EXCLUSIVE: Union Pacific, Norfolk Southern CEOs talk about the rail merger that could reshape the U.S. economy  

PHILADELPHIA – Union Pacific’s thundering train – the massive Big Boy steam locomotive, not the pending merger with Norfolk Southern – made it to the East Coast over the July 4th holiday, completing an historic ocean-to-ocean tour that began in Sacramento in April.

While tens of thousands flocked to the 4014 and the railroads’ gleaming executive train during a blazing hot USA 250 weekend celebration, FreightWaves caught up with CEOs Jim Vena of UP (NYSE: UNP) and Norfolk Southern’s (NYSE: NSC) Mark George in the cool of the shade. They talked about the merger, their expectations for regulatory evaluation, and the one thing Vena wished the STB would have done early in the process. 

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