Union Pacific Corporation announced it will acquire Norfolk Southern Corporation, forming the first coast-to-coast rail network in the U.S.

Two of the largest US railroads, Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern, announced on Tuesday a plan to combine in a $72 billion deal that would create America’s first transcontinental freight railroad.

Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern announced on July 29 a definitive agreement to merge, forming the first true transcontinental railroad in the United States. The combined network will connect more than 50,000 route miles across 43 states, linking nearly 100 ports and delivering coast-to-coast service for American shippers.