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I compiled this list of the Norfolk Southern train numbers circa 1988.  It was in that year, NS totally revamped their train symbols to all numeric.  The train numbers listed are only the intermodal, roadrailer, and manifest trains.  

I prepared the list for those who may be interested in modelling in that era, or for those like me...a train number/symbol hound.  I always like to compare a railroad's current operations with when it was in its infancy.  In this case, a 24 year difference.  

While compiling this list, I've noticed some big differences in NS' traffic patterns and yard production.  For instance, the ex-N&W Peavine was alive and well, as was Saluda Hill.  NS was in control of the W&LE.  Potomac Yard was still open and classifying a significant amount of NS traffic.  Atlanta's Inman Yard was also still classifying manifest traffic.  Other yards in Portsmouth, Bristol, Moberly, Asheville were bustling while Chattanooga's DeButts Yard seemed strangely quiet.  Another big difference...very few intermodal trains!

There's a ton of other differences.  I just though I should share this list with everyone.  Enjoy!

NORFOLK SOUTHERN  TRAIN SYMBOLS CIRCA 1988



INTERMODAL

205  ATLANTA, GA - SAVANNAH, GA
206  SAVANNAH, GA - ATLANTA, GA
209  ATLANTA, GA - JACKSONVILLE, FL
210  JACKSONVILLE, FL - ATLANTA, GA
211  NORFOLK, VA - CHICAGO, IL
212  CHICAGO, IL - NORFOLK, VA
219  WASHINGTON, D.C. - NEW ORLEANS, LA
220  ATLANTA, GA - GREENSBORO, NC
221  GREENSBORO, NC - ATLANTA, GA
222  NEW ORLEANS, LA - ATLANTA, GA
224  MEMPHIS, TN - LINWOOD, NC
229  CINCINNATI, OH - JACKSONVILLE, FL
230  JACKSONVILLE, FL - CHICAGO, IL
231  CHICAGO, IL - JACKSONVILLE, FL
270  ATLANTA, GA - CHICAGO, IL
271  CHICAGO, IL - ATLANTA, GA
296  NEW ORLEANS, LA - ATLANTA, GA
297  ATLANTA, GA - NEW ORLEANS, LA
298  NEW ORLEANS, LA - ATLANTA, GA
299  ATLANTA, GA - NEW ORLEANS, LA

ROADRAILER

243  DETROIT, MI - ATLANTA, GA
244  ATLANTA, GA - DETROIT, MI
253  WENTZVILLE, MO - DETROIT, MI
254  DETROIT, MI - WENTZVILLE, MO
263  CHICAGO, IL - FT. WAYNE, IN
264  FT. WAYNE, IN - CHICAGO, IL

MANIFEST (OPERATED OVER MULTIPLE DIVISIONS)

