<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0000702165-03-000239
<TYPE>3
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>2
<PERIOD>20030722
<FILING-DATE>20030725
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>NORFOLK SOUTHERN CORP
<CIK>0000702165
<ASSIGNED-SIC>4011
<IRS-NUMBER>521188014
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>VA
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>THREE COMMERCIAL PL
<CITY>NORFOLK
<STATE>VA
<ZIP>23510-2191
<PHONE>7576292680
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>THREE COMMERCIAL PL
<CITY>NORFOLK
<STATE>VA
<ZIP>23510-2191
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>JOHNSON GEORGE D JR
<CIK>0001005468
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>3
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-08339
<FILM-NUMBER>03802097
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>450 E LAS OLAS BLVD
<CITY>FORT LAUDERDALE
<STATE>FL
<ZIP>33301
<PHONE>9147131600
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>450 EAST LAS OLAS BLVD
<CITY>FORT LAUDERDALE
<STATE>FL
<ZIP>33301
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>3
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>3</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-07-22</periodOfReport>
    <noSecuritiesOwned>0</noSecuritiesOwned>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000702165</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NORFOLK SOUTHERN CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NSC</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001005468</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>JOHNSON GEORGE D JR</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>3000</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionShares></transactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">The reporting person was elected a director of Norfolk Southern Corporation effective July 22, 2003.  Upon his election, he was granted 3,000 shares of common stock under the Norfolk Southern Corporation Directors' Restricted Stock Plan.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>D. M. Martin via P. O. A. for George D. Johnson, Jr.</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-07-25</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-24
<SEQUENCE>3
<FILENAME>powofatt.htm
<TEXT>
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<!-- saved from url=(0107)file://C:\Documents%20and%20Settings\srlsh\Local%20Settings\Temporary%20Internet%20Files\OLK4\poweratt3.htm --><HTML><HEAD><TITLE>POWER OF ATTORNEY</TITLE>
<META content=Word.Document name=ProgId>
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<META content="Microsoft Word 9" name=Originator></HEAD>
<BODY>
<DIV class=Section1>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 95%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: center 3.55in"><U>POWER
OF ATTORNEY</U></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 95%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: center 3.55in">For
Executing SEC Forms 3, 4, 5, and 144 </P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 95%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: center 3.55in">(and/or
other similar reports) </P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 95%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Know
all men by these presents, that I, the undersigned, hereby constitute and
appoint each of the Corporate Secretary, the Assistant Corporate Secretary, and
the Supervisor or Analyst-Corporate Plans and Records, signing singly, my true
and lawful attorney-in-fact to:</P>
<P class=MsoBlockText
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 1.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -1.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 95%">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
(1) execute for and on my behalf SEC Forms 3, 4, 5, and 144 (including both
amendments thereto and any and all other similar reports, however hereafter
known, designated or identified) ("Report") in accordance with (a) Section 16(a)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules thereunder and (b) Rule
144, concerning securities of Norfolk Southern &nbsp; Corporation and Norfolk
Southern Railway Company;</P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 34.2pt 0pt 1.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -1.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 95%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in 0in">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
(2) do and perform any and all acts for and on my behalf which may be necessary
or desirable to complete any such Report(s) and to effect the timely filing of
such Report(s) with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and
with any authority, agency, exchange or other body as may be required, or
thought advisable, by my attorney-in-fact; and </P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0.5in 0pt 1.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -1.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 95%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in 0in .5in 1.0in">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
(3) take any other action of any type whatsoever in connection with the
foregoing which, in the opinion of my attorney-in-fact, may be of benefit to, in
the best interest of, or legally required of, me, it being understood that the
documents executed by my attorney-in-fact on my behalf pursuant to this Power of
Attorney shall be in such form and shall contain such terms and conditions as my
attorney-in-fact, in her or his sole discretion, may approve. </P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 95%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;I
hereby [1] grant to each and every of my attorneys-in-fact full power and
authority to do and to perform all and every act and thing whatsoever requisite,
necessary and proper to be done in the exercise of any of the rights and powers
herein granted, as fully to all intents and purposes as I or any such
attorney-in-fact might or could do if personally present, with full power of
substitution or revocation, and [2] ratify and confirm all that any of my
attorneys-in-fact, or her or his substitute(s), lawfully shall do or cause to be
done by virtue of this Power of Attorney and the rights and powers herein
granted. &nbsp; I acknowledge that each and every of the foregoing
attorneys-in-fact, in serving in such capacity at my request, are not assuming
any of my responsibilities to comply with Section 16 of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 or with Rule 144. </P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 95%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Unless
earlier revoked by me in a signed writing delivered to an attorney-in-fact, as
to each such attorney-in-fact, this Power of Attorney shall remain in full force
and effect (and shall survive, if necessary, my incapacity and/or death) until I
no longer am required to file Report(s) with the Securities and Exchange
Commission with respect to my reportable beneficial ownership, and any other
holdings, of and transactions in securities of Norfolk Southern Corporation and
Norfolk Southern Railway Company or pursuant to Rule 144. </P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 95%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have executed this Power of Attorney as of this 22nd day
of July, 2003. </P>
<P class=MsoNormal
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<U>George D. Johnson, Jr. </U></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
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Signature </P>
<P class=MsoNormal
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<U>George D. Johnson, Jr. </U></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 95%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in 328.5pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Typed Name </P></DIV><!-- *** Conditioned for EDGAR by SCRUBBY version 1.0000000000000000000000000000000000001 ***
7/24/2003 10:00:49 AM --></BODY></HTML>

</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
