The Surface Transportation Board (STB) approved Norfolk Southern Corporation’s (NSC) acquisition of control over the Norfolk & Portsmouth Belt Line Railroad Company (NPBL) on April 6, 2026, concluding a lengthy regulatory review marked by opposition from CSX Transportation, Inc. (CSXT).
NPBL operates as a Class III rail carrier in the Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Chesapeake, Virginia, area, connecting with major railroads and serving 21 industrial customers. NSC, which already owns a majority stake in NPBL, sought formal authorization to control the railroad, a move challenged by CSXT, which sought terminal trackage rights to improve its access to the Norfolk International Terminal (NIT).
The STB found that NSC’s acquisition, as conditioned, would not substantially lessen competition or create a monopoly in freight surface transportation. The Board denied CSXT’s application for trackage rights, citing insufficient evidence that such rights would meet the public interest standard.
NSC committed to maintaining NPBL’s century-old governance principles, including operating as an impartial terminal railroad with uniform, cost-based switching rates. The Board imposed a five-year oversight period requiring NPBL to report any significant operational or tariff changes.
CSXT argued that NSC’s control disadvantaged its ability to compete effectively at NIT, citing high switching rates and limited access. However, the Board determined that these concerns stemmed from longstanding ownership structures and agreements rather than NSC’s control.
The decision preserves existing transportation options and routing, with NSC agreeing not to absorb NPBL’s operations or alter its switching rates. The Board’s approval takes effect May 6, 2026, with petitions for reconsideration due by April 27.