110  DECATUR, IL - BELLEVUE, OH
111  KANSAS CITY, MO - KNOXVILLE, TN
112  KNOXVILLE, TN - KANSAS CITY, MO
113  FT. WAYNE, IN - DECATUR, IL
114  DECATUR, IL - DETROIT, MI
116  ATLANTA, GA - CINCINNATI, OH
117  CINCINNATI, OH - ATLANTA, GA
118  ALBANY, GA - ALEXANDRIA, VA
121  DETROIT, MI - KANSAS CITY, MO
123  LOUISVILLE, KY - ATLANTA, GA
124  JACKSONVILLE, FL - CHATTANOOGA, TN
126  LINWOOD, NC - ROANOKE, VA
127  ROANOKE, VA - LINWOOD, NC
128  LINWOOD, NC - PORTSMOUTH, OH
129  PORTSMOUTH, OH - LINWOOD, NC
131  BELLEVUE, OH - DETROIT, MI
132  DETROIT, MI - ROOK, PA
133  BELLEVUE, OH - DETROIT, MI
134  DETROIT, MI - BELLEVUE, OH
135  MACON, GA - BIRMINGHAM, AL
136  BIRMINGHAM, AL - MACON, GA
138  MACON, GA - LINWOOD, NC
139  KNOXVILLE, TN - ATLANTA, GA
140  ATLANTA, GA - KNOXVILLE, TN
141  ATLANTA, GA - JACKSONVILLE, FL
142  JACKSONVILLE, FL - ATLANTA, GA
143  CHICAGO, IL - ATLNATA, GA
144  ATLANTA, GA - CHICAGO, IL
145  ST. THOMAS, ON - KANSAS CITY, MO
146  KANSAS CITY, MO - ST. THOMAS, ON
147  ROANOKE, VA - PORTSMOUTH, VA
148  PORTSMOUTH, OH - ROANOKE, VA
150  MACON, GA - CINCINNATI, OH
151  CINCINNATI, OH - ATLANTA, GA
152  SHEFFIELD, AL - LINWOOD, NC
154  BIRMINGHAM, AL - ALEXANDRIA, VA
155  LINWOOD, NC - MACON, GA
156  SAVANNAH, GA - ALEXANDRIA, VA
157  LINWOOD, NC - SAVANNAH, GA
160  MACON, GA - LOUISVILLE, KY
161  LOUISVILLE, KY - MACON, GA
162  KNOXVILLE, TN - LINWOOD, NC
163  LINWOOD, NC - MEMPHIS, TN
164  KNOXVILLE, TN - LINWOOD, NC
165  LINWOOD, NC - SHEFFIELD, AL
166  PORTSMOUTH, OH - WINSTON-SALEM, NC
167  PORTSMOUTH, OH - DECATUR, IL
168  DECATUR, IL - PORTSMOUTH, OH
169  LINWOOD, NC - BIRMINGHAM, AL
170  MACON, GA - LINWOOD, NC
171  CHARLESTON, SC - KNOXVILLE, TN
172  KNOXVILLE, TN - CHARLESTON, SC
173  ALEXANDRIA, VA - MEMPHIS, TN
175  CINCINNATI, OH - KNOXVILLE, TN
176  KNOXVILLE, TN - CINCINNATI, OH
177  ALEXANDRIA, VA - ROANOKE, VA
178  ROANOKE, VA - ALEXANDRIA, VA
181  DETROIT, MI - WENTZVILLE, MO
182  DECATUR, IL - DETROIT, MI
183  BELLEVUE, OH - DECATUR, IL
184  BELLEVUE, OH - ROANOKE, VA
185  NORFOLK, VA - PORTSMOUTH, OH
186  CHICAGO, IL - PORTSMOUTH, OH
187  CINCINNATI, OH - ATLANTA, GA
188  ATLANTA, GA - CINCINNATI, OH
189  ROANOKE, VA - PORTSMOUTH, OH
190  PORTSMOUTH, OH - ROANOKE, VA
191  AUGUSTA, GA - SHEFFIELD, AL
192  SHEFFIELD, AL - MACON, GA
193  ROANOKE, VA - BELLEVUE, OH
195  ROANOKE, VA - PORTSMOUTH, OH
196  ATLANTA, GA - FT. WAYNE, IN
197  FT. WAYNE, IN - ATLANTA, GA
198  VALDOSTA, GA - BIRMINGHAM, AL
199  BIRMINGHAM, AL - VALDOSTA, GA

MANIFEST (OPERATED OVER A SINGLE DIVISION)

