Bad Joke

[cmgnnut]

Your April Fools joke sucks ! put the board back the way it was

[~Z~]

[LSRC]

[GreatLakesRailfan]

Your April Fools joke sucks ! put the board back the way it was

I must have missed something. The board looks normal to me...

[Saturnalia]

Your April Fools joke sucks ! put the board back the way it was

I must have missed something. The board looks normal to me...

For most of the day, the board was wonky. The Off Subject was on top, and the order was all messed up. Lots of words were filtered to something else. CSX became BNSF for one.

[GreatLakesRailfan]

For most of the day, the board was wonky. The Off Subject was on top, and the order was all messed up. Lots of words were filtered to something else. CSX became BNSF for one.

...so Zack is predicting the upcoming merger of CSX and BNSF to create the US' first true trans-con. Got it.

[berkmeister]

Several years ago, a fellow railfan told me that BNSF stood for: Buy Norfolk Southern Fast. Now Zack says it's CSX and BNSF!!! Does make you wonder though if there will ever be a transcontnental railroad or two in this country. Berk

[railohio]

Does make you wonder though if there will ever be a transcontnental railroad or two in this country. Berk

Other than Amtrak, you mean?

[AARR]

Does make you wonder though if there will ever be a transcontnental railroad or two in this country. Berk

Other than Amtrak, you mean?

And CN and CP, or is Canada excluded

[railohio]

And CN and CP, or is Canada excluded

Poster said this country, not continent.

[bdconrail29]

Several years ago, a fellow railfan told me that BNSF stood for: Buy Norfolk Southern Fast. Now Zack says it's CSX and BNSF!!! Does make you wonder though if there will ever be a transcontnental railroad or two in this country. Berk

No.

[MagnumForce]

15 years I would have thought it was a done deal by 2010, but today I am not so sure it will ever happen.

[Norm]

From Wikipaedia.

"The United States antitrust laws were put in place by federal and state governments to regulate corporations. They are believed to be necessary for keeping companies from becoming too large and fixing prices, and also encourage competition so that consumers can receive quality products at reasonable prices. "

You will likely never see a railroad that big.

[MagnumForce]

Those laws have little bearing on this issue or we would not be down to 4 railroads now. End to end mergers don't affect competition either.

[Norm]

Then explain why the BNSF/CN merger was denied.

[AARR]

And CN and CP, or is Canada excluded

Poster said this country, not continent.

Whoever said you never post anything useful should see this post

[AARR]

Shippers are pushing for railroads to allow competitors on each others tracks. In other words CP would be allows on CN's tracks, etc. On a small scale its happening in bigger markets like with CR, Wyoming coal, TX chemical/oil refineries, etc. Maybe coast to coast railroads will be allowed when "shared assets" becomes more common.

[MagnumForce]

The BNSF CN merger was not denied, it never got that far.

At the time the mega mergers of the 90s had created giant ripple effects in service as the companies systems did not gel together as planned. The STB said "let's just stand back and look at things for a while and mull it over" and placed a 15 month moratorium on all mergers.

By the time the 15 months had ended CN looked elsewhere with acquisitions and left us with what we have today.

Any future mega mergers are sure to have concessions that will be made to ensure competition and they will also likely force everyone else's hands till we have 2 North American systems. The moratorium drove that home but I think if someone tried it again it would be game on.

The UP SP merger had far more effect on competition than a UP CSX merger ever would simply because the UP and SP went to so many of the same places.

[Norm]

I think you need to do some more research. The following is from an article in "Hibeam Business.

"The proposed consolidation of Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) and Canadian National (CN) railroads remains on hold following a legal defeat. The District of Columbia circuit upheld the US rail regulator's decision to impose a 15-month moratorium on all major railroad consolidations. BNSF, CN and their supporters argued in court that the Surface Transportation Board (STB) had exceeded its authority because it conflicted with provisions in the law requiring the agency to act on filed merger applications within certain time frames. In upholding the STB ruling, the court cited case precedences holding that regulatory agencies have the inherent authority to defer … "

IOW, the court imposed a moratorium and the deal fell through.

[MagnumForce]

This is exactly what I just said... CN lost interest during the moratorium and looked elsewhere afterwards.

The merger was never denied, it was put on hold and interested parties lost interest while waiting and it was not pursued again. All it would take is one announcement now and I think the 2 railroad north American system would be all but a done deal and I believe the stb would approve it with obviously very large concessions.

Believe what you want, I am done.