern boundary of the entrance to Chesapeake Bay.Across the mouth of the bay to the north is Cape Charles...
in 1902, but only two years later the N&S bought the competing Chesapeake Transit Company which had a line from Norfolk to Cape Henry via the Lynnhaven Inlet area and hence to Virginia Beach, and abandoned its duplicative trackage between Cape Henry and Virginia Beach. The passenger rail service to the Oceanfront area was a key factor in the growth of the Town of Virginia Beach as a resort in the late 19ths and early 20th century, which was only much later eclipsed by the construction of the paved Virginia Beach Boulevard
Virginia Beach Boulevard
Virginia Beach Boulevard is a major connector highway which carries U.S. Route 58 most of its length and extends from the downtown area of Norfolk to the Oceanfront area of Virginia Beach, passing through the newly-developed New Urbanist Town Center development of the latter as it links the two...
roadway between the Oceanfront area and Norfolk in 1922.
Also in 1902, the N&S acquired the Roanoke Railroad and Lumber Company's Washington and Plymouth Railroad, running from Plymouth, North Carolina
Plymouth, North Carolina
Plymouth is the largest town in Washington County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 4,107 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Washington County...
, south to Washington
Washington, North Carolina
Washington is a city in Beaufort County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 9,744 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Beaufort County. The closest major city is Greenville, approximately 20 miles to the west....
, built a line from Mackeys to Plymouth, and began a car ferry
Train ferry
A train ferry is a ship designed to carry railway vehicles. Typically, one level of the ship is fitted with railway tracks, and the vessel has a door at the front and/or rear to give access to the wharves. In the United States, train ferries are sometimes referred to as "car ferries", as...
operation across the Albemarle Sound between Edenton and Mackeys (replaced by a bridge in 1910). The W&P had been built by the lumber company in 1889 to 3 foot (914 mm) narrow gauge, became a common carrier
Common carrier
A common carrier in common-law countries is a person or company that transports goods or people for any person or company and that is responsible for any possible loss of the goods during transport...
in 1901, and was re-gauged by the N&S in 1904.
The Raleigh and Eastern North Carolina Railroad was organized in 1903 and renamed the Raleigh and Pamlico Sound Railroad in 1905. In 1906 it built a line from the end of the N&S at Washington
Washington, North Carolina
Washington is a city in Beaufort County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 9,744 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Beaufort County. The closest major city is Greenville, approximately 20 miles to the west....
south to Bridgeton
Bridgeton, North Carolina
Bridgeton is a town in Craven County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 328 at the 2000 census, and estimated to be 316 in 2006...
, as well as a completely separated line from Raleigh east to Zebulon
Zebulon, North Carolina
Zebulon is the eastern-most town in Wake County, North Carolina, United States. In 2008, the population was estimated to be 4,732. Zebulon is part of the Research Triangle metropolitan region...
.
On November 24, 1906, the Norfolk and Southern Railway was formed as a consolidation of the Norfolk and Southern Railroad with the Raleigh and Pamlico Sound Railroad and several other companies:
- Virginia and Carolina Coast Railroad: built 1885 to 1902 from Suffolk, VirginiaSuffolk, VirginiaSuffolk is the largest city by area in Virginia, United States, and is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 84,585. Its median household income was $57,546.-History:...
south to Edenton and from Beckford Junction (on the Suffolk-Edenton section) to Elizabeth City; originally built as the Suffolk and Carolina Railway and renamed in 1906). - Pamlico, Oriental and Western Railway: built 1906 from New BernNew Bern, North CarolinaNew Bern is a city in Craven County, North Carolina with a population of 29,524 as of the 2010 census.. It is located at the confluence of the Trent and the Neuse rivers...
(across the Neuse RiverNeuse RiverThe Neuse River is a river rising in the Piedmont of North Carolina and emptying into Pamlico Sound below New Bern. Its total length is approximately , making it the longest river entirely contained in North Carolina. The Trent River joins it at New Bern. Its drainage basin, measuring in area,...
from Bridgeton) east to BayboroBayboro, North CarolinaBayboro is a town in Pamlico County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 741 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Pamlico County.Bayboro is part of the New Bern, North Carolina Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, including a bridge over the Neuse River that became part of the main line. - Atlantic and North Carolina Railroad (leased September 1, 1904): built 1858 from GoldsboroGoldsboro, North CarolinaGoldsboro is a city in Wayne County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 37,597 at the 2008 census estimate. It is the principal city of and is included in the Goldsboro, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. The nearby town of Waynesboro was founded in 1787 and Goldsboro was...
southeast to Morehead CityMorehead City, North CarolinaMorehead City is a port city in Carteret County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 8,661 at the 2010 census. Morehead City celebrated the 150th anniversary of its founding on May 5, 2007...
