Instead of a buyout, the two giants have opted for a "steel handshake"—deeply integrated partnerships that act like a merger without the regulatory headache:
A Story of "Steel Handshakes" (Collaboration Over Consolidation) cp railroad buying csx
However, by August 2025, CPKC CEO Keith Creel made it clear that the company was not interested in further major acquisitions, stating that transcontinental mergers could trigger "unnecessary waves" of consolidation that might not benefit the public. Instead of a buyout, the two giants have