ns-bnsf merger

[Anonymous]

Hi:
is it true that norfolk southern's merging with
bnsf.
please respond back

[Anonymous]

Due to fiasco of the Conrail/ CSX/ Norfolk Southern merger the federal Government has a moratorium on rail mergers, thank god. Those clowns really made a mess of rail service in the Northeast(not that Conrail was all that great), just after a lot of shippers just got over the U.P./S.P. debacle. I think the railroads need to focus on customer service more than mergers. I believe the BNSF/ Norfolk Southern deal is just a rumour. I know BNSF tried to merge with CN and this is what prompted the cureent moratorium.

James

[Anonymous]

Hello, No it's probably not true. That myth has been floating around for several years.

[Anonymous]

the merger with bnsf and ns will happien i dont know ween bnsf lent ns 2billon after conrail

[Anonymous]

Lets hope it DOES NOT HAPPEN, that is all the industry needs is another round of disasterous mergers that might take the whole thing down.

[Anonymous]

How on earth did this topic get revived? Robert Krebs once said that BNSF stood for "Buy Norfolk Southern First". The reality is that it's hard to imagine anyone wanting to take on all that debt, even if it would clear STB. As for the aftermath, some of the debacle was the fault of the parties and some of it was not. I am loathe to blame NS, CR and CSXT for everything. I worked for NS during the preparation for the acquisition (not merger) and there was a lot of strenuous hours put in from 1998. During our forays into Conrail territories in 1998 and 1999, I was greatly surprised to see the cooperation Conrail employees gave to both us and CSXT. The first thing that struck me was how hard Conrail employees had worked to bring that railroad back to life. They had done a masterful job and were justifiably proud. In all the encounters with over 500 Conrail employees from all crafts as well as line supervisors and executives, I only met one with an attitude. Quite frankly, if the things that had happened to that man had happened to me, I would have had an attitude too.
The second thing that became apparent was all the similarities between CR and NS. For instance, Elkhart experiences many of the same problems as Bellevue. The terminal superintendent at Elkhart asked me if I'd ever seen the wind blow a car back up the hump. Sure, happens all the time at Bellevue.
Thankfully, the operating kinks have been mostly worked out through diligent and innovative efforts by all. Now the effort is to reduce the debt and we're doing that through new operating alliances, better schedules and more remunerative rates! It's unfortunate for everyone, except Conrail stockholders, that the cost was so inflated but then what's done is done.
Robbie, I wouldn't worry about mergers and the industry as a whole. It's not going to belly up, none of them.
Regards, gdc

[Anonymous]

I too would be surprised if they merge soon, however if they did I wonder what they would call the new company?

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't be suprised if they would merge, its a very volatile market out there right now, no one wants to be the last. But then again, if they were you either would have seen something like that in the papers. Stuff like that doesn't usually float around in rumors, they keep stuff like that super quiet. It would be asses and elbows if anybody new they were gonna merge.
p.s.
CSXSUX

[Anonymous]

If the new company would stay with a conventional railroad name, how about Norfolk and Western? That's what it would be (Nyuk, Nyuk, Nyuk). I'm prejudice! Seriously, I wouldn't care as long as it wasn't some computer generated acronym or the product of some non-railroader's dream! gdc

[wabash1]

i have no problem running black green orange biege engines. just as long as we dont use their track warrent system. it sucks. i have heard that talk for years and the ns is going to start running their freight on our tracks couse we wouldnt give them trackage rights. its going to get interesting.

[Anonymous]

"j", where have you encountered NS's track warrant system? The NS track warrant system is basically a Southern Railway invention. There were a lot of dark main lines there. The old N&W had very few dark branches, excluding the mine spurs and some of them were signaled at least with ABS. Up until the merger, N&W used train orders for those areas. Remember them..."OP (Station Name), Copy 19, C&E Extra 6126...etc". It was always fun to encounter a cub operator who was skittish about holding the fork. It would bop your knuckes good if you didn't watch it. gdc

[BRAKIE]

Chris,I only know of one time the hush hush merger talks leak out.PRR and NYC was making plans to include the B&O in the PC merger.Some how C&O got wind of this and bought the controlling interest of the B&O in order to keep that from happening.

