Inside the merger mind of Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena

Single locomotive with train of containers

OMAHA, Neb. — When Jim Vena walked into the Union Pacific Center for the first time as CEO two years ago today, he was toting a black, spiral bound notebook that he takes everywhere. Among the entries jotted on the back pages — where he lists ideas, priorities, and possibilities — was a single word, […]

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The Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger could boost traffic by nearly 10%

OMAHA, Neb. — The proposed Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern transcontinental merger could lead to nearly 10% traffic growth by 2030 — a significant turnaround for railroads that have yet to rebound to their pre-pandemic volume levels. UP and NS did not provide traffic growth projections as part of their July 29 merger announcement. Rather, […]

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Goode: UP-NS deal is latest chapter in railroads’ long history of expansion

Union Pacific’s proposed $85 billion acquisition of Norfolk Southern is the logical outcome of nearly two centuries of rail history, retired NS CEO David Goode says. “The story of railroading has always been the story of mergers and expansion,” he says. And creating the first transcontinental railroad is no exception. These days Goode looks at […]

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Shipper group, critical of UP-NS merger, says carload and unit train customers need competitive options

Two rows of coal hoppers

WASHINGTON — The Freight Rail Customer Alliance today said that it’s opposed to the Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger, arguing that the transcontinental combination would lead to higher costs and unreliable service. The umbrella group, which represents more than 3,500 electric utility, agricultural, chemical, and alternative fuel companies, called for “guaranteed competitive solutions” for carload and […]

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UP-NS merger puts intermodal giants on the wrong side of the map

Intermodal train entering yard with skyscrapers in distance

The proposed Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger leaves three major intermodal customers — J.B. Hunt, Schneider, and STG Logistics — in the awkward position of having their tents pitched in the wrong railroad camps. J.B. Hunt, the largest domestic truckload intermodal operator, uses BNSF Railway in the West and relies primarily on Norfolk Southern in the […]

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