STB – Page 11 – Railfanning.org

STB Issues EA for Pan Am Southern

November 14, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board announced that its Section of Environmental Analysis (SEA) has issued an Environmental Assessment (EA) for public review and comment. The EA related to a proposal by the Norfolk Southern Railway Co., Pan Am Railways Inc. (a noncarrier holding company), and two of Pan Am’s railroad subsidiaries, the Boston and Maine Corp. and the Springfield Terminal Railway Co., to acquire and to jointly control and own, Pan Am Southern LLC, a new railroad to be formed. Earlier this year, Pan Am Railways and Norfolk Southern Railway announced that they agreed to create an improved rail

STB to Discuss CN’s Proposed Takeover of EJ&E

November 7, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board will hold a public meeting on Nov. 18 concerning the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) related to Canadian National Railway’s proposed acquisition of the principal lines of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway Co. During the public meeting, STB members will be briefed by, and will discuss the EIS with, staff of the agency’s Section of Environmental Analysis (SEA). The meeting will be open for public observation, but not public participation. On Oct. 30, 2007, Canadian National and Grand Trunk Corp. (collectively known as CN) filed an application with the STB seeking the agency’s approval

STB Issues EA for Northern Columbia Basin Railroad Project

November 7, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board announced that its Section of Environmental Analysis (SEA) and the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) have issued an Environmental Assessment (EA) for public review and comment concerning the proposed Northern Columbia Basin Railroad Project (Project) in the State of Washington. Working together as co-lead agencies on the Project’s environmental review, the Board and WSDOT are providing the public 30 days—until Dec. 8 —for the filing of comments on the EA.

STB Releases Christensen Survey

November 3, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board announced that Christensen Associates, a Madison, Wisc.-based economic consulting firm, has completed its 14-month, independent report titled “A Study of Competition in the U.S. Freight Railroad Industry and Analysis of Proposals that Might Enhance Competition.” The Study is the topic of the Board’s public meeting to be held on Nov. 6. STB officials say this study takes a comprehensive review of the underlying economics of the railroad industry. The Board anticipates that this analysis will be of great interest to policymakers and stakeholders involved in interstate freight commerce.

STB: CORP Must Sell Line

October 31, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON – The Surface Transportation Board has ordered the Central Oregon & Pacific Railroad Inc. (CORP) to sell a 111-mile railroad line running from Danebo, Ore., to Cordes, Ore., to The Oregon International Port of Coos Bay. In a separate decision, the Board granted CORP authority to abandon a 94-mile segment of the Line in the event that a sale of the Line is not completed. In reaching its decision, the STB found that the Line meets the five “public convenience and necessity” criteria for a forced sale under the “feeder line” provision of the agency’s statute enabling shippers and

STB to Discuss ‘Caliente Line’

October 31, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON – The Surface Transportation Board announced that it will hold a public field hearing on Dec. 4, 2008, in Las Vegas to hear public testimony related to the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) application for authority to build the proposed “Caliente Line.” The line is a 300-mile rail line that would connect an existing rail line near Caliente, Nev., to a proposed geologic repository at Yucca Mountain, Nye County, Nev. The DOE proposes to use the new line initially to transport materials needed to construct the repository, and, eventually, to transport spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste for

STB to Discuss Christensen Study

October 24, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board will hold a public meeting Nov. 6 to discuss the independent study by Christensen Associates assessing the current state of competition in the freight railroad industry in the United States. The Board also announced that the Christensen study will be released to the public, via the Board’s website at www.stb.dot.gov, prior to the public meeting. At the meeting, the Board will discuss the study’s findings with Christensen researchers. While the public is invited to attend the meeting, they will not be permitted to testify, the STB said. The study was undertaken pursuant to a

CN Urges STB Approval of EJ&E Acquisition, Cites Overall Benefit to Chicago Region

October 1, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — Canadian National is urging the Surface Transportation Board to promptly approve its proposed acquisition of the principal lines of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway Co., pointing to planned mitigation efforts and the significant economic and environmental benefits to the overall Chicago region. CN’s said its supporting facts and conclusions are contained in comments filed regarding the Draft Environmental Impact Statement on the transaction issued on July 25, 2008, by the Section of Environmental Analysis (SEA) of the STB. “Our filing underscores three important facts,” said CN President and Chief Executive Officer E. Hunter Harrison. “First, none of

STB Approves CP’s DM&E Purchase

September 30, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board approved Canadian Pacific Railway Limited’s plan to buy the Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad Corporation and its subsidiaries: Iowa, Chicago & Eastern Railroad and Cedar American Rail Holdings. The official effective date of the final decision is Oct. 30. “The DM&E is an excellent fit for Canadian Pacific making this a strategic end-to-end addition to our network,” said Fred Green, President and Chief Executive Officer of CP. “This is also a positive development for CP, DM&E and IC&E customers. CP customers will have direct single line access to the Midwest US markets and the

House Approves Rail Safety Bill; Billions to go to Passenger Rail

September 27, 2008 Railfanning.org News Wire

WASHINGTON — The House of Representatives has approved legislation that proponents say will improve the Nation’s intercity passenger rail system and the safety of the nation’s railroads. The Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 and the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 will increase funding for Amtrak over the next five years, require new safety controls on trains that help reduce crashes, allow states to regulate solid waste processing facilities along rail lines and allocate funding for improvements to Washington’s Metro transit system. The legislation sets “an aggressive deadline” of 2015 for implementation of positive train control (PTC)