At one point, stalled trains lined tracks in and out of Houston. After seven months of chaos, the region is still a mess. UP quickly discovered that SP had antiquated systems and hundreds of incompatible workarounds. By late last September, events had spun out of control. That said, UP is sparing little expense trying to fix the problems, a process the Surface Transportation Board is overseeing.
Progress is slow.
Already, questions of power-sharing at the CEO and chairman levels have given the press and analysts grounds to question the merger. Don't believe everything you're told. UP has said that the situation in the Texas-Louisiana region has improved, only to have this claim quickly rebutted by frustrated shippers. These are the same shippers who were flooded with pre-merger propaganda telling them how good it would be for them. No doubt, consumers want the convenience of consolidated financial services that Citigroup promises.