Item 1. Business and Item 2. Properties

GENERAL – Norfolk Southern Corporation (Norfolk Southern) is an Atlanta, Georgia-based company that owns a major freight railroad, Norfolk Southern Railway Company (NSR). We were incorporated on July 23, 1980, under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Our common stock (Common Stock) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol “NSC.”

Unless indicated otherwise, Norfolk Southern Corporation and its subsidiaries, including NSR, are referred to collectively as NS, we, us, and our.

We are primarily engaged in the rail transportation of raw materials, intermediate products, and finished goods primarily in the Southeast, East, and Midwest and, via interchange with rail carriers, to and from the rest of the United States (U.S.). We also transport overseas freight through several Atlantic and Gulf Coast ports. We offer the most extensive intermodal network in the eastern half of the U.S.

We make available free of charge through our website, www.norfolksouthern.com, our annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and all amendments to those reports as soon as reasonably practicable after such material is electronically filed with or furnished to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). In addition, the following documents are available on our website and in print to any shareholder who requests them:

• Norfolk Southern Corporation Bylaws

• Charters of the Committees of the Board of Directors

• Corporate Governance Guidelines

• Categorical Independence Standards

• The Thoroughbred Code of Ethics

• Code of Ethical Conduct for Senior Financial Officers

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RAILROAD OPERATIONS – At December 31, 2023, we operated approximately 19,100 route miles in 22 states and the District of Columbia.

Our system reaches many manufacturing plants, electric generating facilities, mines, distribution centers, transload facilities, and other businesses located in our service area.

Corridors with heaviest freight volume:

• New York City area to Chicago (via Allentown and Pittsburgh)

• Chicago to Macon (via Cincinnati, Chattanooga, and Atlanta)

• Central Ohio to Norfolk (via Columbus and Roanoke)

• Cleveland to Kansas City

• Birmingham to Meridian

• Memphis to Chattanooga

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The miles operated, which include major leased lines between Cincinnati and Chattanooga, and an exclusive operating agreement for trackage rights over property owned by North Carolina Railroad Company, were as follows:

	Mileage Operated at December 31, 2023
	Route Miles	SecondandOtherMainTrack	PassingTrack,CrossoversandTurnouts	Way and Yard Switching	Total

Owned	14,312	2,676	1,953	8,142	27,083
Operated under lease, contract or trackage
rights	4,825	1,889	406	841	7,961

Total	19,137	4,565	2,359	8,983	35,044

In 2022, we entered into an asset purchase and sale agreement with the Board of Trustees of the Cincinnati Southern Railway (CSR) to purchase 337 miles of railway line that extends from Cincinnati, Ohio to Chattanooga, Tennessee that we currently operate under a lease. The transaction is scheduled to close on March 15, 2024. See further discussion in Item 7 “Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and Item 8 “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.”

We operate freight service over lines with significant ongoing Amtrak and commuter passenger operations and conduct freight operations over trackage owned or leased by Amtrak, New Jersey Transit, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, Metro-North Commuter Railroad Company, and Michigan Department of Transportation.

The following table sets forth certain statistics relating to our operations for the past five years:

	Years ended December 31,
	2023		2022		2021		2020		2019

Revenue ton miles (billions)	176		179		178		164		194
Revenue per thousand revenue ton miles	$	69.05	$	71.35	$	62.56	$	59.67	$	58.21
Revenue ton miles (thousands) per railroad employee	8,719		9,513		9,694		8,191		7,939
Ratio of railway operating expenses to railway
operating revenues (railway operating ratio)	76.5%		62.3%		60.1%		69.3%		64.7%

RAILWAY OPERATING REVENUES– Total railway operating revenues were $12.2 billion in 2023. Following is an overview of our three commodity groups. See the discussion of merchandise revenues by major commodity group, intermodal revenues, and coal revenues and tonnage in Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”

MERCHANDISE– Our merchandise commodity group is composed of four groupings:

• Agriculture, forest and consumer products includes soybeans, wheat, corn, fertilizer, livestock and poultry feed, food products, food oils, flour, sweeteners, ethanol, lumber and wood products, pulp board and paper products, wood fibers, wood pulp, beverages, and canned goods.

• Chemicals includes sulfur and related chemicals, petroleum products (including crude oil), chlorine and bleaching compounds, plastics, rubber, industrial chemicals, chemical wastes, sand, and natural gas liquids.

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• Metals and construction includes steel, aluminum products, machinery, scrap metals, cement, aggregates, minerals, clay, transportation equipment, and items for the U.S. military.

• Automotive includes finished motor vehicles and automotive parts.

