05-5811. Union Pacific Railroad Company-Temporary Trackage Rights Exemption-BNSF Railway Company 1

AGENCY:

Surface Transportation Board, DOT.

ACTION:

Partial revocation of exemption.

SUMMARY:

The Board, under 49 U.S.C. 10502, revokes the class exemption as it pertains to the modified trackage rights described in STB Finance Docket No. 34554 (Sub-No. 2) ^[2] to permit the trackage rights to expire on or about December 31, 2005, in accordance with the agreement of the parties,^[3] subject to the employee protective conditions set forth in Oregon Short Line R. Co.—Abandonment—Goshen, 360 I.C.C. 91 (1979).

DATES:

This exemption is effective on April 24, 2005. Petitions to stay must be filed by April 4, 2005. Petitions to reopen must be filed by April 14, 2005.

ADDRESSES:

An original and 10 copies of all pleadings referring to STB Finance Docket No. 34554 (Sub-No. 3) must be filed with the Surface Transportation Board, 1925 K Street, NW., Washington, DC 20423-0001. In addition, a copy of all pleadings must be served on petitioner's representative: Robert T. Opal, 1400 Douglas Street, STOP 1580, Omaha, NE 68179.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Joseph H. Dettmar [phone]. [Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) for the hearing impaired: 1-800-877-8339.]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Additional information is contained in the Board's decision. To purchase a copy of the full decision, write to, e-mail or call: ASAP Document Solutions, 9332 Annapolis Rd., Suite 103, Lanham, MD 20706; e-mail [e-mail]; telephone [phone]. [Assistance for the hearing impaired is available through FIRS at 1-800-877-8339.]

Board decisions and notices are available on our Web site at http://www.stb.dot.gov.

Decided: March 17, 2005.

By the Board, Chairman Nober, Vice Chairman Buttrey, and Commissioner Mulvey.

Vernon A. Williams,

Secretary.

Footnotes

1.  Effective January 20, 2005, The Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Company has changed its name to BNSF Railway Company (BNSF).

2.  On January 25, 2005, Union Pacific Railroad Company (UP) concurrently filed a verified notice of exemption under the Board's class exemption procedures at 49 CFR 1180.2(d)(7). The notice covered the agreement by BNSF to extend the expiration date of the local trackage rights granted to UP over BNSF's line of railroad between BNSF milepost 579.3 near Mill Creek, OK, and BNSF milepost 631.1 near Joe Junction, TX, a distance of approximately 51 miles. UP submits that the trackage rights are only temporary rights, but, because they are “local” rather than “overhead” rights, they do not qualify for the Board's new class exemption for temporary trackage rights at 49 CFR 1180.2(d)(8). See Union Pacific Railroad Company—Temporary Trackage Rights Exemption—BNSF Railway Company, STB Finance Docket No. 34554 (Sub-No. 2) (STB served Feb. 11, 2005).

3.  The original trackage rights granted in Union Pacific Railroad Company—Trackage Rights Exemption—The Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Company, STB Finance Docket No. 34554 (STB served Oct. 7, 2004), also extended between BNSF milepost 579.3 near Mill Creek, OK, and BNSF milepost 631.1 near Joe Junction, TX. By decision served November 24, 2004, in STB Finance Docket No. 34554 (Sub-No. 1), the Board granted an exemption to permit the trackage rights granted in STB Finance Docket No. 34554 to expire. At that time, it was anticipated by the parties that the rights would expire on or about December 31, 2004. However, this authority had not been exercised at the time of filing of the notice of exemption in STB Finance Docket No. 34554 (Sub-No. 2) for an extension of the expiration date.