November 15, 2025 - TRA Newswire -

While nearly all shareholders of Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern stock voting to back the proposed $85 billion merger that would create the nation's first coast-to-coast freight rail network, four rail advocacy groups have asked the Surface Transportation Board (STB) to make sure that the new mega-railroad plays fair with passenger trains.

The STB still has to approve the merger before it's finalized , but the deal has the support of large rail unions and hundreds of companies that ship by rail.

Major opposition stems from competition concerns by BNSF Railway and petro-chemical manufacturers concerned about lack of competition and potentially higher costs of shipping. 

"Our shareholders see the value and understand this merger will unlock new opportunities to enhance service, growth and innovation," according to UP CEO Jim Vena.  The Union Pacific leader expects to file the formal merger application to the STB later this month or in early December.

Four rail and environmental parties are calling for public hearings as the Surface Transportation Board starts its review of the merger. Rail Passengers Association, Transportation for America, Southern Rail Commission and the Environmental Law & Policy Center are asking to be part of the review process that could take a year or longer.

Rail Passengers Association CEO Jim Mathews said "“Our members and the traveling public deserve a transparent process that fully considers the impacts on passenger rail service. The Board must ensure that the voice of the public is heard in what would be the most consequential rail merger in U.S. history.”

In their STB filing, the passenger rail advocacy groups said the merger could affect 57% percent of Amtrak's state-supported and long distance routes that operate on UP and NS subdivisions, which includes the Texas Eagle and the Sunset Limited. In addition, the Federal Railroad Administration's Corridor Identification and Development Program for restoring and adding new passenger rail service, shows that 33 of some 69 routes selected for future service could be affected by the merger. 

The proposed merger would cover 43 states with more than 50,000 miles of track.