In 2023, we handled 2.2 million merchandise carloads, which accounted for 61% of our total railway operating revenues.

INTERMODAL– Our intermodal commodity group consists of shipments moving in domestic and international containers and trailers. These shipments are handled on behalf of intermodal marketing companies, international steamship lines, premium customers and asset-owning companies. In 2023, we handled 3.8 million intermodal units, which accounted for 25% of our total railway operating revenues.

COAL– Coal revenues accounted for 14% of our total railway operating revenues in 2023. We handled 76 million tons, or 0.7 million carloads, most of which originated on our lines from major eastern coal basins, with the balance from major western coal basins received via the Memphis and Chicago gateways. Our coal franchise supports the electric generation market, directly serving approximately 30 coal-fired power plants, as well as the export, domestic metallurgical and industrial markets, primarily through direct rail and river, lake, and coastal facilities, including various terminals on the Ohio River, at Lamberts Point in Norfolk, Virginia, at the Port of Baltimore, and on Lake Erie.

FREIGHT RATES– Our predominant pricing mechanisms, private contracts and exempt price quotes, are not subject to regulation. In general, market forces are the primary determinant of rail service prices.

RAILWAY PROPERTY

Our railroad infrastructure makes us capital intensive with net properties of approximately $33 billion on a historical cost basis.

Property Additions– Property additions for the past five years were as follows:

	2023		2022		2021		2020		2019
	($ in millions)

Road and other property	$	1,547	$	1,345	$	1,041	$	1,046	$	1,371
Equipment	802		603		429		448		648

Total	$	2,349	$	1,948	$	1,470	$	1,494	$	2,019

Our capital spending and replacement programs are and have been designed to support our ability to provide safe, efficient, and reliable rail transportation services.

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Equipment– Our equipment includes owned and leased locomotives and railcars; maintenance of way equipment and machinery; other equipment and tools used in our shops, offices and facilities; and vehicles and other equipment used for maintenance, transportation, and other activities. Our equipment includes both owned equipment acquired by us, and equipment held under lease arrangements. At December 31, 2023, we owned or leased the following revenue generating equipment:

	Owned	Leased	Total	Capacity ofEquipment
Locomotives:				(Horsepower)
Multiple purpose	3,162	30	3,192	12,471,795
Auxiliary units	140	—	140	—
Switching	4	—	4	4,400

Total locomotives	3,306	30	3,336	12,476,195

Freight cars:				(Tons)
Gondola	18,011	3,741	21,752	2,443,624
Hopper	7,672	—	7,672	876,433
Covered hopper	5,384	—	5,384	598,451
Box	2,189	610	2,799	257,694
Flat	1,213	676	1,889	135,106
Other	1,086	—	1,086	46,815

Total freight cars	35,555	5,027	40,582	4,358,123

Intermodal equipment:
Chassis	38,397	1,063	39,460
Containers	17,662	—	17,662
Roadrailers	1,110	—	1,110




Total intermodal equipment	57,169	1,063	58,232

The following table indicates the number and year built for locomotives and freight cars owned at December 31, 2023:

	2023		2022		2021		2020		2019		2014-2018		2009-2013		2008 &Before		Total
Locomotives:
No. of units	—		—		1		10		36		225		242		2,792		3,306
% of fleet	—	%	—	%	—	%	—	%	1	%	7	%	7	%	85	%	100	%

Freight cars:
No. of units	1,043		236		—		—		198		4,195		6,401		23,482		35,555
% of fleet	3	%	1	%	—	%	—	%	—	%	12	%	18	%	66	%	100	%

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The following table shows the average age of our owned locomotive and freight car fleets at December 31, 2023 and information regarding 2023 retirements:

Locomotives

Freight Cars

Average age – in service

28.5

years

25.4

years

Retirements

2

units

1,744

units

Average age – retired

23.0

years

40.8

years

Track Maintenance– Of the 35,000 total miles of track on which we operate, we are responsible for maintaining 28,400 miles, with the remainder being operated under trackage rights from other parties responsible for maintenance.

Over 85% of the main line trackage (including first, second, third, and branch main tracks, all excluding rail operated pursuant to trackage rights) has rail ranging from 131 to 155 pounds per yard with the standard installation currently at 136 pounds per yard. Approximately 39% of our lines, excluding rail operated pursuant to trackage rights, carried 20 million or more gross tons per track mile during 2023.

