Has anyone heard a rumor about a NS/UP merger? I heard it from a NS employee if that means anything. This may be old news, I’m a casual railfan and mainly model so I could have easily missed it. If true, would the Gov’t allow this?
UP interchanges a lot more cars with CSX and I’ve always heard everyone say they would get together. UP has been bogged down lately and that’s probably hurt their share prices, affecting merger conditions. I don’t think UP or NS would let the other run “their” railroad.
PS-Archie’s wife “Dingbat” was a NS employee, too. Maureen Stapleton worked as a N&W clerk before she was an actress.
(Jean Stapleton-she worked for N&W in New York City)
ONE QUESTION ---- WHY WOULD TWO VERY PROUD RAILROADS WITH AS MUCH PRIDE IN WHAT THEY DO AND HOW THEY DO IT THAT IS SO DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHER EVEN THINK OF SUCH A THING? To a person that is a fan not only of the railroads but also a student of their business and future as a real and going business, this has all the sound of Pennsy and NYC all over again. As my mama would have said, WASH OUT YOUR MOUTH.
Not to make to light of a point of the matter; 1) CSX would be a bunch cheaper to buy outright than to try a NS in a merger. 2) Who would control and run the place would not be to hard to figure out and 3) The name part would’nt to hard either, The new railroad name would proably use one letter from the CSX name.----------In short NS not likely, but CSX that’s different. With all this said I quote Bob Wilcox, “it is just speculation at this point.”
I’m convinced the government would allow just about anything. In fact, has any merger ever been denied? But I wouldn’t pay much attention to any rumors. Until I see it on the cover of Wall Street, I don’t take it too seriously. 
Dave
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The Government denied ATSF plus SP in 1986 and again in 1987. Don’t you remember the 400 Kodachromes ?
In 2000 the Government denied the CN and BNSF merger.
A merger between NS and UP? From what I’ve read, the power struggles after such a merger would make the power struggles after the Penn Central merger look like amateur hour. UP has to be the most arrogant railroad on earth, and I don’t think the NS folks are shrinking violets, either.
However, such a merger would open the door to some interesting possibilities for names for the merged RR. Norfolk and Western? Atlantic & Pacific? Chesapeake and Pacific? What possibilities could you come up with?
I believe the role of Edith Bunker was played by JEAN Stapleton, not Maureen. FWIW.
I had a NS employee tell me there where talks with BNSF over a year ago. So I believe it is safe to say no one except the the guys at the top really know what’s going on!