im from new zealand. and theres only one major company in the frieght industry.
so my question is what happens to a companys name when a railroad is liquidated, taken over merged etc. who gets the rights to the previous name…for example Southern pacific and Cotton Belt.
When it is taken over the dominate railroad keeps its name. But, what is commonly refered to as CP and CN, is really Soo Line and GTW Corp., respectively.
I think it pretty much depends on what the acquiring corporation wants to do.
The Union Pacific has been very dilligent in protecting its ownership of the names and logos of the railroads it has taken over. They’ve gone to the expense of painting equipment with the names and logos of their component railroads so they can legally maintain control of those names and logos.
Other railroads couldn’t care less. CSX gave up the charter of the Baltimore & Ohio, the oldest railroad in the US, to save some money.
It just depends on the corporate culture and what the executives think about over lunch.
for example look at the burlington northeren. they took over the santa fe and renamed the new company burlington northeren santa fe. who knows what different companies may do
What would happen if the BNSF where to take over the CN?
Being a cross-border thing, I doubt you would see BNSF take over all of CN. Perhaps some of the US properties, should CN decide to divest itself of them.