<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0000702165-03-000337
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20031201
<FILING-DATE>20031203
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>FOX JOHN W JR
<CIK>0001187177
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-08339
<FILM-NUMBER>031035411
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>NORFOLK SOUTHERN CORP
<STREET2>THREE COMMERCIAL PLACE
<CITY>NORFOLK
<STATE>VA
<ZIP>23510-9219
<PHONE>7576292680
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<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>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
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<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-12-01</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000702165</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NORFOLK SOUTHERN CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NSC</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001187177</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>FOX JOHN W JR</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>5025 FOX RIDGE ROAD, S.W.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ROANOKE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>VA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>24014-4916</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>1</isOther><otherText>Former Sr. V.P.-Coal Services</otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>49420</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Stock Units (Deferred)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><footnoteId id="F3"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-12-01</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>D</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>8907.2144</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><footnoteId id="F3"/></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2003-12-01</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2003-12-01</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>8907.2144</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Restricted Stock Units</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><footnoteId id="F4"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-12-01</value><footnoteId id="F4"/></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>D</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>8000</value><footnoteId id="F4"/></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><footnoteId id="F4"/></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2003-12-01</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2003-12-01</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>8000</value><footnoteId id="F4"/></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Options</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><footnoteId id="F5"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F5"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><footnoteId id="F5"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><footnoteId id="F5"/></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>330000</value><footnoteId id="F5"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Reports shares beneficially owned as of December 1, 2003, the date the reporting person retired.  Includes 10,982 shares, the approximate number of whole shares of Common Stock estimated -- on the basis of the unit accounting system used by the Plan Administrator -- as of December 1, 2003, the last date on which a formal statement was available, to have been credited to the reporting person's account in the Norfolk Southern Corporation Thrift and Investment Plan (TIP), a trusteed 401(k) plan.  In accordance with TIP's terms applicable to all participants, acquisitions were made at various times and at various prices.</footnote><footnote id="F2">The reporting person retired effective December 1, 2003.  He had no non-exempt transaction in the six months prior to his retirement date and has no obligation hereafter to file Form 4.  He no longer is subject to the &quot;profit&quot;-recovery provisions of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act.</footnote><footnote id="F3">Reports cash payment to the reporting person of deferred stock units under the Long-Term Incentive Plan (a Rule 16b-3 plan) based on the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on December 1, 2003 ($21.655 per share).</footnote><footnote id="F4">Reports cash payment to the reporting person to satisfy Restricted Stock Units, exempt under Rule 16b-3, granted and credited to the account of the reporting person under the terms of the Norfolk Southern Corporation Restricted Stock Unit Plan.  Settlement of the Units is based on the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on December 1, 2003 ($21.655 per share).</footnote><footnote id="F5">Reports shares beneficially owned by the reporting person as of December 1, 2003, the date the reporting person retired.  Includes options to purchase 330,000 shares of common stock under the Norfolk Southern Corporation Long-Term Incentive Plan (a Rule 16b-3 plan) granted at various times and at various exercise prices, as previously reported.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>D. M. Martin, via P.O.A. for John W. Fox, Jr.</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-12-03</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</SUBMISSION>
