Freight and Passenger Rail Can Continue to Grow Together

As general director of interline operations at Union Pacific, I work with passenger rail agencies to help passenger and freight trains share the network safely and reliably.

That responsibility is backed by clear legal and contractual commitments. Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern have service obligations to Amtrak and our other passenger rail partners. Those obligations will remain in effect for the combined railroad.

Analysis Confirms Capacity for Passenger Rail Service and Growth

In our application to the Surface Transportation Board (STB), we reviewed routes where we expect freight traffic to grow after the merger. Our analysis found sufficient room on the network to meet all our passenger rail service commitments.

We then validated those findings using historical operating data, examining periods when freight volumes on shared routes met or exceeded levels expected post-merger. An independent expert also reviewed the analysis. Together, the results confirm the network can accommodate projected post-merger freight growth while continuing to meet passenger service commitments.

The full analysis is available for public review in our application.

Combined Railroad Will Support Future Passenger Growth

Recently, the Rail Passengers Association (RPA), which represents passenger rail riders and advocates, filed to participate in the STB process. One of RPA's primary concerns is whether passenger rail will have room to grow in the future.

We believe passenger rail and freight rail can grow together, and our existing investments and agreements demonstrate that commitment:

• In Pennsylvania, Norfolk Southern has worked with PennDOT, Amtrak and the Federal Railroad Administration to support a second daily round trip of the Pennsylvanian between New York and Pittsburgh. The additional service is scheduled to begin Nov. 18.
• In Virginia, Norfolk Southern reached an agreement with the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority that included VPRA's purchase of most of the Manassas Line to support expanded Virginia Railway Express service, as well as access to Norfolk Southern's main line for the planned extension of Amtrak Virginia service from Roanoke to Christiansburg in the New River Valley.
• In Illinois, Union Pacific signed an agreement to allow service from Chicago to Rockford, continuing the expansion of passenger rail in the state.

These agreements and others like them will remain in place after the merger.

In congested rail hubs like Chicago, the merger can create more room for passenger trains. Fewer freight handoffs between Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern are expected to reduce train movements and ease congestion.

We also will keep working with the states and agencies participating in the federal Corridor Identification and Development Program, which helps plan new or expanded intercity passenger rail routes.

This work matters because demand for passenger rail continues to grow across the United States. According to the American Public Transportation Association, riders took 390 million commuter rail trips in 2025, up 11% from 2024. Amtrak set a record with more than 34 million passengers in 2025, up 5% from 2024.

Combining Best Practices to Benefit Passenger Rail

Freight and passenger trains operate differently, with different service expectations and scheduling requirements. These differences are why Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern each value our passenger partners who work with us to find solutions for freight and passenger trains to co-exist within a corridor.

My team is already working with our counterparts at Norfolk Southern to identify and combine the best passenger rail practices from both railroads. For example, Union Pacific operates a 24/7 dedicated support desk for passenger rail that will be expanded to the combined railroad. Norfolk Southern has established public-private partnerships that have expanded passenger rail service.

Union Pacific has a long history of supporting passenger rail operations and expansion. Our statutory and contractual commitments remain in place, and our analysis shows freight and passenger rail can continue to grow together. Rail riders and advocates can be confident that America's first transcontinental railroad infrastructure has been carefully evaluated to preserve passenger commitments while supporting the safe and efficient movement of both passenger and freight customers.

Please review Union Pacific's cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements.