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Norfolk Southern

Across the Albemarle Sound

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What would eventually become the first Norfolk Southern Railroad was chartered on January 20th, 1870 in North Carolina as the Elizabeth City and Norfolk Railroad. It was intended to run between its namesake cities, a distance of 46 miles. Construction did not begin until 1880. The track was completed on May 12th, 1881, and the first train from Norfolk to Elizabeth City ran on May 26th, 1881. The line was extended 27 miles southward to Edenton, NC in December 1881. The first train to Edenton ran on December 13th of that year.

Robert C. Reisweber, 2005

ns_state The Norfolk Southern Railway that existed until a Southern Railway merger in 1974 was the final form of a 600 mile railroad that survived several reorganizations and carried different names throughout its interesting history. The mainline extended south and west from Norfolk, Virginia, across the state line toward Raleigh, North Carolina, then southwest to its western terminus in Charlotte. Included in the mainline was an impressive 5 mile trestle across Albermarle Sound in eastern North Carolina and numerous built and leased branches. On January 1, 1974, the Norfolk Southern was merged into the Southern Railway System, which retired the Norfolk road's small fleet of Baldwin road switchers and merged its EMD power into the Southern corporate roster.

HawkinsRails thanks railroad photographer Warren Calloway for use of his Norfolk Southern roster shots

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map

1965 Norfolk Southern system map / collection

ns_route

NS Official Guide listing / collection

Baldwin Motive Power

Baldwin Locomotive Works produced the AS-416 model road switcher for 5 years, turning out only 21 examples of the design between 1950-55. One unit went to Columbus & Greenville as #606, with three more sold to Savannah & Atlanta as #108-110. The remaining 17 units were all purchased by Norfolk Southern between 1951-55, with the road taking delivery of the last AS-416s produced. Featuring a 1600 horsepower 608A prime mover, the AS-416 rode on six-wheel trucks with a center idler axle between two traction motors.

ns1601_roster

Norfolk Southern #1601

Star, NC / Jun 1957 / collection

Norfolk Southern #1601

  • builder:Baldwin Locomotive Works
  • model:AS416
  • type:A1A-A1A road switcher
  • built:May 1951, Baldwin #75237
  • series:21 produced 1950-55
  • engine:Baldwin 608A (8 cyls, 1600 hp)
  • notes:
  • 1st of 5 in 1951 Baldwin order
    retired by mid 1960s
    • builder
    ns1601a

    Norfolk, Va / Warren Calloway

    ns1606_roster

    Norfolk Southern #1606

    Raleigh, NC / Warren Calloway

    Norfolk Southern #1606

  • builder:Baldwin Locomotive Works
  • model:AS416
  • type:A1A-A1A road switcher
  • built:Sep 1952, Baldwin #75699
  • series:21 produced 1950-55
  • engine:Baldwin 608A (8 cyls, 1600 hp)
  • notes:
  • 1st of 5 in 1952 Baldwin order
    retired 1974 at Southern Rwy merger
    • builder
    ns1606a

    Raleigh, NC / Warren Calloway

    ns1607_roster

    Norfolk Southern #1607

    collection

    Norfolk Southern #1607

  • builder:Baldwin Locomotive Works
  • model:AS416
  • type:A1A-A1A road switcher
  • built:Sep 1952, Baldwin #75721
  • series:21 produced 1950-55
  • engine:Baldwin 608A (8 cyls, 1600 hp)
  • notes:
  • 2nd of 5 in 1952 Baldwin order
    retired 1974 at Southern Rwy merger
    • builder
    ns1608_roster

    Norfolk Southern #1608

    Raleigh, NC / Warren Calloway

    Norfolk Southern #1608

  • builder:Baldwin Locomotive Works
  • model:AS416
  • type:A1A-A1A road switcher
  • built:Sep 1952, Baldwin #75722
  • series:21 produced 1950-55
  • engine:Baldwin 608A (8 cyls, 1600 hp)
  • notes:
  • 3rd of 5 in 1952 Baldwin order
    retired 1974 at Southern Rwy merger
    • builder
    ns1609_roster