The following table summarizes several measurements regarding our track roadway additions and replacements during the past five years:

	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
Track miles of rail installed	584	541	458	418	449
Miles of track surfaced	4,013	4,155	4,225	4,785	5,012
Crossties installed (millions)	2.1	2.2	2.0	1.8	2.4

Traffic Control– Of the 16,200 route miles we dispatch, 11,300 miles incorporate signalization. This includes 8,500 miles governed by centralized traffic control (CTC) and 2,800 miles utilizing automatic block signals. Within the 8,500 miles of CTC, 7,600 miles are controlled by data radio systems originating from 355 base station radio sites.

ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS– Compliance with federal, state, and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of the environment is one of our principal goals. With the exception of our response to the Eastern Ohio Incident (the “Incident” as defined in Note 17) such compliance has not had a material effect on our financial position, results of operations, liquidity, or competitive position. For further information on the Incident and environmental matters, see Note 17 in Item 8 “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.”

HUMAN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT

Workforce– We employed an average of 20,300 employees during 2023, and 20,700 employees at the end of 2023. Approximately 80% of our railroad employees are covered by collective bargaining agreements with various labor unions, and referred to as “craft” employees. See the discussion of “Labor Agreements” in Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.” The remainder of our workforce is composed of management employees.

Craft Workforce Levels and Productivity– Maintaining appropriate headcount levels for our craft-employee workforce is critical to our on-time and consistent delivery of customers’ goods and operational efficiency goals. We manage this human capital metric through forecasting tools designed to ensure the optimal level of staffing to meet business demands. We measure and monitor employee productivity based on various factors, including gross ton miles per train and engine employee.

Safety– We are dedicated to providing employees with a safe workplace and the knowledge and tools they need to work safely and return home safely every day. Our commitment to an injury-free workplace is outlined in our Foundation of Safety policy which focuses on rules compliance, responsibility, relationships, and responsiveness.

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Our safety programs, practices, and messaging further reinforce the importance of working safely. We measure employee safety performance through internal metrics such as accidents, injuries, and serious injuries per 200,000 employee-hours. We also use metrics established by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to measure FRA-reportable accidents per million train miles and injuries per 200,000 employee-hours. Given that safety continues to be a top priority, and the importance of safety among our workforce and to our business, our Board of Directors (Board) has a standing Safety Committee that, among other duties, reviews, monitors, and evaluates our compliance with our safety programs and practices.

Attracting and Retaining Management Employees– Our talent strategy for management employees is essential to attracting strong candidates in a competitive talent environment. We evaluate the effectiveness of that strategy by studying market trends, benchmarking the attractiveness of our employee value proposition, maintaining a competitive compensation package, and analyzing retention data.

We also focus on driving employee engagement, which is key to increasing employee productivity, retention, and safety. We take a data-centric approach, including the use of periodic surveys among employees, to identify new initiatives that will help boost engagement and drive business results.

Employee Development and Training– We provide a range of developmental programs, opportunities, skills, and resources for our employees to be successful in their careers. We provide classroom instruction, hands-on training and simulation-based training designed to improve on-the-job effectiveness and safety outcomes.

We also use modern learning and performance technologies to offer robust professional growth opportunities. Through on-demand digital course offerings, custom-built learning paths, and in-person facilitated content, our programs provide a holistic and inclusive approach to professional development throughout an employee's career.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion– As a leading transportation service company, we recognize that success in the global marketplace relies on the recruitment and retention of top-tier talent, as well as leveraging the expertise and experiences of individuals from all backgrounds.

In pursuit of this goal, we are dedicated to establishing a workplace that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive, where a broad spectrum of identities, perspectives, and experiences is not only represented but also valued and empowered to thrive.

Our Inclusion Leadership Council, comprised of senior leaders from all departments, our seven employee resource groups, and the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion strategy team, collaborate closely to implement the plan, articulate measurable goals, and hold ourselves accountable.

GOVERNMENT REGULATION– In addition to environmental, safety, securities, and other regulations generally applicable to all business, our railroads are subject to regulation by the U.S. Surface Transportation Board (STB). The STB has jurisdiction to varying extents over rates, routes, customer access provisions, fuel surcharges, conditions of service, and the extension or abandonment of rail lines. The STB has jurisdiction to determine whether we are “revenue adequate” on an annual basis based on the results of the prior year. A railroad is “revenue adequate” on an annual basis under the applicable law when its return on net investment exceeds the rail industry’s composite cost of capital. This determination is made pursuant to a statutory requirement. The STB also has jurisdiction over the consolidation, merger, or acquisition of control of and by rail common carriers.

The relaxation of economic regulation of railroads, following the Staggers Rail Act of 1980, included exemption from STB regulation of the rates and most service terms for intermodal business (trailer-on-flat-car, container-on-flat-car), rail boxcar shipments, lumber, manufactured steel, automobiles, and certain bulk commodities such as sand, gravel, pulpwood, and wood chips for paper manufacturing. Further, all shipments that we have under contract are effectively removed from commercial regulation for the duration of the contract. Approximately 90% of our revenues comes from either exempt shipments or shipments moving under transportation contracts; the remainder comes from shipments moving under public tariff rates.

