Q: I'm a railroader

Railroader : People who operate, maintain, dispatch, and service the rail network and understand its realities from the inside. Prompt: You oppose the proposed merger because my frontline rail experience shows that reduced staffing, extreme cost-cutting, and longer trains increase safety risks. Rail unions representing tens of thousands of railroad workers — including the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen and the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees — oppose this deal, citing safety, labor, and cost concerns. They point out that promises to protect jobs lack detailed guarantees, and that past consolidations left workforce safety and community risk behind corporate cost-cutting agendas.

Q: I'm a farmer

Farmers & Agricultural Producers: Depend on affordable, reliable rail service to move crops, fertilizer, livestock feed, and equipment. Rail competition directly affects farm income and rural economies. Prompt: You oppose the proposed Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern merger. Add personal experience and details of how this merger will impact you, such as: Agriculture depends on competitive, reliable rail service to move grain, fertilizer, livestock feed, and equipment. Rail consolidation has already reduced competition in the freight rail market, leaving shippers with fewer options and higher rates. U.S. railroads have consolidated from more than 100 Class I carriers in the 1950s to just six today, and farmers are paying more for service that often falls short of needs. Shippers groups warn this merger will increase costs and degrade service for bulk commodities like grain and fertilizer, harming farms and rural economies.

Q: I live near the tracks

Trackside Community Members : Residents who live, work, or attend school near rail lines and are directly affected by safety risks, noise, pollution, and emergency response delays. Prompt: You oppose this merger as someone who lives near the railroad. Add personal experience and details of how this merger will impact you, such as: Rail accidents and toxic derailments — including the high-profile incident in East Palestine, Ohio — show that when safety margins are tight and staffing levels are minimized, the consequences for communities can be catastrophic. Major freight carriers, including Norfolk Southern, have not fully participated in proven safety programs designed to prevent incidents like this, even years after the derailment, raising real concerns about expanded networks with even fewer local safeguards.

Q: I am a rail passenger

Rail passenger: People who rely on passenger rail for commuting, travel, and access to jobs and services. Freight railroad decisions directly affect passenger safety and reliability because they share the same tracks. Prompt: You oppose the UP–NS merger as a rail passenger. Add personal experience and details of how this merger will impact you, such as: Past railroad consolidation has led to staffing cuts, deferred maintenance, and network congestion, increasing delays and raising safety concerns for passenger service. There is also a real risk that a larger consolidated railroad will abandon routes and track segments, eliminating existing and future passenger rail service. Giving even more control of critical rail corridors to a single company would make it harder to improve reliability, expand service, and preserve the rail connections the public depends on.

Q: I work in logistics

Logistics & Transportation Workers : Workers in ports, warehouses, trucking, and intermodal operations whose jobs depend on a stable, functioning rail system. Prompt : You oppose the UP–NS merger because it threatens logistics jobs and overall freight system performance. Add personal experience and details of how this merger will impact you, such as: Rail labor leaders have warned that without meaningful worker input, a mega-merger could cause “meltdowns” in freight operations, increasing congestion, disrupting supply chains, and putting pressure on logistics workers on land and at intermodal hubs. Having too much freight controlled by a single carrier limits flexibility in supply networks and puts additional strain on workers already coping with service breakdowns and workforce reductions.

Q: I'm a shipper/small business

Shippers & Small Businesses : Manufacturers, distributors, and exporters who rely on rail to reach customers and compete in the marketplace. Prompt: Adding personal experience and details of how this merger will impact you because it will further concentrate market power among too few rail carriers, reducing competition and raising costs for businesses that ship by rail. Groups representing chemical, manufacturing, agriculture, and energy companies warn that reduced competition will lead to higher shipping rates and worsening service, especially for industries that rely on unit trains and long-distance freight. In addition, past mergers have shown that enforcement of competition conditions is difficult and often ineffective, leading to delays and lost service options for shippers.

Q: I'm a concerned member of the community

General Public : Community members, consumers, and taxpayers who rely on rail for a healthy economy, safe transportation, and stable supply chains. Prompt: Adding personal experience and details of how this merger will impact you, such as rail competition, safety, and service reliability are critical to the national economy and public safety. Safety data show that hundreds of thousands of rail accidents occur in the U.S. each decade, and many safety recommendations go unimplemented. Meanwhile, shippers and policymakers worry that further consolidation will increase transportation costs, reduce service quality, and diminish competition for consumers and businesses. This merger is not in the public interest.

Question 1

I'm a railroader

Accepted Answer

Railroader: People who operate, maintain, dispatch, and service the rail network and understand its realities from the inside.

