Warren Buffet is renowned worldwide as one of the most successful business investors in the world. In 2008, he was ranked as the world’s wealthiest person. Despite his great wealth, Buffet is known for his personal frugality and for giving much of his wealth away to philanthropies.

It was on this day, November 3rd, in 2009 that Warren Buffet announced that he would purchase the rest of the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway. The deal was valued at over $44 billion.

The deal was completed by February 12, 2010, and it was the largest acquisition to take place in the company’s history. Burlington Northern had already merged several times before. Now, the railroad is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, and it is controlled completely by Buffet.