By Robert Hanson
LOGANVILLE, Ga. | As a veteran of over 30 years in the freight transportation industry – over two thirds of them in railroading – I read with great interest the op-ed piece on the Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger submitted by Rep. Rick Jasperse.
In its title, he says that the NS-UP “Merger could strengthen freight system.” How? Today’s rail system is as strong as a steel I-beam right now. Both these companies are amazingly prosperous (I know – I get their annual reports) and neither is in any financial peril that would be remedied by merger.
Mr. Jasperse also said that the merger would create a more seamless east-west connection.
How? Run-through trains, using motive power from partner railroads, have been in service since at least the 1970’s. These trains do not go through the regular interchange process but stop only to change crews and refuel. These exist right now, and a merger will not noticeably improve on this. It can be accomplished by co-ordination between companies, as has been proven over the last decades.
Reduce traffic congestion? How? Getting trucks off the Interstate? Intermodal service has been available since the late 1950’s and while many trucking companies avail themselves of this service. I-85 is still wall-to-wall with trucks at some hours of the day. I don’t think the merger will wave any magic wand to remove them. The service is currently available. The merger will change nothing in this area.
He writes, “The combined NS and UP system will give Georgia an edge in attracting the next generation of employers.” How? What will be here that is not already here right now.
Mr. Jasperse points out both the NS and the UP spend large sums of money in helping to train local fire fighters and first responders. Again I ask, if this already exists, how will this be improved by the merger?
In the years that I have been tracking (no pun intended) the railroad industry, I can honestly say that I have rarely, if ever, seen a railroad merger that was truly in the public interest. Most of them boiled down to plain old-fashioned greed.
I believe this one to be no exception.
And by the way, what will become of the 1000+ employees that will lose their jobs in Atlanta alone due to this merger while we’re waiting for this next generation of employers?
Mr. Jasperse says that Georgians want transportation solutions that work. Unless I’ve been badly misled by my years in the transportation industry, that system already exists, and this proposed merger will do nothing to improve on it.
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