Conservatives push Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern merger

By Tom Joyce
The Center Square

A coalition of conservative and free-market groups is urging federal regulators to approve the proposed merger between Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern, saying the deal will strengthen the U.S. economy and advance President Donald Trump’s “America First” industrial agenda.

In a letter to the Surface Transportation Board Friday, over a dozen groups endorsed the merger, which would link 50,000 route miles and 100 ports across 43 states into a single transcontinental rail system.

“The UP–NS merger is more than a business deal; it is an investment in America’s future,” the letter said. “It will create high-quality jobs, revive domestic manufacturing, and position our nation to lead in a fiercely competitive global economy.”

Signatories included Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist, Institute for Liberty President Andrew Langer, the Bull Moose Project, the American Consumer Institute, and the Center for a Free Economy, among others.

Supporters argue the merger would cut costs for consumers, reduce freight delays at congested interchanges, streamline coast-to-coast deliveries, and help U.S. railroads compete against Canadian companies and China’s Belt and Road initiative.

“They know that a stronger American system means less freight flowing through foreign-controlled channels,” the groups wrote. “But the Surface Transportation Board’s responsibility is to the United States and its people, not to foreign corporations seeking to protect their market share.”

The merger will likely face a lengthy federal review. Union Pacific announced in July that it would acquire Norfolk Southern in a cash-and-stock transaction, with a target completion date in early 2027.

Labor opposition to the deal has softened.

The SMART Transportation Division, the largest rail labor union in the U.S., initially opposed the merger but recently announced an agreement with Union Pacific that it said secures jobs and the future of railroading.

The Transport Workers Union of America remains opposed, warning that consolidation could harm safety and labor standards. Competing railroads, including BNSF and Canadian Pacific, have also raised concerns about concentrating too much control in a single company.

The Surface Transportation Board review process will take 19 to 22 months.