NORFOLK SOUTHERN RAILWAY CO/VA
8-K, 1998-08-24
RAILROADS, LINE-HAUL OPERATING
Previous: SOUTHERN CO, 11-K, 1998-08-24
Next: COLONIAL BANCGROUP INC, S-4/A, 1998-08-24




                     SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                           WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
  
  
                                  FORM 8-K
                               CURRENT REPORT
                      PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15 (D)
                   OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
  
  
             Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):
                     August 24, 1998 (August 22, 1998)
  
  
                      NORFOLK SOUTHERN RAILWAY COMPANY
           (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
  
  
                             1-743; 1-3744; 
     Virginia                1-4793; 1-546-2             53-6002016    
 (State of Incorporation)   (Commission File No.)      (IRS Employer 
                                                     Identification No.) 
  
  
                           Three Commercial Place
                        Norfolk, Virginia 23510-2191
                  (Address of principal executive offices)
  
  
                               (757) 629-2682
                      (Registrant's telephone number)
  
  
                                 No Change
       (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)



 Item 5.  Other Events. 
  
           On August 22, 1998, the unanimous decision of the Surface
 Transportation Board (STB) announced on July 23, 1998, became effective. 
 Pursuant thereto, registrant's parent, Norfolk Southern Corporation
 ("NSC"), and CSX Corporation are authorized and directed to assume and
 exercise control over Conrail Inc. (Conrail) and its subsidiaries,
 including its rail subsidiary, Consolidated Rail Corporation. 
  
           As more particularly outlined in the press release annexed hereto
 as Exhibit 99, the voting trust which until now held the Conrail stock
 purchased by NSC and CSX Corporation has been terminated; the persons
 serving as directors of Conrail on August 22, 1998, have resigned, and new
 directors have been elected. 
  
           Until the Closing Date -- the date on which the railroads of NSC
 and CSX Corporation actually will begin operating the respective portions
 of the routes and assets of Consolidated Rail Corporation approved by the
 STB -- the operations of Consolidated Rail Corporation are expected to
 remain largely unchanged.  The Closing is contingent upon, among other
 things, negotiation of satisfactory labor implementing agreements and
 integration of information technology systems.  Closing is expected to
 occur late in 1998 or in the first quarter of 1999. 
  
  
 Item 7(c).  Exhibits. 
  
 No. 99      Copy of press release issued by NSC (jointly 
             with CSX Corporation) on Saturday, August 22, 1998. 


                                 Signatures 
  
           Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of
 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf
 by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized. 
  
  
                               NORFOLK SOUTHERN RAILWAY COMPANY 
                                        (Registrant)     
  
                                     
                               By:  /s/ Dezora M. Martin 
                                    _____________________________
                                           (signature) 
                                        Dezora M. Martin 
                               Assistant Corporate Secretary 
  
  
 Date:  August 24, 1998 

  
  
                               EXHIBIT INDEX 
  
  
 Exhibit                                           Page Number in 
 Number                                            SEC Sequential  
 System              Description                      Numbering   
  
   99                Copy of press release issued  
                     by NSC (jointly with CSX  
                     Corporation) on Saturday,  
                     August 22, 1998.     




                                 EXHIBIT 99
  
  
 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
 August 22, 1998 
  
  
 NORFOLK SOUTHERN AND CSX EXERCISE CONTROL OF CONRAIL 
  
 NORFOLK and RICHMOND, VA   Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) and CSX
 Corporation (NYSE: CSX) today terminated the voting trust that had held
 their shares of Conrail during the regulatory review and approval process. 
 The event has no immediate effect on railroad operations of Conrail, NS or
 CSX, although it allows planning for the railroad integration process to
 move ahead. 

      In addition, the following executives of NS and CSX were elected new
 directors of Conrail, replacing the current directors who resigned
 effective today:  John W. Snow, chairman, president and chief executive
 officer of CSX; David R. Goode, chairman, president and chief executive
 officer of NS; Alvin R. "Pete" Carpenter, president and chief executive
 officer of CSX Transportation Inc.; Mark G. Aron, executive vice president-
 law and public affairs, CSX; Paul R. Goodwin, executive vice president-
 finance and chief financial officer, CSX; James C. Bishop Jr., executive
 vice president-law, NS; Stephen C. Tobias, vice chairman and chief
 operating officer, NS; and Henry C. Wolf, vice chairman and chief financial
 officer, NS. 

      "This latest milestone of the transaction   'Control Date'   brings us
 closer to creating a revitalized and competitive eastern rail system.  We
 are looking forward to demonstrating the substantial benefits of safe,
 reliable, single-line service, but we are being very mindful of
 implementing this combination in the right way at the right time," said
 John W. Snow. 
  
  
                                    MORE

      "CSX and Norfolk Southern continue to work hard to make sure that
 integration and operation of the Conrail system into our respective rail
 networks occur as safely and seamlessly as possible," said David R. Goode. 
 "At both companies, hundreds of people have been dedicated to all aspects
 of the transaction to ensure that we have the resources and ability to
 operate our portions of Conrail efficiently and effectively.  We will go
 the extra mile to ensure the transaction has positive impacts on customer
 service," he added. 

      The Surface Transportation Board's July 23 order permits Norfolk
 Southern to operate about 7,200 miles of Conrail routes, creating a 21,600-
 mile rail system serving 22 states in the East, as well as the District of
 Columbia and the Province of Ontario, Canada.  CSX will be permitted to
 operate approximately 4,000 miles of Conrail routes, resulting in a 22,300-
 mile rail system serving 23 states east of the Mississippi, the District of
 Columbia and Montreal and Ontario, Canada.  The transaction will bring
 competitive freight rail service to the Northeast for the first time in
 more than 20 years. 

      CSX Corporation, based in Richmond, Va., is an international
 transportation company providing rail, intermodal, container-shipping and
 contract logistics services worldwide. 

      Norfolk Southern Corporation, with headquarters in Norfolk, Va., owns
 a rail carrier that provides transportation services connecting shippers
 and receivers of raw materials, intermediate products and finished goods to
 the marketplaces of the world.   

                                    ###




© 2022 IncJournal is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission