The bid trumps a $25 billion cash-and-stock proposal made by Canadian Pacific last month.
Any deal would capitalize on growing trade across North America by creating the first railroad that would link the United States, Mexico and Canada. Last year the three countries entered into a revamped regional trade pact, negotiated by President Donald Trump, that is expected to encourage trade and investment across North America.
A surge in manufacturing is already benefitting the companies. According to a research report Monday from Stifel, the six major railroad all reported double-digit increases in volume over the past week compared with a year earlier when the coronavirus pandemic cut shipping volume sharply.