Berkshire Hathaway acquired BNSF Railway in 2010 for about $26.5 billion.
Berkshire Hathaway announced in November 2009 that it would purchase the remaining shares of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation that it did not already own. The transaction was completed in February 2010 and included cash and Berkshire shares.
BNSF Railway is one of North America’s largest freight railroads. It operates an extensive network across the western and central United States and transports consumer goods, agricultural products, coal, industrial materials, and other freight.
Warren Buffett called the purchase an “all-in wager” on the economic future of the United States. The acquisition did not buy Union Pacific or the eastern railroads; BNSF is particularly associated with routes serving the western two-thirds of the country.