Community Infographic

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Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern announced an agreement to create America’s first transcontinental railroad, building on President Abraham Lincoln’s vision from nearly 165 years ago. This combination will transform the U.S. supply chain, unleash the industrial strength of American manufacturing, and create new sources of economic growth and workforce opportunity that preserves union jobs.

Linking Nearly Every
Corner of North America

Connecting

50,000

Route Miles

43

States

10

International
Interchanges

100 +

Ports

Delivering Benefits to All Stakeholders

For America

  • Compete more effectively with Canadian railroads to win back U.S. freight volume and American jobs.
  • Unlock rail options for shippers in regions where railroad connections are less efficient, creating a more accessible, sustainable and lower-cost supply chain for manufacturers and consumers.
  • Enable strong international trade routes and offer greater access to U.S.-made goods.

For Safety

  • Safety will remain the top priority. Our focus will remain on ensuring every employee goes home safe to their families and protecting communities where we operate.
  • Improve safety through combined, proven technologies to advance our ability to quickly assess potential mechanical and track defects to reduce incidents and injuries.

For Service

  • Customers will benefit from seamless, single-line service across the country that improves transit times by eliminating car touches and interchange points.
  • Enhancing the rail experience and ease of doing business. Customers will receive single-line rate quotes with one system to track freight, enabling real-time decisions that optimize supply chains.
  • Greater partnerships with short lines and U.S. ports. Access to a unified rail network with a single Class I interface, new services, reduced gateway delays and expanded reach and faster access to new markets.

For Our Workforce

  • Protecting and expanding opportunities for employees. Union employees will have job opportunities with the combined company. Expected rail volume growth will drive additional employment opportunities. Non-union workers will have opportunities to grow as part of a larger, combined enterprise.
  • Preserving the best-paid industrial careers in America. Railroad employees are among the most highly compensated workers across U.S. industries.

For Our Communities

  • Investing in safe, resilient and vibrant communities. Invested a combined $300 million in philanthropic giving 2020-2025, supporting workforce development, safety initiatives and vibrant spaces where people want to live and work.
  • Our goal is simple: zero incidents involving trains, pedestrians, drivers or employees. In addition to Operation Lifesaver programs, the companies trained over 10,000 first responders in 2024.
Railroads have been an integral part of building America since the Industrial Revolution, and this transaction is the next step in advancing the industry. Imagine seamlessly hauling steel from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Colton, California, and moving tomato paste from Huron, California, to Fremont, Ohio. Lumber from the Pacific Northwest, plastics from the Gulf Coast, copper from Arizona and Utah, and soda ash from Wyoming. Right now, tens of thousands of railroaders are moving almost everything we use. You name it, and at some point,the railroad hauled it.”
Jim Vena
CEO, Union Pacific
We are confident that the power of Norfolk Southern’s franchise, diversified solutions, high-quality customers and partners, as well as skilled employees, will contribute meaningfully to America’s first transcontinental railroad, and to igniting rail’s ability to deliver for the whole American economy today and into the future. Union Pacific is a true partner that shares our belief in rail’s ability to deliver for all stakeholders simultaneously, and we are excited for our future together.”
Mark George
President and CEO, Norfolk Southern

Our Mission Remains Unchanged:

Safety, Service & Operational Excellence = Winning Strategy

Safety
Be the best at safety
Service
Deliver the service we sold our customers
Asset
Utilization
Drive decision-making to those closest to the work.
Cost Control
Spend resources wisely, with a buffer for the unexpected.
People
Engage our teams and stakeholders.

Path to Completion

The Board of Directors of both Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern have unanimously approved the transaction.
Shareholders vote to approve the transaction.
The companies filed their application with the STB on Dec. 19, 2025, in which they describe how the combined network will provide safer, faster and more reliable service and increased competition to a broad range of stakeholders.
The companies are targeting closing the transaction by early 2027.