(New York, NY) -- Billionaire investor Warren Buffett is making what he calls "an all-in wager" on the country's economic future.

Through his company Berkshire Hathaway, he's making his biggest acquisition ever by paying 26-billion dollars to buy out the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad.

Buffett's firm already owns more than 22-percent of the railroad's shares.

In a statement, Buffett said railroads are key to the U.S. economy and will benefit as the recovery gets stronger.

Berkshire Hathaway will pay 100-dollars per share and assume ten-billion dollars of BNSF's debt.

The railroad's shares jumped 29 percent in premarket trading on the news.

Some analysts think Buffett made the move because he sees a strong future for coal as an energy source, something BNSF transports nationwide.

Shares of its rivals Union Pacific, Norfolk Southern and CSX rose eight-percent because of the deal.

　

(Copyright 2009 by VERTEXNews/Newsroom Solutions)