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Efforts have been made over the past several years to increase federal economic regulation of the rail industry, and such efforts are expected to continue in 2024. The Staggers Rail Act of 1980 substantially balanced the interests of shippers and rail carriers, and encouraged and enabled rail carriers to innovate, invest in their infrastructure, and compete for business, thereby contributing to the economic health of the nation and to the revitalization of the industry. Accordingly, we will continue to oppose efforts to reimpose increased economic regulation.

Railroads are also subject to the enactment of laws by Congress and regulation by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) (including the FRA) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) (including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA)), which regulate most aspects of our operations related to safety, security and cybersecurity.

Government regulations are further discussed within Item 1A “Risk Factors” and the safety and security of our railroads are discussed within the “Security of Operations” section contained herein.

COMPETITION– There is continuing strong competition among rail, water, and highway carriers. Price is usually only one factor of importance as shippers and receivers choose a transport mode and specific hauling company. Inventory carrying costs, service reliability, ease of handling, and the desire to avoid loss and damage during transit are also important considerations, especially for higher-valued finished goods, machinery, and consumer products. Even for raw materials, semi-finished goods, and work-in-progress, users are increasingly sensitive to transport arrangements that minimize problems at successive production stages.

Our primary rail competitor is CSX Corporation (CSX); both we and CSX operate throughout much of the same territory. Other railroads also operate in parts of the territory. We also compete with motor carriers, water carriers, and with shippers who have the additional options of handling their own goods in private carriage, sourcing products from different geographic areas, and using substitute products.

Certain marketing strategies to expand reach and shipping options among railroads and between railroads and motor carriers enable railroads to compete more effectively in specific markets.

SECURITY OF OPERATIONS – We continue to enhance the security of our rail system. Our comprehensive security plan is modeled on and was developed in conjunction with the security plan prepared by the Association of American Railroads (AAR) post September 11, 2001. The AAR Security Plan defines four Alert Levels and details the actions and countermeasures that are being applied across the railroad industry as the risk of terrorist, extremist or seriously disruptive cyber-attack increases or decreases. The Alert Level actions include countermeasures that will be applied in three general areas: (1) operations (including transportation, engineering, and mechanical); (2) information technology and communications; and, (3) railroad police. All of our Operations Division employees are advised by their supervisors or train dispatchers, as appropriate, of any change in Alert Level and any additional responsibilities they may incur due to such change.

Our security plan also complies with DOT security regulations pertaining to training and security plans with respect to the transportation of hazardous materials. As part of the plan, security awareness training is given to all railroad employees who directly affect hazardous material transportation safety, and is integrated into hazardous material training programs. Additionally, location-specific security plans are in place for rail corridors in certain metropolitan areas referred to as High Threat Urban Areas (HTUA). Particular attention is aimed at reducing risk in a HTUA by: (1) the establishment of secure storage areas for rail cars carrying toxic-by-inhalation (TIH) materials; (2) the expedited movement of trains transporting rail cars carrying TIH materials; (3) reducing the number of unattended loaded tank cars carrying TIH materials; and (4) cooperation with federal, state, local, and tribal governments to identify those locations where security risks are the highest.

We also operate four facilities that are under U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Maritime Security Regulations. With respect to these facilities, each facility’s security plan has been approved by the applicable Captain of the Port and remains subject to inspection by the USCG.

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Additionally, we continue to engage in close and regular coordination with numerous federal and state agencies, including the DHS, the TSA, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the FRA, the USCG, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Department of Defense, and various state Homeland Security offices.

In 2023, through the Norfolk Southern Operation Awareness and Response Program as well as participation in the Transportation Community Awareness and Emergency Response Program, we provided rail accident response training to more than 5,000 emergency responders, such as local police and fire personnel, utilizing a combination of online training and face-to-face training sessions as well as the Norfolk Southern Safety Train. We also have ongoing programs to sponsor local emergency responders at the Security and Emergency Response Training Center.

We also continually evaluate ourselves for appropriate business continuity and disaster recovery planning, with test scenarios that include cybersecurity attacks. Our risk-based information security program helps ensure our defenses and resources are aligned to address the most likely and most damaging potential attacks, to provide support for our organizational mission and operational objectives, and to keep us in the best position to detect, mitigate, and recover from a wide variety of potential attacks in a timely fashion.

NSC - Norfolk Southern Corp

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