Norfolk and Portsmouth Belt Line Railroad

Norfolk and Portsmouth Belt Line Railroad

NPBL No. 1435, an EMD GP15-1, in 2005
Reporting mark NPBL
Locale Chesapeake, Virginia to Portsmouth, Virginia
Dates of operation 1898
Headquarters Norfolk, Virginia
Website Official website

The Norfolk and Portsmouth Belt Line Railroad (reporting mark NPBL) is a class III railroad operating in southern Virginia.

The NPBL serves Norfolk, Portsmouth and Chesapeake and has been operating since 1898. The NPBL is owned fifty-seven percent by Norfolk Southern Railway and forty-three percent by CSX Transportation.

The NPBL interchanges with; Chesapeake and Albemarle Railroad, CSX Transportation, Bay Coast Railroad (formerly the Eastern Shore Railroad), and Norfolk Southern. The NPBL is a terminal switching company that owns 36 miles (58 km) of track, (plus 27 miles (43 km) of trackage rights) and links commerce around the deepwater port from Sewells Point to Portsmouth Marine Terminal, including the Southern Branch Elizabeth River.

All locomotives belong to Norfolk Southern and the NPBL currently uses two different models; the EMD GP38-2, and EMD MP15DC.[1] All of the EMD GP15-1's have been withdrawn from service as of 2007. A newly painted commemorative engine has been added into service.

References

  1. "High Nose GP38-2's for NPBL", trainorders.com, January 4, 2007. Accessed April 25, 2007.