FACTBOX-Major rail mergers that reshaped the US freight network
July 29 (Reuters) - Union Pacific UNP.N said on Tuesday it would buy smaller rival Norfolk Southern NSC.N in an $85-billion deal to create the country's first coast-to-coast freight rail operator.
Such mergers have historically reshaped the rail map, consolidating regional carriers into some dominant networks, but often come under intense scrutiny from the Surface Transportation Board.
Landmark mergers in the past - such as the creation of BNSF and between Union Pacific and Southern Pacific - have set the stage for today's concentrated rail network, often triggering both operational gains and regulatory pushback.
Here are some of the largest railroad deals in the past three decades:
Year | Merger | Deal value | Note |
1995 | Burlington Northern & Santa Fe | $4.1 billion | Created one of the largest U.S. railroads at the time |
1996 | Union Pacific & Southern Pacific | $5.4 billion | The merger caused significant operational problems and shipping delays that led to tougher regulatory standards |
1998 | CSX & Norfolk Southern split Conrail | $10.2 billion | Conrail was split between CSX and Norfolk Southern in a joint acquisition |
2023 | Canadian Pacific & Kansas City Southern | $31 billion | First single-line railroad linking the U.S., Canada and Mexico |
2025 | Union Pacific & Norfolk Southern | $85 billion | First coast-to-coast freight rail operator |
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