This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
10/31/2025
Two additional Class Is have joined BNSF Railway in voicing opposition to Union Pacific Railroad's proposed acquisition of Norfolk Southern Railway.
Canadian Pacific Kansas City and CN recently launched pages on their website in which they outline their concerns about the proposed $85 billion merger deal, which will require approval by the Surface Transportation Board. UP and NS reportedly expect to file their application with the STB sometime this fall.
CPKC said on its webpage that the megamerger is not in the public's interests, is unnecessary, would limit shippers' options and permanently alter the freight-rail transportation market. The company opposes the UP-NS deal despite completing its own acquisition of Kansas City Southern Railway in 2023.
"On its own, the combination of UP and NS at this time would pose unprecedented and far-reaching risks to customers, rail employees and the broader supply chain," CPKC officials stated. "A UP Transcon would control approximately 40% of the U.S. freight-rail traffic and have unrivaled leverage that would reduce the bargaining power of rail customers."
Such risks would be magnified by more industry consolidation that inevitably would occur if the UP-NS proposal becomes reality, according to CPKC.
"It doesn't have to be this way. Collaboration among the railroads without mergers in high-density east-west transcontinental traffic lanes can achieve the kinds of benefits UP and NS say they are pursuing by merging," the CPKC webpage states.
Meanwhile, CN's webpage encourages its customers to speak up on the UP-NS plan when it comes before the STB and provides information on how to do so.
"This transaction could have far-reaching implications for rail competition, supply chains, and service reliability in North America. CN will be actively participating in the STB review of this proposed merger," CN's webpage states.
BNSF was the first of the six Class Is to outline on its website and in a white paper why it opposes the UP-NS combination. It called on customers to express their concerns to the STB, which for now remains closed due to the federal government shutdown.
"No customer is asking for a UP-NS merger to happen," the BNSF paper states. "It’s driven by Wall Street on the promise of a big shareholder payout. BNSF does not believe a merger is necessary at this time, when we can deliver immediate benefits to our customers while preserving competition."