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BNSF Railway is asking federal regulators to apply heightened scrutiny to the proposed merger between Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern, warning that the deal would weaken competition, harm shippers, and ultimately raise prices for American consumers.
In a statement issued from Fort Worth following the filing of the merger application with the Surface Transportation Board, BNSF Railway President and CEO Katie Farmer said the transaction “poses a significant threat to the U.S. economy and the American consumer” and fails to meet the tougher standards now governing major rail consolidations.
“This is precisely why the STB strengthened its merger rules,” Farmer said, arguing that applicants must prove their deal will not only preserve but enhance competition and that any claimed public benefits cannot be achieved through partnerships. “BNSF is confident that UP has not met these requirements.”
Farmer said the merger would leave shippers with fewer options, driving higher rates and, ultimately, higher prices for consumers. She also warned that history shows large rail mergers can lead to serious service failures with “destructive impacts to customers, the U.S. rail network and the American economy.”
The opposition comes as Union Pacific Corporation and Norfolk Southern Corporation formally asked the Surface Transportation Board to approve their proposed combination, which they say would create America’s first transcontinental railroad. The companies entered into a merger agreement July 29, 2025.
Their nearly 7,000-page application outlines an end-to-end network linking Union Pacific’s Western system with Norfolk Southern’s Eastern reach, creating a single-line railroad spanning 50,000 route miles across 43 states and more than 100 ports. The filing includes more than 2,000 letters of support and notes that shareholders at both companies approved the transaction by margins exceeding 99%.
Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern say the merger would convert 10,000 freight lanes from interline to single-line service, eliminate an estimated 2,400 daily rail car and container handlings, and shift roughly 2 million truckloads of freight from highways to rail each year.
Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena said the deal would strengthen the U.S. supply chain and reach underserved markets, while Norfolk Southern CEO Mark George said it would create a cohesive national freight solution connecting major manufacturing and population centers.
Farmer disputed those claims, saying similar benefits can be delivered without consolidation. “This didn’t begin with customers asking for this merger,” she said, adding that the stated public benefits appear to accrue primarily to shareholders. “UP has a long history of making promises in past mergers that they back away from once they’ve secured approval.”
The transaction remains subject to Surface Transportation Board review and ongoing federal oversight.