A merger would create a 52,000-mile system spanning the U.S. but would face regulatory obstaclesA Union Pacific train with UP and Norfolk Southern power crosses UP’s diamond with NS at Momence, Ill., on April 10, 2022. David Lassen Combining Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern into the first transcontinental railroad in the U.S. would create a 52,215-mile colossus that could offer seamless service from coast to coast, bypassing longtime interchange choke points in Chicago and at gateways along th...