NS Research Map

Lambert's Point, located in Norfolk, VA is the Eastern Terminus of the Norfolk Southern. It is located on the Elizabeth River and is only a few nautical miles from the Atlantic Ocean. It is the home of the largest coal transloading facility in the world.

The Lambert's Point facility includes Coal Pier #6, three coal storage and marshalling yards and a break bulk cargo facility.

Norfolk Sothern's Lambert's Point page

Bridge #5 crosses the eastern branch of the Elizabeth River. It is a double tracked bascule bridge. There is a second bridge, with a single track, adjacent to Bridge #5. I believe the single track bridge is out of service.

Colonna's Shipyard, the location of O. Winston Link's photo of the J class and the tug being repaired on land was shot next to this location.

South Norfolk Station is the junction between the Old Norfolk & Western and the Virginian. Then the city where the junction is located was named South Norfolk. Forty years later, the NS retained the N&W as the mainline. The Virginian mainline to the east has become the Sewells Point branch of the NS and the Virginian mainline to the west has been abandoned. The city of South Norfolk has become the city of Chesapeake. Now the South Norfolk Tower is closed.

Portlock Yard is the main classification yard for the Norfolk Southern within the Norfolk Terminal Area.

The Norfolk Portsmouth Belt Line is a small railroad that operations in Tidewater area to interchange between what was once many railroads in the area. Today there are just two, CSX and NS. At this station the NPBL interchanged with the N&W then NS.

Today, then is just the crossing; the interchange has been ripped up, but is still visible in the south-east corner of the crossing.

Bridge #7 is where the NS mainline crosses the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River and heads west-southwest on tangent track to Suffolk, VA. Like Bridge #5, Bridge #7 is a two track bascale bridge.

Gilmerton is the Western end of the Norfolk Terminal.

Gilmerton is also the location of the Dominion Power Chesapeake Power Plant, which is served by the NS. The power plant is located on the south side of the NS mainline. It is served by a large loop that allows the trains to turn around within the plant property without backing. It appears that a rotary dumper is used to empty the coal cars.

Dominion Power - Chesapeake page

The Galberry Road crossing is located at Yadkin Station which is on the eastern-most edge of the Great Dismal Swamp.

When the Norfolk and Western built the line through the Great Dismal Swamp it was considered to be a feat of engineering because...

Suffolk, VA is the junction of the Norfolk and Franklin Districts. It is the location of a small yard which serves as the interchange between the two districts.

Suffolk is also the first station west of the Great Dismal Swamp.

Bluefield, WV is the start of the Pocahontas Division of the Norfolk Southern. It is home to a large classification yard.

Mayberry is the location of a famous (at least to N&W/NS fans) bridge which crosses US Route 52 and the Elkhorn Creek. For railfans who have drive route 52 north, this is the first time the mainline has been visible since Bluefield.

Keystone, WV is the location of the Keystone #1 Prep plant, one of the few plants located on the NS mainline.

SDD Keystone page

Huger, WV is the location of the Superior Prep plant, another of the few plants located on the NS mainline.

more info

Welch, WV is the Western end of the Pocahontas District. It is one of the larger cities in southern West Virginia. One of the unique features of this location, is the mainline tunnel through the mountain that separates the eastern side of town from the western. In addition to this tunnel, there used to be a siding, which looped around the mountain to serve the town's station.

Lavoy, WV is located at the end of the Alma Branch. It is the location of the Sprouse Creek Prep Plant.

more info

Williamson, WV is the location of the Norfolk Sothern's primary coal marshalling yard.

Grey Eagle is a small station between Williamson and Kenova.

Kenova is a city along the Ohio River. It is at the point where Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia meet, hence its name. It is also where the NS mainline crosses the Ohio river and continues on the Ohio side to Portsmouth, OH.

Portsmouth, OH is the Western end of the Pocahontas Division. It is the location of a large classification yard where trains are separated based on Columbus or Cincinnati as their destination.

Alexandria is located on the ????. It is the location of Pepco's Alexandria Power Plant which receives coal via NS trains from Roanoke.

Keystone #1 is an older prep plant located along the NS mainline in the Pocahontas District. It is noteworthy because it is one of the few plants located on the NS mainline, and because of one of the last operation thermal dryers for processing the coal.

more info

Superior is an older prep plant located along the NS mainline in the Pocahontas District near Welch, WV. It is noteworthy because it is one of the last prep plants that loads cars directly underneath the prep plant. Most plants now have conveyors to large storage silos and a second set of conveyors to dediciated loading facilities.

more info

Sprouse Creek Prep Plant is located near Matewan, WV off the Alma Branch in the Thacker I District. It is noteworthy because it is one of the largest loaders served by the NS and because it is right next to a county road which allows for very good photography of the plant.

more info

Havaco is located near Gary, WV off the Tug River Branch in Pocahontas District.

Seminole Mine is located near Gary, WV off the Tug River Branch in Pocahontas District.

Number 8 Mine is located near Gary, WV off the Tug River Branch in Pocahontas District.

Top Gun Mine is located near Gary, WV off the Tug River Branch in Pocahontas District.

Roadfork Mine is located near Gary, WV off the Tug River Branch in Pocahontas District.

Point Rock Mine is located near Pointrock, KY off the Delorme Branch in Thacker I District.

Alma Tipple is located near Phelps, KY off the Delorme Branch in Thacker I District.

Blackberry Creek Mine is located near Thomas, KY off the Delorme Branch in Thacker I District.

Jamboree Loader is located near Jamboree, KY off the Delorme Branch in Thacker I District.

Sadie Mine is located near Mabley, WV off the Mate Creek Branch in Thacker I District.

Little Boyd Mine is located near Elda, WV off the Lick Fork Spur in Thacker I District.

Little Boyd is located near Glen Alum, WV off the Briar Mountain Branch in Thacker I District.

Ben Creek Mine is located near Timbar, WV off the Ben Creek Spur of the Gilbert Branch in Thacker I District.

Hampden Mine is located near Scaggs, WV off the Gilbert Branch in Thacker I District.

Lit War Mine is located near Hull, WV on the mainline in Thacker I District.

Blue Boy Mine is located near Carlos, WV off the Dry Folk Branch in Tug River District.

Eckman Siding is located near Eckman, WV off the mainline in Pocahontas District.

Eckman Strip is located on Dans Branch near Vivian, WV in Pocahontas District.

more info

Dominion Power Chesapeake Power Plant is located at the Gilmerton Station in Chesapeake, VA. The power plant is located on the south side of the NS mainline. It is served by a large loop that allows the trains to turn around within the plant property without backing. It appears that a rotary dumper is used to empty the coal cars.

SDD Chesapeake Power Plant page
Dominion Power - Chesapeake page

The Pepco Alexandria Power Station is located in Alexandria, VA.