.Norfolk and Western’s annual re port issued Friday reveals 1956 as a record year for the railway in many aspects from total freight business handled to net income. Other marks established included new highs in total operating reve nues. eamunis per share of common stock and merchandise traffic car ried. Net income was $42 486.857. an increase of ten per cent over 1955. Gross income was $254 213.103 and expenses other than Federal in come taxes were $182,351,246. repre senting increases of 14 and 13 per cent, respectively. Total taxes were over $45 1-3 mil lion. or S3 07 per share of common stock compared- with $7.88 in 1955. The operating ratio, or tin amount of each operating revenue dollar consumed in operating expenses, was 68.8 compared to 66.1 the prev ious year. Freight Hauls I p Freight revenues increased over 15 pc r cent to a record $225 million. Measured in rt venue ton miles the Norfolk and Western also handled ■ to y 12.t per cent over 1955 and eight per cent ever 1948. the prev ious record year Coal mines served by th- railroad produced 52.4 mil Ton ton. compared to 47 million tons rite year be hoe and the volume of c -.i 1 exported over Noriolk and Western p.■ ; - at Lamberts Poire in creased 51 5 p> cent For the fu st time the major part of the coal load moved east instead, of west -over th'w mountain ranges to the sea. N rfolk and W- stern ore usvri 1 o.5 per cent of all coal mined in the United Stales ts highest pro portion ever, and also carried 7.7 million Puis {ton mutes served by other Tin-:: an increase of 17.6 per

49.6%