rail

UP, NS Say Revised Merger Filing Meets All STB Requirements

Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern submitted a 46-page response to the Surface Transportation Board on May 12, defending their amended merger application against competitive challenges. The carriers said their April 30 revised filing addressed all STB requests and fully complies with board rules. UP and NS provided complete traffic data from all six North American Class I railroads for the first time in modern rail history, using actual data rather than samples. The application includes actual market shares and revenues, updated projections reflecting merger effects and traffic diversions, and removes any possibility of Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis control. Competitors including BNSF, CN and Canadian Pacific Kansas City had questioned the completeness and accuracy of the original submission. UP and NS said their market impact analysis, including competition and diversion effects, demonstrates full compliance with board requirements.