IS THIER ANY TRUTH TO THE WORD THAT BNSF IS GOING

[Anonymous]

Possibly spin off some of the railroads? Here's hoping for a return of the Chicago & North Western.

[Anonymous]

One interesting sidenote on the idea of UP and NS merging:

Here in Des Moines the NS Glake Yards are almost right next to the UP Short Line Yards. NS hasn't actually used their yards in a few years, but they maintain an office. If UP were to merge with NS, there would be a lot more room to work with, both in terms of yards and trackage, here in Two Rivers City.

[Valleyline]

You could be 100% right. But I believe the freight market will eventually demand seamless nationwide service. The sad fact is that most shippers would rather deal with one railroad than several.

[Anonymous]

I dont think that thede megamergers will happen any time soon. Just listen to *** Davidson. He says that mergers are out of the question for UP. I even geard that the big railroads may even spin off some of the properties that they have aquired over the years. Rio Grande widecabs sure would look nice.

[Valleyline]

I heard this rumor about 6 months ago from some NS employees in PA. They joked that "BNSF" was an acronym for "Buy Norfolk Southern First." As a long suffering NS shareholder I wouln't object to such a merger and I think it's almost a certainty that we'll eventually wind up with just two major rail systems in the US and Canada. The only question is how long will it take.

[Anonymous]

I wonder if the "unfamiliar" visitors could be related to the BNSF "bullet train" intermodal experiments run with both CSX and NS in the last few months?

[DTomajko]

I work at a former Conrail TV terminal in Pa. Last year there were a few inspection trips into our terminal by high-ranking NS officials with visitors unfamiliar to us. Since then, no new rumors or scuttlebutt has surfaced. With NS, nothing is impossible or out of the question. Many former CR employees would welcome BNSF,but as NS seems to be getting better at running trains in Pa.,merger seems unlikely at this time.

[Anonymous]

I think what you heard is just a rumor. The surface transportation board would never let it happen. You might see some alliances between them but I wouldn't bet on any big mergers any time soon.MrCNJ

[Anonymous]

GARY: WHY NOT CONTACT THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE THIS "WEB SITE" THAT WOULD BE YOUR BEST WAY TO FIND OUT ABOUT BNSF MERGER,OR BUY TRAINS ON MAGAZINE RACK,ALL ONE IN THE SAME>>>>>>AKA HUB

[BRAKIE]

The warehouse where I work recieves by boxcar and truck.We get about 12-15 cars a week.We get about 60-70,sometimes more,trucks a day.With out going out on a limb I would hazard a guess and say that 20-25 of those trailers are lettered for railroads or some container corp.What I am saying the railroads are far from being out of the picture as some doom sayers in certain magazines would lead one to believe.Remember you get 2 truck loads in each boxcar.Also remember a truck may not have a full load.I have unloaded trucks with any where from 4-35 pallets on it.These are not LCL carriers.according to the Shipping department manager it is cheaper to ship by train.Which he does when ever he can-mostly tofc or container.

[Anonymous]

Almost inevitable, you are most likely correct. The wisdom and results of the megamerger movement is still suspect. I have yet to see shippers desert the trucking industry after several rail merger disasters in the past ten years. Time will tell.

[Anonymous]

BNSF/NS/CN and UP/CSX/CN i.e the last megamergers
About to happen:nope
Long term probability:almost inevitable

[Anonymous]

Too tell the truth, why would another merger make the railroads fuction any better? The money that is being spent by the various rail companies buying each other out seems like it could better be spent on improving the physical plant. Instead, it ends up in the corporate attorneys pockets and in the investment banks involved in the merger financing. These deals end up taking capital from improvement programs that would greatly improve service, and they must be paid for over many years by the surviving corporation. There is a certain point where the sheer size of a corporation becomes a operating problem, and this is compounded by the railroads very nature of an immense physical plant spread out over many regions, all with different operating requirements. Taking this into consideration, it is pretty hard for these huge corporations to be light on their feet when they deal with their customers. Listen to the customer first.

[Anonymous]

From a trucking town.Roadway ABF CF are makeing it good.Overnite a good non uniou outfit.Like to see trucking compaines go the way RR'S did when the interstates came along.Would it be nice to see interstates lanes reduced or abandon.

[BRAKIE]

Sorry guys,I to also miss the by gone railroads.The cold hard facts they are gone.We will be down to 2 railroads plus short lines,I would guess in less then 5 years.No one can stop it except the STB.As far as long distance trucking,as fuel raises and it will,there will be less long distance trucks.Now,if you think truck companies are not hurting check around for truck lines that are no longer in business or ask a independent trucker.I hear this daily where I work.The biggest cry I hear is there is to many truck lines! A trucker told me today that he just came 150 miles to pick up a load to haul 102 miles.Says he can't make money doing that.With his truck payment and all.Said it cost him more in fuel then the d--- load is worth coming for.Can any of you truckers say yes or no? Or was he BSing me?

[Anonymous]

I agree Ed, anyone hear a rattle out there?

[Anonymous]

I think two North American railroad companies sounds a bit too much like anti-trust. And if they could put a real hurtin' on trucking then I am sure their lobby will try and make that case. Personally, I would like the railroads to have more of the business but I am not sure it will happen.

I don't want to offend anyone but I can't help myself on this one . . . The only remaining major railroads in the U.S. are thinking of merging and many of y'all are most concerned about what the new paint scheme will look like?

