Kevin Cirilli talks with rail economist Dr. Michael F. Gorman about America’s first coast-to-coast railroad — the historic merger of Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern. The new 50,000-mile system promises faster supply chains, cheaper shipping, and fewer trucks clogging highways, raising hopes for lower emissions and a more competitive U.S. economy. But it also sparks big questions about consolidation, labor, and whether a 19th-century invention can truly reinvent itself in the age of AI and automation. A sharp, forward-looking conversation about whether this mega-merger is the next chapter in American infrastructure — or just the latest power play.