# Canadian National Withdraws Opposition to Union Pacific Megamerger **Category:** Companies | **Source:** Frachtportal Redaktion | **Published:** 2026-07-26 | **Updated:** 2026-09-12 **Tags:** Union Pacific, Canadian National, Norfolk Southern, CN, Bahnübernahme, Eisenbahn, Eisenbahnfusion, USA, Kanada, Bahntransport, Intermodal, Logistik News, Transport News, Fracht News, Speditions News, Supply Chain News, Zoll News, Frachtportal News, Seefracht, Schienentransport, Digitalisierung > CN no longer opposes Union Pacific's acquisition of Norfolk Southern. In return, CN receives new access rights and strengthens its network in the US Midwest. --- Union Pacific and Canadian railway company Canadian National, CN for short, signed a binding framework agreement on July 22, 2026. With this, CN withdraws its previous opposition to the planned acquisition of Norfolk Southern by Union Pacific. As recently as April, CN had harshly criticized the revised merger application. The company cited significant competition concerns and demanded more comprehensive protective measures for shippers and competing railway companies. Now Union Pacific and CN have agreed on such concessions. CN is to receive access to customer locations where the number of major railway operators would be reduced from two to one or from three to two through the merger. However, this access only applies if it is commercially and operationally feasible. Additionally, CN is to assume Norfolk Southern's stakes in the Kansas City Terminal Railway and the Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis. This is intended to prevent the merged Union Pacific from gaining excessive control at important rail hubs. CN also receives new trackage rights between Tuscola and East St. Louis, as well as switching rights between St. Louis and Kansas City. For the first time, CN is to be able to use Union Pacific's Neff Yard in Kansas City. In parallel, Union Pacific and CN signed a second binding MoU. Union Pacific receives additional rights on the EJ&E line around Chicago. In return, CN receives rights between Memphis and Eagle Pass at the Mexican border. This would allow CN to offer more rail services between Canada and Mexico in the future. However, the matter is not yet decided. Although the U.S. rail regulator Surface Transportation Board, STB for short, has accepted the revised merger application for review, the proceedings have been temporarily suspended until Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern provide additional information. The deadline for this runs until July 27, 2026. --- For shippers and freight forwarders, there are initially no changes to existing schedules, contracts, or rail routes. The most important concessions to CN will only take effect after approval and completion of the merger. The agreement is particularly interesting for traffic via Chicago, St. Louis, and Kansas City. New routings, additional providers, and fewer handovers between rail carriers could emerge there. Whether this actually results in shorter transit times or lower prices remains to be seen. Shippers with rail transport in North America should review which locations would only be served by one or two major rail providers after a merger. Similarly, one should monitor whether CN will introduce new offerings for specific routes via Kansas City or towards Mexico. In short: CN is no longer opposed to the megamerger. In exchange for its approval, the company will gain better access to important rail lines and hubs. --- Union Pacific and CN signed two binding MoUs on July 22, 2026. One of the MoUs is directly related to the planned merger between Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern. CN commits to no longer opposing the merger. The $85 billion corresponds to the announced enterprise value of Norfolk Southern. The merger has not yet been approved by the Surface Transportation Board. The key concessions to CN apply only upon approval and completion of the merger. CN is to assume stakes in rail terminal companies in Kansas City and St. Louis. CN receives new route and service rights between Illinois, St. Louis, and Kansas City. A separate MoU concerns route rights around Chicago and between Memphis and Eagle Pass. The STB requested additional merger documentation by July 27, 2026. ## Related Entities ### Countries - [United States of America](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/us) - [Canada](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/ca) ### Glossary - [Terminal](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/terminal) - [rail siding](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/rail-siding) - [Intermodal Operations Scheduling](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/intermodal-operations-scheduling) - [Minor Port Connectivity to Multimodal Freight Corridors](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/minor-port-connectivity-to-multimodal-freight-corridors) - [Intermodal container](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/intermodal-container) - [Halifax Port Intermodal Connection Track](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/halifax-port-intermodal-connection-track) - [railway environment](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/railway-environment) - [Trackage Rights](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/trackage-rights) - [Memorandum of Understanding](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/memorandum-of-understanding) --- *Canonical URL: [https://www.freight-academy.com/en/news/canadian-national-zieht-widerstand-gegen-union-pacific-megafusion-zurueck-20260726081950](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/news/canadian-national-zieht-widerstand-gegen-union-pacific-megafusion-zurueck-20260726081950)* *Markdown mirror: [https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/news/en/canadian-national-zieht-widerstand-gegen-union-pacific-megafusion-zurueck-20260726081950](https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/news/en/canadian-national-zieht-widerstand-gegen-union-pacific-megafusion-zurueck-20260726081950)*