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Norfolk Southern Reports Record Results; Net Income Increases 15 Percent

              For second-quarter 2008 vs. second-quarter 2007:
- Railway operating revenues increased 16 percent to a record $2.8 billion.
  - Income from operations increased 16 percent to a record $799 million.
        - Net income increased 15 percent to a record $453 million.
      - Diluted earnings per share rose 20 percent to a record $1.18.

    NORFOLK, Va., July 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- For the second quarter
of 2008, Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) reported record net
income of $453 million, or $1.18 per diluted share, compared with $394
million, or $0.98 per diluted share, for the same period of 2007.
Second-quarter railway operating revenues were a record $2.8 billion, up 16
percent compared with the second quarter of 2007.

    "Norfolk Southern delivered record financial results during the
quarter, reporting continuing strength in our coal, agriculture, and metals
markets," said Norfolk Southern CEO Wick Moorman. "Looking ahead, our
franchise should continue to benefit from a broad and balanced customer
base as well as from rail's inherent advantages over other transportation
modes - safety and reliability, fuel efficiency, and environmental
sustainability."

    Although continued weakness in the automotive- and housing-related
industries contributed to a 2 percent reduction in traffic volume compared
with the same quarter last year, higher average revenue per unit more than
offset the effect of reduced volumes.

    Compared to the second quarter of 2007, general merchandise revenues
increased 10 percent to a record $1.5 billion, coal revenues climbed 34
percent to a record $775 million, and intermodal revenues increased 11
percent to a record $532 million in the second quarter of 2008.

    Railway operating expenses increased 16 percent to $2 billion for the
second quarter compared with the same period of 2007, primarily due to
higher fuel expense, which rose by $212 million, or 76 percent.

    The railway operating ratio for the quarter was 71.1 percent, about
even compared with second-quarter 2007.

    Norfolk Southern Corporation is one of the nation's premier
transportation companies. Its Norfolk Southern Railway subsidiary operates
approximately 21,000 route miles in 22 states and the District of Columbia,
serving every major container port in the eastern United States and
providing superior connections to western rail carriers. Norfolk Southern
operates the most extensive intermodal network in the East and is North
America's largest rail carrier of metals and automotive products.


Norfolk Southern Corporation and Subsidiaries Consolidated Statements of Income (Unaudited) ($ millions except per share) Three Months Ended June 30, 2008 2007 Railway operating revenues: Coal $ 775 $ 579 General merchandise 1,458 1,320 Intermodal 532 479 Total railway operating revenues 2,765 2,378 Railway operating expenses: Compensation and benefits 662 629 Purchased services and rents 400 380 Fuel 491 279 Depreciation 199 192 Materials and other 214 208 Total railway operating expenses 1,966 1,688 Income from railway operations 799 690 Other income - net 46 21 Interest expense on debt 112 111 Income before income taxes 733 600 Provision for income taxes: Current 242 225 Deferred 38 (19) Total income taxes 280 206 Net income $ 453 $ 394 Earnings per share: Basic $ 1.20 $ 1.00 Diluted $ 1.18 $ 0.98 Weighted average shares outstanding (millions) (note 1): Basic 375.4 393.7 Diluted 383.5 401.7 Norfolk Southern Corporation and Subsidiaries Consolidated Statements of Income (Unaudited) ($ millions except per share) Six Months Ended June 30, 2008 2007 Railway operating revenues: Coal $ 1,437 $ 1,136 General merchandise 2,810 2,548 Intermodal 1,018 941 Total railway operating revenues 5,265 4,625 Railway operating expenses: Compensation and benefits 1,367 1,310 Purchased services and rents 775 764 Fuel 895 527 Depreciation 397 384 Materials and other 454 422 Total railway operating expenses 3,888 3,407 Income from railway operations 1,377 1,218 Other income - net 53 28 Interest expense on debt 221 226 Income before income taxes 1,209 1,020 Provision for income taxes: Current 402 363 Deferred 63 (22) Total income taxes 465 341 Net income $ 744 $ 679 Earnings per share: Basic $ 1.98 $ 1.72 Diluted $ 1.94 $ 1.69 Weighted average shares outstanding (millions) (note 1): Basic 375.6 394.0 Diluted 383.7 402.0 Norfolk Southern Corporation and Subsidiaries Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) ($ millions) June 30, Dec. 31, 2008 2007 Assets Current assets: Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments $ 454 $ 206 Accounts receivable - net 1,084 942 Materials and supplies 203 176 Deferred income taxes 169 190 Other current assets 116 161 Total current assets 2,026 1,675 Investments 1,804 1,974 Properties less accumulated depreciation 21,824 21,583 Other assets 760 912 Total assets $ 26,414 $ 26,144 Liabilities and stockholders' equity Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 1,114 $ 1,139 Income and other taxes 282 203 Other current liabilities 246 237 Current maturities of long-term debt 486 369 Total current liabilities 2,128 1,948 Long-term debt 6,003 5,999 Other liabilities 1,812 2,039 Deferred income taxes 6,479 6,431 Total liabilities 16,422 16,417 Stockholders' equity: Common stock $1.00 per share par value, 1,350,000,000 shares authorized; outstanding 375,199,214 and 379,297,891 shares, respectively, net of treasury shares 376 380 Additional paid-in capital 1,657 1,466 Accumulated other comprehensive loss (392) (399) Retained income 8,351 8,280 Total stockholders' equity 9,992 9,727 Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 26,414 $ 26,144 Norfolk Southern Corporation and Subsidiaries Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) ($ millions) Six Months Ended June 30, 2008 2007 Cash flows from operating activities: Net income $ 744 $ 679 Reconciliation of net income to net cash provided by operating activities: Depreciation 402 390 Deferred income taxes 63 (22) Gains on properties and investments (22) (14) Changes in assets and liabilities affecting operations: Accounts receivable 55 (9) Materials and supplies (27) (24) Other current assets 34 54 Current liabilities other than debt (245) 25 Other - net 54 58 Net cash provided by operating activities 1,058 1,137 Cash flows from investing activities: Property additions (676) (575) Property sales and other transactions 66 69 Investments, including short-term (34) (445) Investment sales and other transactions 251 566 Net cash used in investing activities (393) (385) Cash flows from financing activities: Dividends (218) (174) Common stock issued - net 177 154 Purchase and retirement of common stock (note 1) (494) (427) Proceeds from borrowings 1,225 -- Debt repayments (1,107) (433) Net cash used in financing activities (417) (880) Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 248 (128) Cash and cash equivalents: At beginning of year 206 527 At end of period 454 399 Short-term investments at end of period -- 93 Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments at end of period $ 454 $ 492 Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information Cash paid during the period for: Interest (net of amounts capitalized) $ 208 $ 235 Income taxes (net of refunds) $ 235 $ 240 NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS: 1. STOCK REPURCHASE PROGRAM - In March 2007, NS' Board of Directors amended the stock repurchase program that was authorized in November 2005 so as to increase the number of shares of NS common stock that may be repurchased from 50 million to 75 million. In addition, the term of the program was shortened from December 31, 2015 to December 31, 2010. During the first six months of 2008, NS purchased and retired 9.0 million shares of common stock at a cost of $494 million. Since inception of this program, NS has purchased and retired 54.4 million shares at a total cost of $2.7 billion.
SOURCE Norfolk Southern Corporation




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    CONTACT:
    Media: Frank Brown, +1-757-629-2710,
    fsbrown@nscorp.com; or Investors: Leanne Marilley,
    +1-757-629-2861, leanne.marilley@nscorp.com, both of Norfolk
    Southern Corporation