Aggressive NS growth as a result of Pan Am Southern?

[atsf sp]

2) with MA now owning the boston line, NS may hope to take over CSX freight opporations on the boston line

CSX got rid of this because there is no traffic in Boston. NS would not want to come in just to say they serve Boston yet no freight comes out of there.

1) NS wants to create enouugh of a presence in MA to get influence

That is the Patriot Corridor.

[newpylong]

The NS is dumping all the money into the place and the ST is still playing their games. The only way things are going to change is if Billerica is out of the picture. The GM for the PAS has a vastly different view than the Finks and Co. and it's only a matter of time before they buy the entire property I believe.

[Matt Langworthy]

2) with MA now owning the boston line, NS may hope to take over CSX freight opporations on the boston line

I doubt the STB would let that happen. As several other posters have told you, competititon is a good thing... and the feds will enforce that in New England.

NS now has access to New England. It can now compete against CSX in the intermodal and auto markets... so there is no need for NS to purchase or obtain operating rights on the ex-B&A lines.

[superbad]

on the topic of more mergers:
I do not think regulators will let anymore class I railroads merge. If i'm not mistaken, didn't BNSF and NS try to merge a few years back and it was 100% shot down by the fed? Imagine if UP and BNSF or NS and CSX merged.. you would be looking at complete rail control in certain parts of the country by one rail company.

[atsf sp]

didn't BNSF and NS try to merge a few years back and it was 100% shot down by the fed?

I don't know if it was BNSF and NS. i think it was BNSF and CN.

[daylight4449]

didn't BNSF and NS try to merge a few years back and it was 100% shot down by the fed?

I don't know if it was BNSF and NS. i think it was BNSF and CN.

yah it would have been north american railroad, based in montreal