Proposed railroad merger lights fuse for downstream deals

CSX bouncing CEO Joe Hinrichs was "a clear indication the business is moving towards a merger inevitably," says Jim Chadwick, president of alternatives at Ancora Holdings, the activist investor with a CSX stake.

Why it matters: If Union Pacific's $85 billion deal to acquire Norfolk Southern is approved, as CEO Jim Vena expects, CSX and BNSF won't be the only ones facing pressure to merge.