That’s just a hypothetical for airlines—but that’s exactly how America’s freight rail industry currently works. Currently, when coast-to-coast rail freight reaches central hubs near the Mississippi River, the freight must pass from one rail operator to another. Retirement accounts would get a boost as stocks in railroad companies, manufacturers, and other industries would jump. A transcontinental railroad company would also positively impact America’s roadways by leading the trucking industry to shift toward shorter hauls, where it has a natural advantage. A more perfect union should start with the Union Pacific Transcontinental Railroad.