    Norfolk Southern #1609

    Raleigh, NC / Warren Calloway

    Norfolk Southern #1609

  • builder:Baldwin Locomotive Works
  • model:AS416
  • type:A1A-A1A road switcher
  • built:Sep 1952, Baldwin #75723
  • series:21 produced 1950-55
  • engine:Baldwin 608A (8 cyls, 1600 hp)
  • notes:
  • 4th of 5 in 1952 Baldwin order
    retired 1974 at Southern Rwy merger
    • builder
    ns1610_roster

    Norfolk Southern #1610

    Raleigh, NC / Warren Calloway

    Norfolk Southern #1610

  • builder:Baldwin Locomotive Works
  • model:AS416
  • type:A1A-A1A road switcher
  • built:Oct 1952, Baldwin #75724
  • series:21 produced 1950-55
  • engine:Baldwin 608A (8 cyls, 1600 hp)
  • notes:
  • 5th of 5 in 1952 Baldwin order
    retired 1974 at Southern Rwy merger
    • builder
    ns1611_roster

    Norfolk Southern #1611

    Raleigh, NC / Warren Calloway

    Norfolk Southern #1611

  • builder:Baldwin Locomotive Works
  • model:AS416
  • type:A1A-A1A road switcher
  • built:Jan 1954, Baldwin #75938
  • series:21 produced 1950-55
  • engine:Baldwin 608A (8 cyls, 1600 hp)
  • notes:
  • 1st of 3 in 1954 Baldwin order
    retired 1974 at Southern Rwy merger
    • builder
    ns1611a

    Raleigh, NC / Warren Calloway

    ns1612_roster

    Norfolk Southern #1612

    Fuqua Varina, NC / Dec 1972 / collection

    Norfolk Southern #1612

  • builder:Baldwin Locomotive Works
  • model:AS416
  • type:A1A-A1A road switcher
  • built:Jan 1954, Baldwin #75939
  • series:21 produced 1950-55
  • engine:Baldwin 608A (8 cyls, 1600 hp)
  • notes:
  • 2nd of 3 in 1954 Baldwin order
    retired 1974 at Southern Rwy merger
    • builder
    ns1612a

    Raleigh, NC / 1974 / Warren Calloway

    ns1613_roster

    Norfolk Southern #1613

    collection

    Norfolk Southern #1613

  • builder:Baldwin Locomotive Works
  • model:AS416
  • type:A1A-A1A road switcher
  • built:Jan 1954, Baldwin #75940
  • series:21 produced 1950-55
  • engine:Baldwin 608A (8 cyls, 1600 hp)
  • notes:
  • 3rd of 3 in 1954 Baldwin order
    retired 1974 at Southern Rwy merger
    • builder
    ns1616_roster

    Norfolk Southern #1616

    collection

    Norfolk Southern #1616

  • builder:Baldwin Locomotive Works
  • model:AS416
  • type:A1A-A1A road switcher
  • built:Dec 1955, Baldwin #76112
  • series:21 produced 1950-55
  • engine:Baldwin 608A (8 cyls, 1600 hp)
  • notes:
  • 3rd of 4 in 1955 final Baldwin order
    higher hoods and last with GE elec gear
    retired 1974 at Southern Rwy merger
    donated to North Carolina Trans Museum
    • builder
    ns1616b

