Union Pacific Corporation and Norfolk Southern Corporation have submitted the first portion of their supplemental responses to the Surface Transportation Board (STB), addressing the regulator’s May 28, 2026 request for additional information regarding their proposed merger.
The latest filing focuses on three jointly owned rail entities: the Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis (TRRA), the Kansas City Terminal Railway (KCT), and TTX Company. According to the railroads, these organizations are independently managed, jointly owned by multiple Class I railroads, and governed by non-discrimination policies. Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern emphasized that they do not control these entities today and have committed not to control them following the proposed merger. The filing outlines several options for the STB to formalize this commitment, including the possibility of divestiture if required.
The companies also raised concerns about developments involving TRRA. They stated that a special meeting was convened to discuss reducing Union Pacific’s ownership stake in TRRA after the merger, but representatives from other Class I railroads—including BNSF, CSX, and Canadian National—did not attend. According to the filing, only board members representing Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern participated in the meeting, which the companies argue demonstrates efforts by rival railroads to delay or oppose the merger process.
Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern continue to maintain that combining their complementary rail networks would create the first single-line transcontinental freight railroad in the United States. They say the merger would provide shippers with seamless coast-to-coast rail service, strengthen competition with long-haul trucking, improve supply chain efficiency, and help reduce transportation costs. The companies estimate that increased freight movement from trucks to rail could generate approximately $3.5 billion in annual savings for shippers.
The railroads reiterated their commitment to a thorough regulatory review and confirmed that responses to the STB’s remaining information requests will be submitted by July 27, 2026.
The STB accepted the merger application as complete on May 28, 2026, marking a significant milestone in the review process. Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern remain focused on working with regulators toward a targeted completion of the merger by mid-2027.
About Union Pacific
Union Pacific (NYSE: UNP) delivers the goods families and businesses use every day with safe, reliable, and efficient service. Operating in 23 western states, the company connects its customers and communities to the global economy. Trains are the most environmentally responsible way to move freight, helping Union Pacific protect future generations.
About Norfolk Southern
Since 1827, Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) and its predecessor companies have safely moved the goods and materials that drive the U.S. economy. Today, it operates a 22-state freight transportation network. Committed to furthering sustainability, Norfolk Southern helps its customers avoid approximately 15 million tons of yearly carbon emissions by shipping via rail. Its dedicated team members deliver approximately 7 million carloads annually, from agriculture to consumer goods. Norfolk Southern also has the most extensive intermodal network in the eastern U.S. It serves a majority of the country’s population and manufacturing base, with connections to every major container port on the Atlantic coast as well as major ports across the Gulf Coast and Great Lakes.
Source link:https://www.up.com/