NORFOLK, Va., Dec. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- A locomotive simulator, a vintage double-decker dome car, and "Brainy," a public safety mascot that encourages people to "train your brain to be smart at railroad crossings," are some of the attractions Norfolk Southern will feature Tuesday, Dec. 11, at a public ceremony to welcome Amtrak's Inaugural Whistle Stop train to Norfolk at Amtrak's new passenger platform at Harbor Park.

The event, organized by the City of Norfolk and held in conjunction with Amtrak, Norfolk Southern, and the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT), begins at 2:30 p.m. and concludes at 6 p.m. It is open to the public.

Norfolk Southern worked in partnership with Amtrak, DRPT, and CSX to bring passenger service back to South Hampton Roads by making improvements to the NS line that mostly parallels U.S. 460 between Norfolk and Petersburg, Va., where the route connects with CSX for same-seat service to Washington, D.C., and beyond to Boston. With Amtrak Virginia, the new round-trip service will bring intercity passenger rail service to Norfolk for the first time since 1977.

Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) is one of the nation's premier transportation companies. Its Norfolk Southern Railway subsidiary operates approximately 20,000 route miles in 22 states and the District of Columbia, serves every major container port in the eastern United States, and provides efficient connections to other rail carriers. Norfolk Southern operates the most extensive intermodal network in the East and is a major transporter of coal and industrial products.

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SOURCE Norfolk Southern Corporation