301  BELLEVUE, OH - FT. WAYNE, IN
302  FT. WAYNE, IN - BELLEVUE, OH
303  BUFFALO, NY - BELLEVUE, OH
304  BELLEVUE, OH - BUFFALO, NY
305  BELLEVUE, OH - CHICAGO, IL
307  BELLEVUE, OH - CHICAGO, IL
308  CHICAGO, IL - BELLEVUE, OH
309  BUFFALO, NY - BELLEVUE, OH
310  BELLEVUE, OH - BUFFALO, NY
311  MACON, GA - BRUNSWICK, GA
312  BRUNSWICK, GA - MACON, GA
313  DECATUR, IL - MOBERLY, MO
314  NEW ORLEANS, LA - BIRMINGHAM, AL
315  BIRMINGHAM, AL - NEW ORLEANS, LA
316  KANSAS CITY, MO - MOBERLY, MO
317  CHICAGO, IL - ST. LOUIS, MO
318  ST. LOUIS, MO - CHICAGO, IL
319  DECATUR, IL - ST. LOUIS, MO
321  ROANOKE, VA - BRISTOL, VA
322  BRISTOL, VA - ROANOKE, VA
323  EAST ST. LOUIS, IL - LOUISVILLE, KY
324  CHATTANOOGA, TN - EAST ST. LOUIS, IL
331  ROOK, PA - BELLEVUE, OH
332  BELLEVUE, OH - ROOK, PA
333  CHATTANOOGA, TN - BIRMINGHAM, AL
334  BIRMINGHAM, AL - CHATTANOOGA, TN
335  SAVANNAH, GA - MACON, GA
336  MACON, GA - SAVANNAH, GA
337  LINWOOD, NC - AUGUSTA, GA
339  ATLANTA, GA - MACON, GA
340  MACON, GA - ATLANTA, GA
341  ALEXANDRIA, VA - LINWOOD, NC
342  LINWOOD, NC - ALEXANDRIA, VA
344  CHATTANOOGA, TN - CINCINNATI, OH
345  RICHMOND, VA - LYNCHBURG, VA
346  LYNCHBURG, VA - RICHMOND, VA
347  WINSTON-SALEM, NC - ROANOKE, VA
348  ROANOKE, VA - NORFOLK, VA
349  CHOCOWINITY, NC - LINWOOD, NC
350  LINWOOD, NC - CHOCOWINITY, NC
351  HAGERSTOWN, MD - ROANOKE, VA
352  ROANOKE, VA - HAGERSTOWN, MD
353  ATLANTA, GA - BIRMINGHAM, AL
355  ALEXANDRIA, VA - LINWOOD, NC
356  ROANOKE, VA - WINSTON-SALEM, NC
357  WINSTON-SALEM, NC - ROANOKE, VA
358  LINWOOD, NC - MONROE, VA
359  MONROE, VA - LINWOOD, NC
362  MEMPHIS, TN - SHEFFIELD, AL
364  MEMPHIS, TN - SHEFFIELD, AL
365  SHEFFIELD, AL - MEMPHIS, TN
366  ASHEVILLE, NC - LINWOOD, NC
367  LINWOOD, NC - ASHEVILLE, NC
368  NEW ORLEANS, LA - ATLANTA, GA
369  BIRMINGHAM, AL - NEW ORLEANS, LA
372  COLUMBIA, SC - CHARLESTON, SC
373  ATLANTA, GA - SHEFFIELD, AL
377  SPARTANBURG, SC - ASHVILLE, NC
378  ASHEVILLE, NC - SPARTANBURG, SC
380  BIRMINGHAM, AL - CHATTANOOGA, TN
381  CHATTANOOGA, TN - BIRMINGHAM, AL
383  DECATUR, IL - KANSAS CITY, MO
385  PORTSMOUTH, OH - BELLEVUE, OH
386  KNOXVILLE, TN - BRISTOL, VA
387  BRISTOL, VA - KNOXVILLE, TN
388  KNOXVILLE, TN - BRISTOL, VA
389  BRISTOL, VA - KNOXVILLE, TN
390  MEMPHIS, TN - SHEFFIELD, AL
391  SHEFFIELD, AL - MEMPHIS, TN
392  MEMPHIS, TN - SHEFFIELD, AL
393  BIRMINGHAM, AL - NEW ORLEANS, LA
394  NEW ORLEANS, LA - BIRMINGHAM, AL
395  SHEFFIELD, AL - MEMPHIS, TN
396  MEMPHIS, TN - SHEFFIELD, AL
397  SHEFFIELD, AL - MEMPHIS, TN
398  JACKSONVILLE, FL - VALDOSTA, GA
399  VALDOSTA, GA - JACKSONVILLE, FL
401  DECATUR, IL - FEDERAL, IL
402  FEDERAL, IL - DECATUR, IL
403  MOBERLY, MO - DES MOINES, IA
404  DES MOINES, IA - MOBERLY, MO
405  AKRON, OH - CAREY, OH
406  CAREY, OH - AKRON, OH
407  FRANKORT, IN - DECATUR, IL
408  DECATUR, IL - FRANKFORT, IN
411  DETROIT, MI - CHICAGO, IL
412  CHICAGO, IL - DETROIT, MI
413  MOBERLY, MO - KANSAS CITY, MO
415  DECATUR, IL - FRANKFORT, IN
416  MOBERLY, MO - DECATUR, IL
417  CHICAGO, IL - DECATUR, IL
418  DECATUR, IL - CHICAGO, IL
420  KANSAS CITY, MO - ST. LOUIS, MO
421  ST. LOUIS, MO - MOBERLY, MO
422  KANSAS CITY, MO - DECATUR, IL
423  ATLANTA, GA - MACON, GA
424  KANSAS CITY, MO - DECATUR, IL
430  CINCINNATI, OH - FT. WAYNE, IN
432  BELLEVUE, OH - ROOK, PA
433  CHATTANOOGA, TN - BIRMINGHAM, AL
434  BIRMINGHAM, AL - CHATTANOOGA, TN
435  SAVANNAH, GA - MACON, GA
436  MACON, GA - SAVANNAH, GA
437  DECATUR, IL - EAST ST. LOUIS, IL
438  EAST ST. LOUIS, IL - DECATUR, IL
440  MACON, GA - ATLANTA, GA
441  ROANOKE, VA - BLUEFIELD, WV
442  ATLANTA, GA - LINWOOD, NC
444  CINCINNATI, OH - FT. WAYNE, IN
446  BIRMINGHAM, AL - ATLANTA, GA
447  LINWOOD, NC - ASHEVILLE, NC
448  ASHEVILLE, NC - LINWOOD, NC
449  RALEIGH, NC - LINWOOD, NC
450  LINWOOD, NC - RALEIGH, NC
453  BIRMINGHAM, AL - NEW ORLEANS, LA
458  ATLANTA, GA - LINWOOD, NC
459  LINWOOD, NC - ATLANTA, GA
462  SHEFFIELD, AL - KNOXVILLE, TN
464  SHEFFIELD, AL - MEMPHIS, TN
466  KNOXVILLE, TN - ASHEVILLE, NC
467  ASHEVILLE, NC - KNOXVILLE, TN
471  PORTSMOUTH, OH - BELLEVUE, OH
473  PORTSMOUTH, OH - BELLEVUE, OH
477  HOPEWELL, VA - ROANOKE, VA
478  ROANOKE, VA - HOPEWELL, VA
479  PORTSMOUTH, OH - CINCINNATI, OH
480  CINCINNATI, OH - PORTSMOUTH, OH
481  PORTSMOUTH, OH - CINCINNATI, OH
482  CINCINNATI, OH - PORTSMOUTH, OH
483  BIRMINGHAM, AL - MOBILE, AL
484  MOBILE, AL - BIRMINGHAM, AL
485  MACON, GA - ALBANY, GA
488  ROANOKE, VA - HAGERSTOWN, MD
489  HAGERSTOWN, MD - ROANOKE, VA

