The FIRST Norfolk Southern Railroad

I am sure most of you are familiar with Norfolk Southern Railroad, with it's black & white locomotives with the thoroughbred head leading the way. NS serves 22 states and was formed by the 1982 merger between the Norfolk & Western Rwy and the Southern Rwy.

Long before the modern day NS, however, there was another Norfolk Southern Rwy. This NS ran from Norfolk, VA to Charlotte, NC. The Norfolk Southern Rwy operated from 1881 to 1974. It's name changed from NS RR to NS Rwy in 1942 after reorganization. In 1974 the NS was absorbed by the Southern Rwy. In 1982, the N&W and Southern merged and adopted the name Norfolk Southern. Ironically, the NS of old is now a part of the current NS and the little lines' name lives on.