Type: Public
On the web: http://www.nscorp.com
Employees: 28,559
Employee growth: (0.1%)

Transportation titan Norfolk Southern is one big train that could. Its main subsidiary, Norfolk Southern Railway, transports freight over a network consisting of about 20,000 route miles in 22 states in the eastern, southeastern, and midwestern US and in Canada (Ontario and Quebec). The rail system is made up of more than 15,000 route miles owned by Norfolk Southern and nearly 5,000 route miles of trackage rights, which allow the company to use tracks owned by other railroads. Norfolk Southern transports coal and general merchandise, including automotive products and chemicals. It also offers intermodal services (freight transportation by a combination of train and truck) through its Triple Crown Services unit.

Key numbers for fiscal year ending December, 2011:
Sales: $11,172.0M
One year growth: 17.4%
Net income: $1,916.0M
Income growth: 28.1%

Officers:
Chairman, President and CEO: Charles W. (Wick) Moorman IV
EVP and COO: Mark D. Manion
VP Government Relations: Bruno Maestri

Competitors:
Canadian National Railway
CSX
Union Pacific

© 2012 Hoover's, Inc. All rights reserved.