[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 101 (Thursday, May 25, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27782-27783]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-12890]



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INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION
[Finance Docket No. 32549 (Sub-No. 17)]


Keokuk Junction Railway--Trackage Rights and Terminal Access on 
Certain Lines of Burlington Northern Railroad Company in Iowa, 
Missouri, and Illinois

AGENCY: Interstate Commerce Commission.

ACTION: Decision No. 26; Notice of acceptance of responsive application 
filed by Keokuk Junction Railway.

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SUMMARY: The Commission is accepting for consideration the application 
filed by Keokuk Junction Railway (KJRY) for trackage rights and 
terminal access over certain lines of Burlington Northern Railroad 
Company (BN) in Iowa, Missouri, and Illinois. This application is 
responsive to the primary application filed by BN and its corporate 
parent, Burlington Northern Inc. (BNI), and The Atchison, Topeka and 
Santa Fe Railway Company (Santa Fe) and its corporate parent, Santa Fe 
Pacific Corporation (SFP), by which primary applicants BNI, BN, SFP, 
and Santa Fe seek approval for BNI's acquisition of, control of, and 
merger with SFP, the resulting common control of BN and Santa Fe by the 
merged company, the consolidation of BN and Santa Fe railroad 
operations, and the merger of BN and Santa Fe.

DATES: The effective date of this decision is May 25, 1995. Comments 
regarding the KJRY responsive application must be filed with the 
Commission by June 9, 1995. Rebuttal in support of the KJRY responsive 
application must be filed by June 19, 1995. Briefs (not to exceed 50 
pages) must be filed by June 29, 1995.

ADDRESSES: An original and 20 copies of all documents must refer to 
Finance Docket No. 32549 (Sub-No. 17) and be sent to the Office of the 
Secretary, Case Control Branch, Attn: Finance Docket No. 32549 (Sub-No. 
17), Interstate Commerce Commission, 1201 Constitution Avenue, N.W., 
Washington, D.C. 20423. Parties are encouraged also to submit all 
pleadings and attachments on a 3.5-inch diskette in WordPerfect 5.1 
format.
    In addition, one copy of all documents in this proceeding must be 
served, by first class mail, on: the Secretary of the Department of 
Transportation; the Attorney General of the United States; 
Administrative Law Judge Jacob Leventhal, Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, Office of Hearings, 825 North Capitol Street, N.E., 
Washington, D.C. 20426; Betty Jo Christian, Esq., Steptoe & Johnson, 
1330 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036-1795 
(representing primary applicants BNI and BN); Erika Z. Jones, Esq., 
Mayer, Brown & Platt, 2000 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Suite 6500, 
Washington, D.C. 20006 (representing primary applicants SFP and Santa 
Fe); and Robert A. Wimbish, Esq., Rea, Cross & Auchincloss, Suite 420, 
1920 N Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036 (representing responsive 
applicant KJRY).
    Furthermore, one copy of all documents in this proceeding must be 
served, by first class mail, on all persons designated parties of 
record [POR] on the Commission's service list, served on May 19, 1995.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julia Farr, (202) 927-5352. [TDD for 
the hearing impaired: (202) 927-5721.]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: By this responsive application, KJRY seeks 
trackage rights and terminal access over certain BN lines in Iowa, 
Missouri, and Illinois.
    The sought trackage rights (for which KJRY envisions compensation 
of not more than $0.40 per car mile) are: (1) unrestricted local 
trackage rights on BN's Hannibal Subdivision between MP 177.9 at 
Keokuk, IA, and MP 136.9 at West Quincy, MO, a distance of 41 miles, 
with full right of interchange at West Quincy with the primary 
applicants, Norfolk Southern Railway (NS), and Southern Pacific 
Transportation Company (SPT); and (2) overhead trackage rights on BN's 
Hannibal Subdivision from MP 136.9 at West Quincy to MP 94.1 at 
Louisiana, MO, a distance of 42.8 miles, in order to interchange with 
NS at Hannibal, MO, and with Gateway Western Railway at Louisiana, MO. 
KJRY indicates, however, that it will not exercise the overhead 
trackage rights south of West Quincy, as long as (a) NS retains 
trackage rights through West Quincy to Quincy, IL, and continues to be 
able to interchange with KJRY at either location as mutually 
convenient, and (b) SPT and KJRY have a mutually satisfactory 
interchange at West Quincy.
    The sought terminal access consists of three requirements to be 
imposed on BN: (1) A requirement that BN sell to KJRY at net liquidated 
value (or going concern value, whichever is appropriate) all BN 
terminal tracks and facilities in Keokuk including yard trackage, 
buildings, and the Mooar Line (KJRY envisions that it will assume all 
industrial switching in Keokuk currently provided by BN, and that it 
will enter into a long-term contract with the primary applicants on 
switch rates and service); (2) a requirement that BN absorb KJRY's 
switch charges at a level no higher than BN's current switch charges in 
Keokuk, subject to [[Page 27783]] inflationary adjustments; and (3) a 
requirement that BN grant reciprocal switching access rights to KJRY at 
Quincy, IL, limited to traffic originating or terminating on KJRY's 
lines.
    KJRY's responsive application substantially complies with the 
applicable regulations, and it has therefore been accepted for 
consideration by the Commission.
    The responsive application and exhibits are available for 
inspection in the Public Docket Room at the offices of the Commission 
in Washington, D.C. In addition, they may be obtained upon request from 
KJRY's representative named above.
    This responsive application is consolidated for disposition with 
the Finance Docket No. 32549 primary application (and all embraced 
proceedings). Service of an initial decision will be waived, and 
determination of the merits of the responsive application will be made 
in the first instance by the entire Commission. 49 U.S.C. 11345(f).
    Interested persons may participate formally by submitting written 
comments regarding the responsive application, subject to the filing 
and service requirements specified above. Such comments (referred to as 
``responses'' in the procedural schedule) should indicate the exact 
proceeding designation and should be filed with the Commission by June 
9, 1995. Comments shall include the following: the commenter's position 
in support of or in opposition to the proposed transaction; any and all 
evidence, including verified statements, in support of or in opposition 
to the proposed transaction; and specific reasons why approval would or 
would not be in the public interest. Interested persons who do not 
intend to participate formally in the proceeding but who desire to 
comment may also file statements, also subject to the filing and 
service requirements specified above. Persons must state specifically 
whether they intend to participate actively in the proceeding or 
whether they wish only to be advised of all decisions issued by the 
Commission. Failure to state an intention to participate as an active 
party will result in the person being placed in the latter category.
    Because KJRY's responsive application contains proposed conditions 
to approval of the primary application in Finance Docket No. 32549, the 
Commission will entertain no requests for affirmative relief to this 
proposal. Parties may only participate in direct support of or direct 
opposition to KJRY's responsive application as filed.
    This action will not significantly affect either the quality of the 
human environment or the conservation of energy resources.

    Decided: May 17, 1995.

    By the Commission, Chairman Morgan, Vice Chairman Owen, and 
Commissioners Simmons and McDonald.
Vernon A. Williams,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 95-12890 Filed 5-24-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7035-01-P