UP and Southern Pacific Separated

In the years following the Union Pacific/Southern Pacific merger, government officials argued that UP intended to suppress competition when it acquired the SP — a violation of the Sherman Act, officials said. Although the circuit court ruled in favor of UP on June 11, the government appealed the decision and the case moved to the Supreme Court. Six months later, the Court overturned the previous ruling in a unanimous decision. UP was ordered to sell its now 46 percent share of SP stock and relinquish control.