, intersecting the main line at New Bern. - Beaufort and Western Railroad: built 1905 from Morehead City east to BeaufortBeaufort, North CarolinaBeaufort is a town in Carteret County, North Carolina, United States. Established in 1709, it is the third-oldest town in North Carolina.The population was 4,189 at the 2008 census and it is the county seat of Carteret County...
.
Chocowinity, North Carolina
Chocowinity is a town in Beaufort County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 720 at the 2008 census...
(also known as Marsden) on the main line south of Washington west to the isolated section to Raleigh at Zebulon (that became the main line to Charlotte via Raleigh, while the old line to New Bern became a branch). Several shorter branches also opened that year - from Bayboro
Bayboro, North Carolina
Bayboro is a town in Pamlico County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 741 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Pamlico County.Bayboro is part of the New Bern, North Carolina Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
south to Oriental
Oriental, North Carolina
Oriental is known as 'The Sailing Capital of North Carolina'.This tiny harbor town is on the Neuse River, the widest river in the USA, leading to the vast sailing waters of Pamlico Sound and on to the Atlantic through North Carolina's barrier islands. The area is easily some of the finest boating...
, from Pinetown on the main line east to Bishops Cross on the line to Belhaven
Belhaven, North Carolina
Belhaven is a town in Beaufort County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,968 at the 2000 census. Belhaven is located in North Carolina's Inner Banks region....
, and from Mackeys east to Columbia
Columbia, North Carolina
Columbia is a town in Tyrrell County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 819 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Tyrrell County.-Geography:...
(as well as a trestle
Trestle
A trestle is a rigid frame used as a support, especially referring to a bridge composed of a number of short spans supported by such frames. In the context of trestle bridges, each supporting frame is generally referred to as a bent...
across the Albemarle Sound between Mackeys and Edenton).
The Egypt Railroad was chartered June 14, 1890, and opened October 15, 1891, running a short distance from Colon on the Seaboard Air Line Railroad
Seaboard Air Line Railroad
The Seaboard Air Line Railroad , which styled itself "The Route of Courteous Service," was an American railroad whose corporate existence extended from April 14, 1900, until July 1, 1967, when it merged with the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, its longtime rival, to form the Seaboard Coast Line...
main line west to Cumnock
Cumnock, North Carolina
Cumnock is an unincorporated community in northwestern Lee County, North Carolina, United States. It lies on Cumnock Road, about a mile north of U.S. Route 421, and at an elevation of 292 feet .Endor Iron Furnace is located near the community....
. It was leased to the Raleigh and Western Railway, another short line continuing west from Cumnock to Harpers Crossroads
Harpers Crossroads, North Carolina
Harpers Crossroads is an unincorporated community in Chatham County, North Carolina, United States. It is located at the intersection of State Highway 902, and Siler City Glendon Rd.-External links:...
, on September 6, 1893. The company entered receivership in 1907 and operations west of Cumnock were suspended in 1908. The Egypt Railroad was reorganized April 1, 1910, as the Sanford and Troy Railroad.
The Durham and Charlotte Railroad was chartered March 2, 1893 and planned to connect the two cities named with the railroad. On July 15, 1896, it bought the Glendon and Gulf Railroad, running from Gulf
Gulf, North Carolina
Gulf is an unincorporated community in southwestern Chatham County, North Carolina, United States, south of the town of Goldston. It is located on the Deep River. The community is home to a general store and several historical homes. It received its name from its location, at a wide bend in the...
(west of Cumnock) southwest to Glendon. After reaching Elise (Robbins
Robbins, North Carolina
Robbins is a city in Moore County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,195 at the 2000 census.Robbins is the hometown of the late Charles E. Brady, NASA astronaut of STS-78 space shuttle mission in 1996...
) in 1899, the Durham and Charlotte Railroad was building towards Star
Star, North Carolina
Star is a town in Montgomery County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 807 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Star is known as the geographic center of North Carolina as measured via satellite, according to the Army Corps of Engineers...
