[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 239 (Tuesday, December 12, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 77693]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-31470]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board

[STB Finance Docket No. 33952]


Norfolk Southern Railway Co.--Corporate Family Transaction 
Exemption--High Point, Randleman, Asheboro and Southern Railroad Co.

    Norfolk Southern Railway Company (NSR), a Class I rail carrier, has 
filed a notice of exemption to renew its lease \1\ and to operate 
approximately 28 miles of rail line owned by High Point, Randleman, 
Asheboro and Southern Railroad Company (High Point), a Class III 
carrier and a subsidiary of NSR, located in the State of North 
Carolina.
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    \1\ NSR notes that the lease of the rail line by the Carolina 
and Northwestern Railway Company, a predecessor of NSR, was 
previously approved in Carolina & Northwestern Railway Company, 
Control, Etc., 282 I.C.C. 802 (1951). NSR further notes that the 
extension of the lease contemplated by the transaction in STB 
Finance Docket No. 33952 extends the term of the lease arrangement 
until 2025 with an optional 25-year extension thereafter.
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    The transaction is scheduled to be consummated prior to December 
31, 2000. The earliest the transaction can be consummated is December 
7, 2000, the effective date of the exemption (7 days after the 
exemption was filed).
    NSR has filed its notice of exemption under 49 CFR 1180.2(d)(3) as 
the proposed renewal of its lease with High Point is exempt because it 
is within the NSR corporate family and will not result in adverse 
changes in service levels, operational changes, or a change in the 
competitive balance with carriers outside the NSR corporate family.
    As a condition to this exemption, any employee affected by the 
transaction will be protected by the conditions imposed in Mendocino 
Coast Ry., Inc.--Lease and Operate, 354 I.C.C. 732 (1978), as modified 
in Mendocino Coast Ry., Inc.--Lease and Operate, 360 I.C.C. 653 (1980), 
aff'd sub nom. RLEA v. ICC, 675 F.2d 1248 (D.C. Cir. 1982).
    If the notice contains false or misleading information, the 
exemption is void ab initio. Petitions to revoke the exemption under 49 
U.S.C. 10502(d) may be filed at any time. The filing of a petition to 
revoke will not automatically stay the transaction.
    An original and 10 copies of all pleadings, referring to STB 
Finance Docket No. 33952, must be filed with the Surface Transportation 
Board, Office of the Secretary, Case Control Unit, 1925 K Street, NW., 
Washington, DC 20423-0001. In addition, a copy of each pleading must be 
served on Maquiling B. Parkerson, Esq., Norfolk Southern Corporation, 
Three Commercial Place, Norfolk, VA 23510-2191.

    Decided: December 5, 2000.
By the Board, David M. Konschnik, Director, Office of Proceedings.
Vernon A. Williams,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 00-31470 Filed 12-11-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-00-P