Burlington Northern Santa Fe

The story of BNSF Railway isn't about one founder, but the combination of hundreds of predecessor railroads, each with its own legacy. The modern chapter begins in 1995 with the creation of the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway. This was the result of a merger between Burlington Northern, Inc. and the Santa Fe Pacific Corporation. The deal, overseen by BN's Gerald Grinstein and Santa Fe's Robert Krebs, created the largest rail network in North America at the time. Their combined networks were largely complementary, connecting the Pacific Northwest with the Southwest and creating a single-line service from the West Coast to the Southeast. The company's history is rooted in lines dating back to the 1840s, including the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad. The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, chartered in 1859, was another key predecessor. However, the most significant event in its recent history was its acquisition by Berkshire Hathaway. In November 2009, Warren Buffett's firm announced it would acquire the remaining shares of the company for $44 billion, including debt. The deal, which closed in February 2010, was the largest in Berkshire's history at that time. Buffett called the investment an "all-in wager on the economic future of the United States," cementing the railroad's place as a critical component of American commerce.