Prompt: You oppose the proposed merger because my frontline rail experience shows that reduced staffing, extreme cost-cutting, and longer trains increase safety risks. Rail unions representing tens of thousands of railroad workers — including the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen and the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees — oppose this deal, citing safety, labor, and cost concerns. They point out that promises to protect jobs lack detailed guarantees, and that past consolidations left workforce safety and community risk behind corporate cost-cutting agendas.

Question 2

I'm a farmer

Accepted Answer

Farmers & Agricultural Producers: Depend on affordable, reliable rail service to move crops, fertilizer, livestock feed, and equipment. Rail competition directly affects farm income and rural economies.

Prompt: You oppose the proposed Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern merger. Add personal experience and details of how this merger will impact you, such as: Agriculture depends on competitive, reliable rail service to move grain, fertilizer, livestock feed, and equipment. Rail consolidation has already reduced competition in the freight rail market, leaving shippers with fewer options and higher rates. U.S. railroads have consolidated from more than 100 Class I carriers in the 1950s to just six today, and farmers are paying more for service that often falls short of needs. Shippers groups warn this merger will increase costs and degrade service for bulk commodities like grain and fertilizer, harming farms and rural economies.

Question 3

I live near the tracks

Accepted Answer

Trackside Community Members: Residents who live, work, or attend school near rail lines and are directly affected by safety risks, noise, pollution, and emergency response delays.

Prompt: You oppose this merger as someone who lives near the railroad. Add personal experience and details of how this merger will impact you, such as: Rail accidents and toxic derailments — including the high-profile incident in East Palestine, Ohio — show that when safety margins are tight and staffing levels are minimized, the consequences for communities can be catastrophic. Major freight carriers, including Norfolk Southern, have not fully participated in proven safety programs designed to prevent incidents like this, even years after the derailment, raising real concerns about expanded networks with even fewer local safeguards.

Question 4

I am a rail passenger

Accepted Answer

Rail passenger: People who rely on passenger rail for commuting, travel, and access to jobs and services. Freight railroad decisions directly affect passenger safety and reliability because they share the same tracks.

Prompt: You oppose the UP–NS merger as a rail passenger. Add personal experience and details of how this merger will impact you, such as: Past railroad consolidation has led to staffing cuts, deferred maintenance, and network congestion, increasing delays and raising safety concerns for passenger service. There is also a real risk that a larger consolidated railroad will abandon routes and track segments, eliminating existing and future passenger rail service. Giving even more control of critical rail corridors to a single company would make it harder to improve reliability, expand service, and preserve the rail connections the public depends on.

Question 5

I work in logistics

Accepted Answer

Logistics & Transportation Workers: Workers in ports, warehouses, trucking, and intermodal operations whose jobs depend on a stable, functioning rail system.

Prompt: You oppose the UP–NS merger because it threatens logistics jobs and overall freight system performance. Add personal experience and details of how this merger will impact you, such as: Rail labor leaders have warned that without meaningful worker input, a mega-merger could cause “meltdowns” in freight operations, increasing congestion, disrupting supply chains, and putting pressure on logistics workers on land and at intermodal hubs. Having too much freight controlled by a single carrier limits flexibility in supply networks and puts additional strain on workers already coping with service breakdowns and workforce reductions.

Question 6

I'm a shipper/small business

Accepted Answer

Shippers & Small Businesses: Manufacturers, distributors, and exporters who rely on rail to reach customers and compete in the marketplace.

Prompt: Adding personal experience and details of how this merger will impact you because it will further concentrate market power among too few rail carriers, reducing competition and raising costs for businesses that ship by rail. Groups representing chemical, manufacturing, agriculture, and energy companies warn that reduced competition will lead to higher shipping rates and worsening service, especially for industries that rely on unit trains and long-distance freight. In addition, past mergers have shown that enforcement of competition conditions is difficult and often ineffective, leading to delays and lost service options for shippers.

Question 7

I'm a concerned member of the community

Accepted Answer

General Public: Community members, consumers, and taxpayers who rely on rail for a healthy economy, safe transportation, and stable supply chains.

Prompt: Adding personal experience and details of how this merger will impact you, such as rail competition, safety, and service reliability are critical to the national economy and public safety. Safety data show that hundreds of thousands of rail accidents occur in the U.S. each decade, and many safety recommendations go unimplemented. Meanwhile, shippers and policymakers worry that further consolidation will increase transportation costs, reduce service quality, and diminish competition for consumers and businesses. This merger is not in the public interest.

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Submit a Comment: Oppose the UP–NS Merger

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