Sept 10 (Reuters) - Union Pacific ( UNP ) CEO Jim Vena

said on Wednesday he was confident that the railroad operator

would receive a merger approval from the U.S. administration

over its deal with Norfolk Southern ( NSC ).

In July, Union Pacific ( UNP ) announced an $85 billion

stock-and-cash acquisition of the smaller rival, which, if

approved, would create the country's first coast-to-coast

freight rail operator.

Speaking at a Morgan Stanley Conference, Vena said he has

met with senior people in the administration, who called the

deal a "win for the country".

"Do I think we're going to get it approved? The answer is

yes", Vena added.

The merger faces intense scrutiny from the Surface

Transportation Board, which received a notice of intent from the

companies on July 30, 2025.

The companies plan to file a formal application by January

29 and are targeting an early-2027 close.

Last month, the White House fired STB member Robert Primus,

as part of a broader series of dismissals from independent

agencies and commissions under President Donald Trump's

administration.

In a regulatory filing on Wednesday, the railroad, which

primarily operates on the West Coast, said it expects $50

million in merger costs and has paused share repurchases while

it awaits approval.

(Reporting by Anshuman Tripathy and Apratim Sarkar in

Bengaluru)