. The company endured several years of litigation over the right-of-way with a Wright Tramway, which was built in 1896. The tramway was removed in 1901 and the Durham and Charlotte Railroad was then built to Star by 1902. Some time after 1900 it bought the former Raleigh and Western Railway right-of-way
Right-of-way (railroad)
A right-of-way is a strip of land that is granted, through an easement or other mechanism, for transportation purposes, such as for a trail, driveway, rail line or highway. A right-of-way is reserved for the purposes of maintenance or expansion of existing services with the right-of-way...
and rebuilt the line from Cumnock to Gulf, and built an extension from Star southwest to Troy
Troy, North Carolina
Troy is a town in Montgomery County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 3,430 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Montgomery County. The short story by Charles W...
.
In November 1911, the NS formed the Raleigh, Charlotte and Southern Railway (RC&S) as a consolidation of several smaller companies; the RC&S was merged into the NS in fall 1912. The RC&S was made up of the Sanford and Troy Railroad, Durham and Charlotte Railroad, and the following lines:
- Raleigh and Southport Railway: Raleigh south to FayettevilleFayetteville, North CarolinaFayetteville is a city located in Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States. It is the county seat of Cumberland County, and is best known as the home of Fort Bragg, a U.S. Army post located northwest of the city....
. - Aberdeen and Asheboro RailroadAberdeen and Asheboro RailroadThe Aberdeen and Asheboro Railroad was the conglomeration of two previous railroads built by the Page family of Aberdeen, North Carolina at the turn of the 20th century....
: AberdeenAberdeen, North CarolinaAberdeen is a town in Moore County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 3,400 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Aberdeen is located at ....
northwest to AsheboroAsheboro, North CarolinaAsheboro is a city in Randolph County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 21,672 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Randolph County, and is the home of the state-owned North Carolina Zoo.-Geography:...
, with a branch from BiscoeBiscoe, North CarolinaBiscoe is a town in Montgomery County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,700 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Henry Biscoe, an important customer of the local lumber business.- History :...
west via Troy to Mount GileadMount Gilead, North CarolinaMount Gilead is a town in Montgomery County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,389 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Mount Gilead is located at ....
, and several other short branches.
At the time, only the Raleigh and Southport Railway connected to the other NS lines. In 1914 the NS built a line from Varina on the former R&S southwest to Colon and from Mount Gilead west to Charlotte, giving it a continuous line, using the former S&T, D&C and branch of the A&A from Colon to Mount Gilead.
On May 27, 1920, the NS leased the Durham and South Carolina Railroad, giving it access to Durham
Durham, North Carolina
Durham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham County and also extends into Wake County. It is the fifth-largest city in the state, and the 85th-largest in the United States by population, with 228,330 residents as of the 2010 United States census...
. The D&SC ran from Durham south to Bonsal
Bonsal, North Carolina
Bonsal is an unincorporated community in the New Hill, North Carolina postal district, part of the Extra Territorial Jurisdiction of Apex, North Carolina, in extreme southwestern Wake County, North Carolina...
on the Seaboard Air Line Railroad
Seaboard Air Line Railroad
The Seaboard Air Line Railroad , which styled itself "The Route of Courteous Service," was an American railroad whose corporate existence extended from April 14, 1900, until July 1, 1967, when it merged with the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, its longtime rival, to form the Seaboard Coast Line...
, and was extended to Duncan
Duncan, North Carolina
Duncan is an unincorporated community located in the Buckhorn Township of Harnett County, North Carolina .Duncan was used as major source of inspiration for the fictional town of Missing Mile, North Carolina in Poppy Z. Brite's novel Drawing Blood....
on the NS around the time the NS leased it.
Another receivership came in 1932, and in 1935 it defaulted on its lease of the Atlantic and North Carolina Railroad, which was reincorporated November 16 of that year. Many branch lines were abandoned or sold during that period, such as the local lines in Suffolk, Virginia
Suffolk, Virginia
Suffolk is the largest city by area in Virginia, United States, and is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 84,585. Its median household income was $57,546.-History:...
, which were sold to the Virginian Railway
Virginian Railway
The Virginian Railway was a Class I railroad located in Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The VGN was created to transport high quality "smokeless" bituminous coal from southern West Virginia to port at Hampton Roads....
in 1940. On January 21, 1942, the company was reorganized for the last time as the Norfolk Southern Railway.
On January 1, 1974, the Southern Railway bought the Norfolk Southern Railway and merged it into the Carolina and Northwestern Railway, but kept the Norfolk Southern Railway name. In 1982 the Carolina and Northwestern name was brought back to free up the Norfolk Southern name for the planned merger of the Southern Railway with the Norfolk and Western Railway
Norfolk and Western Railway
The Norfolk and Western Railway , a US class I railroad, was formed by more than 200 railroad mergers between 1838 and 1982. It had headquarters in Roanoke, Virginia for most of its 150 year existence....
