The Union Pacific Railroad announced last week in a press release that it has reached an $85 billion agreement to acquire rival Norfolk Southern , creating what will be the first coast-to-coast freight railroad in U.S. history.

While the term “transcontinental railroad” might sound like a blast from the 1800s, this 21st-century version is all business, and it’s not about passengers. Amtrak, the U.S. passenger rail company, isn’t involved. The news also comes as massive Amtrak and U.S. rail changes have been approved under a new federal transportation plan, signaling a transformative moment for the entire rail industry.

Instead, this merger will link Union Pacific’s western U.S. rail network with Norfolk Southern’s eastern routes, forming a single system that spans from the Pacifi

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