                                                            EXHIBIT 23(a)


Consent of Independent Auditors


The Board of Directors
Norfolk Southern Corporation

The Board of Managers
Thrift and Investment Plan of Norfolk Southern
Corporation and Participating Subsidiary Companies:


We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration
Statement pertaining to the Thrift and Investment Plan of Norfolk
Southern Corporation and Participating Subsidiary Companies on Form
S-8 of Norfolk Southern Corporation of our report dated
January 28, 2003, with respect to the consolidated balance sheets
of Norfolk Southern Corporation and subsidiaries as of December
31, 2002 and 2001, and the related consolidated statements of
income, changes in stockholders' equity and cash flows, and the
related consolidated financial statement schedule for each of the
years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2002, which report
appears in the December 31, 2002 Annual Report on Form 10-K of
Norfolk Southern Corporation.

We also consent to the incorporation by reference in the
Registration Statement of our report dated June 13, 2003,
with respect to the statements of assets available for benefits
of the Thrift and Investment Plan of Norfolk Southern Corporation
and Participating Subsidiary Companies as of December 31, 2002
and 2001, and the related statements of changes in assets
available for benefits for the years then ended, which report
appears in the December 31, 2002 Annual Report on Form 11-K of the
Thrift and Investment Plan of Norfolk Southern Corporation and
Participating Subsidiary Companies.


/s/ KPMG LLP

Norfolk, Virginia
September 22, 2003


