Union Pacific has accused Canadian National Railway of making "inaccurate statements" regarding UP's planned $85 billion merger with Norfolk Southern. 

In a March 30 statement, UP executive vice president Kenny Rocker questioned CN's recent claim that UP and Norfolk had understated the traffic they expect to gain from other railroads as part of their proposed merger, in their filing with the U.S. Surface Transportation Board (STB).

"The traffic study included in our filings with the Surface Transportation Board was conducted by the same expert CN used for its Iowa Northern merger and applies the same methodology," Rocker wrote in a "Status of the Railroad" letter published to UP's website. "Misinformation like this damages rail’s credibility, shakes confidence in the marketplace and distracts from what matters most: more competition and a better customer experience."

The original application for the merger filed by UP and Norfolk Southern was rejected by the STB in January, with regulators pointing to a lack of projected market-share data, and the failure of the two companies to include the complete agreement in their application. Prior to that, CN Railway had filed a motion with the STB, alleging that UP and Norfolk had not been honest with their assessment of the merger. 

UP and Norfolk have since filed a letter of intent with the STB, detailing their plans to address the issues flagged by the board, in a resubmitted filing sometime this spring. While the two companies have asserted that the merger represents a win for their customers, workforce and shareholders, the proposed deal has been criticized by unions, lawmakers and competitors alike, given that it would put 40% of U.S. rail freight in the hands of one company.