WASHINGTON, Nov 14 (Reuters) - A group of nine

Republican state attorneys general on Friday raised competition

concerns about Union Pacific's ( UNP ) UNP.N> plan to buy smaller rival

Norfolk Southern ( NSC ) in an $85 billion deal to create the

first U.S. coast-to-coast freight rail operator.

The officials, led by Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan

Skrmetti and Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, in a letter to

the Surface Transportation Board, which was seen by Reuters,

said they were concerned the deal "will result in undue market

concentration that stifles competition and therefore creates

higher prices, lower reliability, and less innovation at the

expense of America's manufacturers and, ultimately, America's

consumers."