. The new Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
was formed in 1982; (Or, as some say tongue in cheek, the Southern tucked the Norfolk Southern name in its briefcase, stopped in Roanoke
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
to pick up a friend, and then went on to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
). While the name had once represented simply the Virginia and North Carolina based railroad which ran south from Norfolk to Charlotte, it was now a combination of the names of the two merged Class I railroad
Class I railroad
A Class I railroad in the United States and Mexico, or a Class I rail carrier in Canada, is a large freight railroad company, as classified based on operating revenue.Smaller railroads are classified as Class II and Class III...
s.
Norfolk Southern still owns the main line from Gulf (near Cumnock) northeast to Raleigh. The part from Gulf west to Charlotte (as well as the branch to Aberdeen) is now the Aberdeen, Carolina and Western Railway
Aberdeen, Carolina and Western Railway
The was incorporated in 1987 and operates on a former Norfolk Southern Railway branch line, running from Aberdeen to Star, North Carolina. It also leases track from Norfolk Southern between Charlotte and Gulf, North Carolina. It serves approximately 18 industries, mainly dealing in forest and...
, the part from Edenton north to Norfolk is now the Chesapeake and Albemarle Railroad
Chesapeake and Albemarle Railroad
The Chesapeake and Albemarle Railroad is a short-line railroad that operates of track from Chesapeake, Virginia to Edenton, North Carolina.The railroad was originally part of the Norfolk Southern Railroad, which continued south, crossing the Albemarle Sound and on to Mackeys Ferry and Plymouth...
, and the Belhaven-Pinetown branch as well as the Plymouth-Raleigh segment is now operated by the Carolina Coastal Railway
Carolina Coastal Railway
Carolina Coastal Railway is a shortline railroad.CLNA operates of line from Pinetown to Belhaven, North Carolina. CLNA interchanges with Norfolk Southern at Pinetown....
. The line between Plymouth and Edenton has been removed, with the famous Albemarle Sound Trestle having been demolished in the late 1980s.
Company officers
Presidents of Norfolk Southern:- William E. Philips President, EC&N RR (1881-1882)
- William E. Philips President, NS RR (1883-1889)
- Watson B. Dickerman Receiver, NS RR (1889-1891)
- Watson B. Dickerman President, N&S RR (1891-1899)
- John Carstensen President, N&S RR (1900-1904)
- A.H. Flint President, N&S RR (1904-1905)
- Marsden J. Perry President, N&S RR (1905-1906)
- Frank S. Gannon President, N&S RR (1906-1908)
- Thomas FitzgeraldThomas FitzgeraldThomas Fitzgerald was an American politician who served as a judge and state legislator in both Indiana and Michigan, and as a United States Senator from Michigan....
Receiver, N&S Ry (1908) - Harry K. Walcott Receiver, N&S Ry (1908-1910)
- Hugh M. Kerr Receiver, N&S Ry (1908-1910)
- E.T. Lamb President, NS RR (1910-1912)
- Charles H. Hix President, NS RR (1912-1914)
- Joseph Young President, NS RR (1914-1918)
- R.H. Swartwout President, NS RR (1918-1919)
- George R. Loyall President, NS RR (1920-1932)
- G.R. Loyall & L.H. Windholz Receivers, NS RR (1932-1933)
- M.H. Hawkins & L.H. Windholz Receivers, NS RR (1933-1942)
- L.A. Beck President, NS Ry (1942-1947)
- J.T. Kingsley President, NS Ry (1947-1953)
- Patrick B. McGinnis served as Chairman of the Board during this time with Washington D.C. promoter, Joseph T. Kingsley. He later went on to Central of Georgia Railway for a while, then to the New York, New Haven and Hartford RailroadNew York, New Haven and Hartford RailroadThe New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad , was a railroad that operated in the northeast United States from 1872 to 1968 which served the states of Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts...
and later President of the Boston and Maine RailroadBoston and Maine RailroadThe Boston and Maine Corporation , known as the Boston and Maine Railroad until 1964, was the dominant railroad of the northern New England region of the United States for a century...
. - G.M. Self President, NS Ry (1953-1954)
- J.R. Prichard President, NS Ry (1954-1956)
- Henry Oetjen President, NS Ry (1956- ?)