Norfolk Southern sees minimum '08 4 pct price hike

CHICAGO, April 23 (Reuters) - U.S. railroad Norfolk Southern Corp (NSC.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) still expects to raise freight rates by a "minimum" average of 4 percent across all commodity groups, the company's top executive said on Wednesday.

Chief Executive Wick Moorman told Reuters in a telephone interview that coal, agricultural and steel shipments should offset weak housing, autos and retail-related businesses.

"It's really a tale of two economies out there right now," Moorman said.

Norfolk Southern is confident that it will see freight volume growth in 2008, "though that depends on a little cooperation from the U.S. economy," he added. (Reporting by Nick Carey, editing by Gerald E. McCormick)