What a big difference! There were many, many more manifests then!

-Chip 

Tis true about the manifest trains there Chip.  NS hadn't grasped the intermodal revolution just yet.  That didn't happen until maybe 1993.  That's when Inman Yard stopped classifying manifest traffic to focus on intermodal.  Plus, a lot of those manifest trains were actually automobile related trains.  NS classified an autorack or parts train as a manifest back then...I think.

Been a while but 252 and 264 were Triple Crowns from East Point. Train 263 and 251 were the south bounds. Train 230 was the only Pig train north but seems they were running a 270 which was and empty Auto rack north from Inman. Train 160 was the Humming Bird. Train 140 was called the Cannon Ball at first. A play on the Bullet. The Bullet was the old mix freight that worked Forrestville (Rome). The next scheduled train was 230 and then 150 know as the Rabbit and was chased by 116 or the Beagle. The next was train 144 out of Jacksonville. They ran a train called 188 along that time. It went from siding to siding. Got ran around at least once or twice every night. Seems there was a 170 along this time. It went in the yard at DeButts. There were several coal train back then. One the ARCO that went to Harlee Branch. The number was 250 north and 251 south. At that time pig and coal used 200 and 700 numbers. Was always and extra mixed coal on Saturday and Sunday. They were at that time running a coal train Monday through Friday to Krannert. Had about 60 cars and ran about 6pm out of DeButts. Many times they would tie it down at Spell in two wye to wait on the rest of a pool job. On Friday after setting the train out at Krannert you would take your engines and caboose back to Forrestville and pick up Atlanta's and rock for Chattahoochee.

 Just found this thread on a search result and the last post was April 2012. Very nice bit of research here.  The New Castle District was seeing lots of new traffic from the merger of Norfolk Southern and Chicago-Muncie line rehab.  230 lasted over a decade or more.  Thanks for posting this.

The days before adding the letters to make a train symbol!!