As I noted over at Amtrak Forum, where the discussion should be directed only towards the impact upon The Downeaster, this UK publication seems to think Canadian National has strong interest in Pan Am:
https://www.railjournal.com/financial/p ... -for-sale/
Fair Use:
"Next, Canadian National (CN) is expanding its footprint into the United States. CN’s acquisition of the Messina Line in New York State from CSX has hit a snag at the STB, but it’s still under discussion.”
The source pointed to an interview between Railway Age editor in chief, Mr Bill Vantuono, and CN president, Mr JJ Ruest, where Ruest said CN was looking to develop a “roadmap” that would give customers information on where their freight was headed along the network.
“If CN owned the Pan Am it could put that on its roadmap. CN is also looking to create short multimodal lines in the US. So if CN took ownership of the Pan Am at Auburn, Maine, it could start building multimodal services that would feed its own network..
The noted RA material wss cited earlier in the discussion by Mr. Pennsy.
I'm at a loss how without a physical interchange between the two roads, there could be any interest. Mr. O'Keefe noted same earlier in the discussion.
Beyond the Short Line holding companies, such as G&Y, where there is no interest in physical connections between their properties, the last merger between unconnected Class I's with the 1964 combination between the N&W, NKP, and WAB. However, the N&W had a "sweetheart" purchase of a PRR line through Ohio from large shareholder Pennco (also conveniently owned Pennsy) thus affording a connection.
But absent such physical connection, I must ask how could operational efficiency result, and how could new traffic arise either from industrial development or from other modes such as highway?
Enquiring mind is "perplexed".