Source: http://www.chanrobles.com/usa/us_supremecourt/372/1/case.php
Timestamp: 2018-01-17 23:46:27
Document Index: 594331140

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 13', '§ 13', '§ 13', '§ 13', '§ 13', '§ 1', '§ 13']

As recently as 1956, appellee operated 30 passenger trains eastbound and 30 westbound on weekdays and 17 or 18 in each direction on weekends. Because of financial difficulties and continued losses on passenger train chanroblesvirtualawlibrary
The question presented is whether the procedure for discontinuing trains set forth in § 13a(1) of the Interstate Commerce Act is available to the appellee railroad, as the court below held, or whether it must follow that set forth in § 13a(2) of the Act. Section 13a(1) relates to "the discontinuance . . . of the operation or service of any train or ferry operating from a point in one State to a point in any other State." A railroad proceeding under this section must first file notices of the proposed discontinuance with the Interstate Commerce Commission, with the Governors of the States in which the train operates, and in every station served by the train. After chanroblesvirtualawlibrary
A comparison of the language of § 13a(1), which applies to "any train . . . operating from a point in one State to a point in any other State" (italics supplied), and of § 13a(2), which applies to "any train . . . operated wholly within the boundaries of a single State" (italics supplied), makes it clear that the statute, on its face, requires appellee to proceed under the latter section. Appellee's trains do not run "from a point in one State to a point in any other State." That appellee's passengers, by other conveyances, cross a state line does not alter the conclusion; the statute speaks not of interstate commerce, but of the physical limits of a train's or ferry's operations. [Footnote 1] chanroblesvirtualawlibrary
Any doubt about this construction of the statute is dispelled by an examination of its legislative history. Section 13a was enacted by Congress as part of the Transportation Act of 1958. The legislative history of that Act reveals Congress' concern about the financial plight of railroads, attributable in part to the losses sustained in operating passenger trains. To discontinue these trains before the enactment of § 13a, the railroads were required in all cases to seek authority from each of the States served. See 104 Cong.Rec. 10842-10843, 10851. Without concurrence of all the States affected, the railroad might be compelled to continue operations despite serious losses. The Interstate Commerce Commission was able to give only partial relief. It could authorize the total abandonment of a line of railroad under § 1(18) of the Act even if the line was wholly within the boundaries of one State. Colorado v. United States, 271 U. S. 153. However, the Commission could not permit partial discontinuance of service over a line of railroad, whether the line crossed state boundaries or not. Board of Public Utility Comm'rs of New Jersey v. United States, 158 F.Supp. 98, probable jurisdiction noted, 357 U.S. 917, dismissed as moot, 359 U.S. 982. [Footnote 2] chanroblesvirtualawlibrary
S. 3778, 85th Cong., 2d Sess. Opposition to the bill focused upon the reduction of state powers to control local train operations. E.g., 104 Cong.Rec. 10850. A compromise amendment in the Senate changed § 13a so that the Commission's power would extend only to "any train or ferry engaged in the transportation of passengers or property in interstate or foreign commerce." 104 Cong.Rec. 10862-10866. Reference to intrastate transportation was eliminated. And, as finally reported out of conference, the Act was in its present form. The Interstate Commerce Commission's jurisdiction was limited, in the first instance, to the "discontinuance . . . of the operation or service of any train chanroblesvirtualawlibrary
The court below disregarded the plain words of the statute and what we believe is the pertinent legislative chanroblesvirtualawlibrary