    Raleigh, NC / 1969 / Warren Calloway

    ns1616h

    Lillington, NC / Sep 1972 / Warren Calloway

    ns1617_roster

    Norfolk Southern #1617

    collection

    Norfolk Southern #1617

  • builder:Baldwin Locomotive Works
  • model:AS416
  • type:A1A-A1A road switcher
  • built:Dec 1955, Baldwin #76114
  • series:21 produced 1950-55
  • engine:Baldwin 608A (8 cyls, 1600 hp)
  • notes:
  • 3rd of 4 in 1955 final Baldwin order
    higher hoods and last with GE elec gear
    retired 1974 at Southern Rwy merger
    • builder

    collection

    Stantonsburg, NC / Dec 1972 / collection

    ns1617b

    Raleigh, NC / Nov 1967 / Warren Calloway

    ns1617d

    Raleigh, NC / Nov 1967 / Warren Calloway

    ns1617e

    Raleigh, NC / 1973 / Warren Calloway

    ns661_roster

    Norfolk Southern #661

    Carolina Junction, NC / May 1964 / Warren Calloway

    Norfolk Southern #661

  • builder:Baldwin Locomotive Works
  • model:DS-4-4-660
  • type:B-B yard switcher
  • built:Jan 1947, Baldwin #73361
  • series:139 produced 1946-49
  • engine:Baldwin 606NA (660 hp)
  • notes:
  • 1 of 3 in 1947 Baldwin order
    retired by mid 1960s
    • builder
    ns663_roster

    Norfolk Southern #663

    Raleigh, NC / Dec 1963 / Warren Calloway

    Norfolk Southern #663

  • builder:Baldwin Locomotive Works
  • model:DS-4-4-660
  • type:B-B yard switcher
  • built:Jan 1947, Baldwin #73361
  • series:139 produced 1946-49
  • engine:Baldwin 606NA (660 hp)
  • notes:
  • 1 of 3 in 1947 Baldwin order
    retired by mid 1960s
    • builder
    ns1001_roster

    Norfolk Southern #1001

    Carolina Junction, NC / April 1963 / Warren Calloway

    Norfolk Southern #1001

  • builder:Baldwin Locomotive Works
  • model:DS-4-4-1000
  • type:B-B yard switcher
  • built:Jan 1947, Baldwin #72832
  • series:56 produced 1946-48
  • engine:Baldwin 608NA (1000 hp)
  • notes:
  • 1 of 2 in 1947 Baldwin order
    retired by mid 1960s
    • builder
    ns1002_roster

    Norfolk Southern #1002

    Carolina Junction, NC / May 1961 / Warren Calloway

    Norfolk Southern #1002

  • builder:Baldwin Locomotive Works
  • model:DS-4-4-1000
  • type:B-B yard switcher
  • built:Jan 1947, Baldwin #72833
  • series:56 produced 1946-48
  • engine:Baldwin 608NA (1000 hp)
  • notes:
  • 2 of 2 in 1947 Baldwin order
    retired by mid 1960s
    • builder

    tag_spotSurvivors

    tag_info

    Norfolk Southern motors in our collection preserved on display or in operation at museums

    ns1616_roster

    Norfolk Southern #1616

    Spencer, NC / Jun 2010 / Kevin Wood tag_rrpa

    Norfolk Southern #1616

  • builder:Baldwin Locomotive Works
  • model:AS-416
  • type:A1A-A1A road switcher
  • built:Dec 1955, Baldwin #76112
  • series:21 produced (17 for NS)
  • engine:Baldwin 608A, 8 cyls. 1600 hp
  • notes:
  • blt (original) Norfolk Southern #1616
    to Peabody Coal Company, 1972
    to State of North Carolina, 1981
    to NC Transportation Museum
    • builder
    ns1616a

    Spencer, NC / Jun 1991 / JCH

    ns1616b

    Spencer, NC / Mar 2018 / RWH

    ns1616c

    Mar 2018 / RWH

    ns1616e

    Mar 2018 / RWH

    ns1616f

    Mar 2018 / RWH

    ns1616g

    Mar 2018 / RWH

    ns1616d

    Spencer, NC / Mar 2018 / RWH

    tag_jump

    See also our complete North Carolina Transportation Museum scrapbook in Preservation

    tag_lagnLagniappe

    Mowing the Grass

    Allen, NC / Aug 1965 / collection

    Baldwin Work Train

    Stantonsburg, NC / Dec 1972 / collection

    Links / Sources

    This page was updated on 2022-11-25
    © 2007-2024 Ralph Hawkins / HawkinsRails