Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern will submit their application to the Surface Transportation Board (STB) on December 19, 2025, requesting approval to combine the two railroads and create America's first transcontinental railroad.

In a brief announcement, Union Pacific said the comprehensive application will detail how the end-to-end combination will enhance competition and deliver broad public benefits for America that strengthen the economy and protect union jobs.

Union Pacific Corp. and Norfolk Southern Corp. announced a merger agreement on July 29, 2025, in a transaction valued at about US$85 billion that would combine the two Class I railroads into what they describe as the United States’ first single transcontinental freight network.

The companies say the combined railroad would operate roughly 50,000 route‑miles, connecting 43 states and more than 100 ports, linking Union Pacific’s Western U.S. franchise with Norfolk Southern’s Eastern network in what they characterize as an end‑to‑end combination.

The railroads formally filed a nearly 7,000‑page application with the STB, seeking regulatory approval for the transaction. Both boards of directors unanimously approved the merger, and the companies have indicated they are targeting early 2027 to close the deal, subject to STB review within its statutory timeline.

In their joint STB application and accompanying public materials, Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern argue the combination would enhance network efficiency, expand single‑line service across the country, and strengthen U.S. supply chains by creating a unified coast‑to‑coast rail system.

The application highlights what the companies describe as "broad public benefits," including improved access to markets, additional service options for shippers, and infrastructure and capacity investments across the combined network.

Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern say their filing includes roughly 2,000 letters of support from customers, community leaders and other stakeholders, and report internal votes with strong approval levels in favor of the merger.

At the same time, at least two major rail labor organizations — the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen and the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division — have publicly opposed the proposed merger. The unions have said they are concerned the combination could increase safety risks, disrupt operations and labor conditions, and lead to higher shipping rates and downstream consumer prices.

Their opposition adds to what is expected to be a closely scrutinized review by the STB, which in recent years has taken a more assertive stance on rail competition and service issues.