CORRECTION: The on-air version of this story incorrectly identified one of the railroads merged to create Norfolk Southern. WAVY-TV regrets the error.
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — If an $85 billion merger of Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern Railroads is ultimately approved, it would result in the first singularly owned transcontinental railroad in the United States.
However, it appears it would also result in the word “Norfolk” being detached from an American Railroad, for the first time in more than 170 years.
In a joint press release from the two railroading giants, the new proposed mega company is referred to as the “The Union Pacific Transcontinental Railroad.”
While it isn’t clear why executives landed on the name, Jim Vena, current Union Pacific CEO, will lead the combined company as Chief Executive Officer and has been described as the one championing the deal.
Union Pacific was also one of two railroads who helped complete the transcontinental railroad line in 1869.
David Goode, President and CEO of Norfolk Southern from 1992-2005, said while it wouldn’t be appropriate for him to comment on the merger deal itself, he said count him as one who would be “sorry to see (the Norfolk Southern name) go.”
“I love Norfolk,” Goode said “I didn’t grow up here, but, I’ve come to be a citizen of Hampton Roads, a citizen of Norfolk and I think there’s a lot of history and tradition in the name. I would love to see that name.”
Railroading in Norfolk dates back to the 1850s.
“The original Norfolk and Western was started here by General William Mahone,” Goode said. “It was the Norfolk and Petersburg then but it was all about getting Norfolk from, its position as a seaport to have, to have access to the inland and that required crossing the Dismal Swamp, which which Mahone figured out how to do.”
By 1886, tracks were extended to Lamberts Point, where today stands the the Northern Hemisphere’s largest facility for loading coal.
“The role of coal is was it was very important to the history of, of Norfolk Southern and Norfolk and Western and the coal piers here are the best in the world,” Goode said.
It’s one of the reason that when Norfolk & Western Railroad merged with the Southern Railway to create Norfolk Southern in 1982, Norfolk was chosen as the headquarters.
In 2019, Norfolk Southern moved its headquarters to Atlanta. While some economists called losing a Fortune 500 company “a blow” the railroad’s recognizable thoroughbred logo was only removed from the Arnold B. McKinnon Headquarters Building.
The companies name remains plastered at the entrance to both Portlock and Lamberts Point yards, as well as on all the locomotives and rolling stock.
The merger isn’t expected to be approved until 2027 at the earliest according to company executives.
Even then, Goode, who presided over Norfolk Southern’s acquisition of Conrail in the late 90’s, said nothing is repainted overnight.
“The important thing to my way of thinking is that the culture and traditions and the highly ethical way of doing business that Norfolk Southern people have developed over the years is the most important thing for us to preserve,” Goode said. “I think that has long legs and will endure.”
Goode said the railroading culture in Hampton Roads remains strong with generations of families being able to find opportunity and success.
“It’s not simple, moving hundreds of thousands of cars of of freight every day,” Goode said. “It requires a lot of technology, but it also requires a lot of skill from a lot of people … If you have the opportunity to get out on the railroad to see the people, you will see the real strength of the country. You have all kinds of people working for the railroad, they are dedicated, they’re hardworking they are they are the kind of people that built the country that’s what was great to me about being able to lead a company like that.”