[Anonymous]

I don't think it will happen any time soon. Maybe the day they call it Burlington Norfolk Southern Fe. Unlikely.

[Anonymous]

I dont think NS will merge with anybody anytime soon because they are still a growing company. I would like to see more partnerships with the other Class One railroads like NS and BNSF together providing Intermodal Services to Mexico or NS and UP doing the same thing, because that is what makes the railroad industry stay together.

[wabash1]

thats all i run on is track warrant. the old southern railway. look ahead look south. and southern gives green light to inovations. i prefer this to traffic control. as i know how far im going ahead of time. it seems to be safer. if i got a track warrant that gives me a proceed for 30 miles and then i come up on bad signal 10 miles later i know something is wrong bad switch banner another train. on traffic control areas i have run you dont get this info.

[Anonymous]

I was told last summer by a NS employee that BNSF might be talking seriously with NS about buying a few jewels out of the NS crown, targeted towards giving BNSF attractive eastern terminus' OTHER than Chicago,...perhaps Detroit (strictly in house here say)

[Anonymous]

That was when cash flow was bleak. Money is somewhat better now so the need has lessened, ergo trackage rights, line sales, etc. negotiations have decreased. gdc

[Anonymous]

Last week just driving across my hometown of Lincoln Nebraska a long time BNSF/BN only town I saw 3 all Norfolk Southern trains, with all NS equipment (Loco's and cars) I stumbled onto this thread while thinking there was some kind of trackage rights agreement or something,.....

Up until last week I don't think I'd ever even seen a NS train let alone 3 in less than a half hour.

[ValleyX]

Talk to an employee, hear a rumor.

Do you really believe that BNSF lent $2 billion to NS after the "acquisition"? Don't you think that would have been hard to hush up? SImply don't believe that one, either.

Traffic control systems are all a matter of what you're used to. I've never operated under track warrant but am familiar with it. I have operated under ABS, TCS, and train orders. I think I'll stick with TCS.

[spbed]

Well this would be BIG news since it would be the 1st true transcon RR. So far I have heard or seen nothing though

[ajmiller]

Before anyone gets too worked up, take a close look at the dates most of the posts were made. This is one ancient thread. 2Ghost should have started a new thread.

[mudchicken]

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[Anonymous]

BNSF+NS=
CSXT+UP=
=========? Who knows?
LOL.
BNSFrailfan.

[Anonymous]

Mudchicken might be right in his laughter. But more to the point, from what I hear from the people that I know that work in Railroads in the Financial World which by the way is becomming very respectfull of railroads and railroaders (U.S. News and World Report March 28, 2005 ). It is most unlikely that such a merger would be considered to be a sound business venture. First is the operational traditions of the two companies are a bit like oil and water, Second one is dealing with what could be the closest thing to soverghn countries in the US., and Third it is not likely that either one would want to mess up a good thing they have going. (presently)------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ While a merger might make some folks a bit dewey eyed in the romance dept. The truth of future relations between the two prosperous and smart giants would be closer to the way the big life insurers have been doing business for years. The use of treaties, agreements and protocols for interchange, runthrough, revenue shareing, and exchange of money, equipment, materials, and personel would be a closer reality than going through the hoops and troubles of mergers.[:-^][2c]

[spbed]

Yes Wall Street is becoming hi on RRs. I saw a show on MSNBC the other evening in which the seer said he "loved" all the RRs but in particular the UPRR was #1 in his book with the NS next. [8D][:)]

Originally posted by piouslion

Mudchicken might be right in his laughter. But more to the point, from what I hear from the people that I know

Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR  Austin TX Sub

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