Welcome to the American Railroading Podcast! In this episode our host Don Walsh is joined by guest Tony Hatch, President of ABH Consulting and Sr. Wall Street Transportation Analyst. Together they discuss the current status and potential pros and cons of the proposed Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern merger, what the recent Supreme Court ruling regarding tariffs under IEEPA means and doesn’t mean, a potential 3rd ”Golden Age” of short line railroading, market trends and risks, a look ahead into 2026 and much more. Tune in to this episode to gain valuable insights and broaden your understanding of American Railroading! You can find this episode and more on the American Railroading Podcast's official website at www.AmericanRailroading.net , and watch our YouTube Channel at the link below. Welcome aboard!

KEY POINTS:

1. The American Railroading Podcast remains in the Top 10% of all podcasts globally, now downloaded in 66 countries around the world!
2. Mr. Hatch is a graduate of Harvard University and has been a Sr. Transportation Analyst on Wall Street for over 20 years.
3. Tony shares how he went from a degree in History at Harvard to becoming a Transportation Analyst.
4. Mr. Hatch explains the revised STB rules / approval criteria / threshold that the proposed UP & NS merger and all future potential mergers must satisfy.
5. Tony does a deep dive into the potential pros and cons of the proposed UP & NS merger.
6. Don discusses the recent Supreme Court ruling regarding the President’s ability to impose import tariffs under IEEPA (the International Emergency Economic Act), what the ruling means, and doesn’t mean.
7. Tony gives his opinion and the current status of tariffs and trade wars and their effect on the U.S. economy.
8. Mr. Hatch gives us an update and a look ahead into 2026 not only for the U.S., but for Mexico and Canada as well.
9. Tony gives his thoughts on why he feels a 3rd “Golden Age” of short line railroading may be on the horizon.
10. If you like what we do, please leave us a 5-Star Review…and please Share the episode!

LINKS MENTIONED:

https://www.americanrailroading.net

https://www.therevolutionrailgroup.com

https://www.youtube.com/@americanrailroadingpodcast

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dwalshX

https://www.enviroserve.com

https://www.railtrends.com

https://www.abhatchconsulting.com