CSX and UP - swap a route
Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2021 2:53 pm
With all of the talk about CP trying to buy KCS, then CN doing the same, talks about a merger between CSX and UP, along with BNSF and NS have resurfaced yet again. Nothing has came into fruition thus far, but a thought that I haven't seen discussed:
Is it possible to have UP sell CSX one of it's lines from the Chicago area to the west coast, and have CSX sell UP a Chicago to east coast line in a swap? Same could go for NS and BNSF to swap routes. Would it open up more opportunities to use a single railroad from the west coast to areas east of the Mississippi? Same possibility to let some of the containers that come into east coast ports to go straight across to places like Denver. I have to imagine the play would benefit CSX or NS more than UP or BNSF, but the ability of the railroad to get product across a longer distance via a single owner seems like it could reduce the cost, and possibly direct intermodal traffic to more yards outside of the usual Chicago/Mississippi river point.
Is it possible to have UP sell CSX one of it's lines from the Chicago area to the west coast, and have CSX sell UP a Chicago to east coast line in a swap? Same could go for NS and BNSF to swap routes. Would it open up more opportunities to use a single railroad from the west coast to areas east of the Mississippi? Same possibility to let some of the containers that come into east coast ports to go straight across to places like Denver. I have to imagine the play would benefit CSX or NS more than UP or BNSF, but the ability of the railroad to get product across a longer distance via a single owner seems like it could reduce the cost, and possibly direct intermodal traffic to more yards outside of the usual Chicago/Mississippi river point.