With a nod to its 175- year history, Norfolk Southern Corporation salutes its most successful year ever in its 2005 Annual Report.

"This was an exceptional year," writes David Goode in his last letter to stockholders as chairman of the company he led for 13 years before retiring in 2006. Noting records for net income, earnings per share, revenues and carloads, Goode says, "The Norfolk Southern story is one of great people in a great organization getting the job done for the nation as a key and growing part of the essential transportation system that makes the economy strong."

Goode's successor, Wick Moorman, tells shareholders in a companion letter that, "while our company always will be tied to the economy, it seems evident that the favorable economics of rail transportation will continue to gain traction in the marketplace. Our company will be ready to capitalize on our advantages."

Norfolk Southern's annual report and Form 10-K are posted on the company Web site. Created in-house, some 195,000 printed copies are distributed to stockholders, the financial community, news media and libraries. The report comes packaged with a DVD documenting Norfolk Southern's swift and heroic restoration of rail service to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. To request a copy, call 800-531-6757, e-mail annualreport@nscorp.com or write to Norfolk Southern Corp., Corporate Communications Department, Three Commercial Place, Norfolk, Va. 23510-9217.