# The Surface Transportation Board has granted Norfolk Southern’s formal request to control the Norfolk & Portsmouth Belt Line.

*business · news · 2026-04-08 · FreightWaves*

## Key points

- The Surface Transportation Board has formally approved Norfolk Southern's control of the NPBL.
- Regulators discovered NS never obtained authority to control NPBL during the 1982 merger.
- Norfolk Southern has controlled NPBL since 1982 despite lacking formal regulatory approval until now.
- NS sought retroactive board approval for NPBL control in 2025 as a regulatory housekeeping measure.

**Companies:** Norfolk Southern, CSX
**Countries:** United States

[Read the full story on FreightWaves](https://www.freightwaves.com/news/norfolk-southern-awarded-control-of-disputed-eastern-port-rail-line)

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