Interesting. - Ed

[BRAKIE]

If I had my givens I would rather NS merge with the U.P.Why not? They use alot of U.P. units anyway.

[Anonymous]

The trucks have a fuel sticker to pay use tax for using the public highways maintained by the goverment. They pay fees for the number of miles run in each state. The railroads maintain their own track, so they do not have to pay any mileage tax to the states.
The transcon railroad will not put trucks out of business, but will allow railroads to compete better with the nation wide truck companies.

Interesting topic on the paint schemes after such mergers. Would the UP keep its long running paint scheme? What would happen to the flashy warpumpkin and warbonnets from BNSF?

[Anonymous]

Two major US railroads.(UP CSX) (BNSF-NS)Sounds
like the greatest thing ever.But it seams that
these railroads might want to get settled first for a year or so make sure all there own bugs are
worked out and get get some more profit in there
accounts before they go nationwide. What ever
happens. I hate to see BNSF loose their war
bonnet in there new engine painting.
But who ever gets the UPS hot shot shipments
this would defenetly be a plus for them.

[Anonymous]

About a coast to coast RR.Will they have a fuel sticker like trucks do.It looks like if RR'S hurts trucking to a point that trucking compaines go bankrupt like RR'S did when interstates started hurting them.Looks like trucking compaines will try anything to stop this.Every State a truck compainy goes to has to have a fuel sticker on the side of the truck.Looks like to me RR'S could have the atvantage over trucks without merger.Boxcars being number one TOFC second.

[Anonymous]

THE CSX-UP DEAL IS IN THE WORKS...JUST A QUESTION OF WHEN... CSX HAS HAD A HAND IN UP FOR SOME TIME, IN FACT, WHEN I HAD A CRITICAL INCIDENT AROUND THANKSGIVEING, I GOT A CALL FROM A UP COUNSALOR THAT IS IN JACKSONVILLE FL, TO MAKE SURE I WAS OK...AND I ASKED HIM WHY HE WAS FROM THE UP,AND HE SAID HE WORKS FOR BOTH RAIL ROADS. THE RUMMOR ON CSX IS WITHIN THE NEXT 5 YEARS...CSX AND UP.... SOME OF THE TRAIN MASTERS..AND ROAD FORMEN OF ENGINS THAT GET SOME OF THE INSIDE INFORMATION HAVE LET IT OUT THAT CSX'S PLAN WAS TO MAKE SURE THE THE CONRAIL DEAL WHEN THROW..WITHOUT TO MUCH FRIGHT DISRUTION BEFOR THE SET THE BALL ROLLING WITH UP...

[Anonymous]

Crap, and I just started seeing more and more NS locomotives being put out by Atlas and Kato. Guess Ill have to buy them up quick so I can keep my NS railfan motif going on my model railroad.

Go NS!!

Matt

[Anonymous]

Kevin,
I think the merger will be a marriage of equals, not a buy out by BNSF. What ever happens, I agree with you that the paint scheme selected would be interesting. NS is very conservative and BNSF very flashy with their paint.
The railroads will merge into two transcontinental
systems in the future. We may not like this, but they have to merge to compete with trucks that can cross the country as one carrier.

[Anonymous]

I know how you feel. I was a big BN fan, and when they merged with Santa FE, I thought it wasn't something good at all. However, it turned out to be the best thing to happen to the line in almost 20 years. Traffic has increased, with each train carrying about 30 more cars than before. Motive power has also improved, so no more GP 38s, and lots more new C44-9Ws. BNSF has also replaced rail, ties, crossings, signals, and ballast in most places. Even though the line still only sees about 6 or 8 trains a day, it looks like it sees much more. BNSF is now my favorite railroad, and has been since 1995, however, NS has always been my next in line. I plan to work for BNSF in the future, but if that couldn't happen, I wouldn't mind getting an NS paycheck.I think BNSF and NS would make a good team. They already do a lot of business with each other, I sometimes see NS engines on my BNSF line, the Cuba Subdivision, which runs from St. Louis to Springfield, Missouri. One thing I still don't know is if one will buy the other, if they will merge, of what their engines will look like, but I do know that they will be part of the same company within the next decade. You seem like you're about my age, and as equally involved in railroading. I may be 14, but as you can tell, my life is devoted to railroads. I know that I will be working for the railroad in a few years, and when I do, I plan to work my way up to being an engineer.

-Brian

[Anonymous]

First of all i couldnt imagine what the paint scheme would look like if the BNSF-NS-CN merged but they are just Rumors. I dont think NS or CN would sell to the BNSF. I wouldnt want to see NS have BNSF paint on their engines. I have been an NS fan all my life and in the next 3 years or so i will be working with them or the BNSF if this would ever happen. But if this happend that would mean more trains through my area that connects NS and BNSF at Memphis, TN. I live in Virginia, Northern Virginia on the so called gateway between BNSF and NS at Memphis. The actual NS line name is the Virginia Divsion's Hagerstown District. When NS bought Conrail that wasnt a very big deal but if BNSF bought NS that would be big! Two major railroads merging or three if you count in the CN. Well if you here anything else let me know.

[Anonymous]

The best guess on mergers for the past year has been that when they do occur, the matchups will be BNSF-NS-CN and UP-CSX-CP. The mergers probably will not happen for a while. UP does not want any mergers, as UP would loose business. I believe the mergers will come in the not to distant future.

[Anonymous]

I HEAD A RUMMOR THAT THE BNSF IS GOING TO BUY NS..ANYONE FROM BNSF, OR NS KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS..