[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 233 (Monday, December 6, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 68200]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-31553]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Surface Transportation Board
[STB Finance Docket No. 33825]
Wisconsin Chicago Link Ltd.--Acquisition Exemption--Wisconsin
Central Ltd.
Wisconsin Chicago Link Ltd. (WCLL), a noncarrier, has filed a
notice of exemption under 49 CFR 1150.31 to acquire from Wisconsin
Central Ltd. (WCL) approximately 4.1 miles of rail line (the Forest
Park Line) extending between milepost 10.9 in Forest Park, IL, and
milepost 15.0 in Franklin Park, IL.1 WCL will retain
trackage rights over the Forest Park Line, which lies within the
Chicago terminal district and connects at Forest Park with the west end
of the Altenheim Subdivision of The Baltimore & Ohio Chicago Terminal
Railroad Company (B&OCT), a subsidiary of CSX Transportation, Inc.
WCL's primary Chicago-area yard facility, Schiller Park Yard, lies
north of Franklin Park.
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\1\ WCLL states that its revenues will not exceed those that
would qualify it as a Class III rail carrier and its revenues are
not projected to exceed $5 million.
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WCLL and WCL are wholly owned subsidiaries of Wisconsin Central
Transportation Corporation (WCTC). WCLL previously filed a notice of
exemption to lease approximately 1.9 miles of rail line (the Panhandle
Line) of the former Pittsburgh Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad
Company in Chicago, Cook County, IL. See Wisconsin Chicago Link Ltd.--
Lease Exemption--Pennsylvania Lines LCC, STB Finance Docket No. 33810
(STB served Nov. 8, 1999). The Panhandle Line connects with the east
end of the B&OCT Altenheim Subdivision.
WCLL states in its notice that, due to unforeseen delays, execution
of the Panhandle Line lease will not occur in accordance with the
schedule previously contemplated. WCLL further states that, because it
will become a carrier upon consummation of the Forest Park Line
acquisition, the exemption that it obtained in STB Finance Docket No.
33810 to lease the Panhandle line as a noncarrier will no longer be
appropriate. Accordingly, on November 19, 1999, WCLL concurrently filed
with this notice, a letter of withdrawal of its verified notice of
exemption in STB Finance Docket No. 33810.
At the time of filing of this notice, an asset purchase agreement
between WCLL and WCL providing for WCLL's acquisition of the Forest
Park Line and WCL's retention of trackage rights on that line was
expected to be finalized and executed within a week.2
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\2\ WCL will initially continue to provide operations on the
Forest Park Line pursuant to retained trackage rights.
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WCLL indicates that WCTC will shortly be filing a petition for
exemption in a related proceeding in STB Finance Docket No. 33811,
Wisconsin Central Transportation Corporation--Continuance in Control
Exemption--Wisconsin Chicago Link Ltd., wherein WCTC will seek to
continue in control of WCLL 3 once it acquires the Forest
Park Line and becomes a carrier.
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\3\ Pending a Board decision granting WCTC's petition for
exemption to control WCLL, the stock of WCLL will be placed in an
independent voting trust established in accordance with 49 CFR 1013.
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The transaction was expected to be consummated on or shortly after
November 26, 1999.
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. 33825, 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, one copy of each pleading must
be served on Janet H. Gilbert, 6250 North River Road, Suite 9000,
Rosemont, IL 60018.
Board decisions and notices are available on our website at
``WWW.STB.DOT.GOV.''
Decided: November 29, 1999.
By the Board, David M. Konschnik, Director, Office of
Proceedings.
Vernon A. Williams,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 99-31553 Filed 12-3-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-00-P
