FOR RELEASE
Contact: Dennis Watson
02/25/99 (Thursday)
(202) 565-1596
No. 99-6
FIRS 1 (800) 877-8339
www.stb.gov


SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD ISSUES SCHEDULE OF SPEAKERS, TIME ALLOCATIONS FOR MARCH 18 ORAL ARGUMENT IN "CANADIAN NATIONAL-ILLINOIS CENTRAL" RAILROAD MERGER PROCEEDING


Surface Transportation Board (Board) Chairman Linda J. Morgan announced today that the Board has issued a decision establishing an oral argument schedule (attached) specifying the order of appearance and time allocated to each participant in the oral argument scheduled by the Board[FOOTNOTE 1: See Decision No. 30 issued to the public on January 28, 1999, in the case entitled Canadian National Railway Company, Grand Trunk Corporation, and Grand Trunk Western Railroad Incorporated--Control--Illinois Central Corporation, Illinois Central Railroad Company, Chicago, Central and Pacific Railroad Company, and Cedar River Railroad Company, STB Finance Docket No. 33556. See also Surface Transportation Board "News" release number 99-1 issued January 28, 1999.] for Thursday, March 18, 1999, in the case concerning the proposed "Canadian National-Illinois Central" railroad merger.

The schedule provides for a total of 2 hours and 30 minutes for oral argument, 55 minutes of which are being allocated to the primary applicants,[FOOTNOTE 2: Canadian National Railway Company, Grand Trunk Corporation, and Grand Trunk Western Railroad Incorporated, and their affiliates, and Illinois Central Corporation; Illinois Central Railroad Company; Chicago, Central and Pacific Railroad Company; and Cedar River Railroad Company, and their affiliates.] and 1 hour and 35 minutes of which are being allocated to other parties. Because the purpose of the oral argument is not to restate written arguments previously made in this case but, rather, as noted in Decision 30, to summarize and emphasize the key points of each party's position and to provide an opportunity for questions to be asked by Members of the Board, the Board believes that the time allocations it has established will assure that there will be adequate time to address the pertinent issues.



Oral argument before the Board will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, March 18, in the Board's Hearing Room, Room 760, 7th Floor, Surface Transportation Board, 1925 K Street, N.W. (Mercury Building), in Washington, D.C. Parties planning to use visual aids, such as maps, are advised to so inform the Office of the Secretary by telephoning (202) 565-1650 no later than the close of business on Friday, March 12, 1999. Participants will be limited to projector-adaptable visual displays and/or handouts. The Board will provide space for handouts participants wish to bring to the Hearing Room for dissemination to the public. The staff of the Office of the Secretary will be available to demonstrate the Board's projection system in the Hearing Room on Tuesday, March 16, 1999, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Please telephone (202) 565-1650 in advance to make arrangements.



Members of the media wishing to observe the oral argument in the Hearing Room will be advised--through a Board news release to be issued later--of requirements that must be met for their attendance.



The Board issued the schedule of speakers and time allocations in Decision No. 32 issued to the public today, February 25, 1999, in STB Finance Docket No. 33556. Printed copies of the written decision referred to in this news release are available for a fee by contacting: DC News & Data, Inc., Room 210, 1925 K Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20006, telephone (202) 289-4357 or (202) 463-8112. The decision is available for viewing and downloading via the Board's Website at www.stb.dot.gov



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ATTACHMENT





SCHEDULE OF APPEARANCES
IN "CANADIAN NATIONAL-ILLINOIS CENTRAL" ORAL ARGUMENT
MARCH 18, 1999



PRIMARY APPLICANTS

Canadian National Railway Company, 55 minutes
Grand Trunk Corporation, Grand Trunk
Western Railroad Incorporated, Illinois
Central Corporation, Illinois Central Railroad
Company, Chicago, Central and Pacific Railroad
Company, and Cedar River Railroad Company


SUPPORTING RAILROAD
The Kansas City Southern Railway Company 10 minutes

OTHER RAILROADS
Union Pacific Railroad Company 12 minutes
Canadian Pacific Railway Company and
St. Lawrence and Hudson Railway Company Limited 6 minutes
Ontario Michigan Rail Corporation 6 minutes
Total 24 minutes

FEDERAL/STATE GOVERNMENT PARTIES
U.S. Department of Transportation 8 minutes
North Dakota Public Service Commission, North Dakota
Department of Transportation, and North Dakota
Department of Agriculture 5 minutes
SHIPPER ORGANIZATION
The National Industrial Transportation League 6 minutes




SHIPPER PARTIES
Exxon Chemical Americas 5 minutes
Rubicon Inc. and Uniroyal Chemical Company, Inc. 5 minutes
Vulcan Chemicals 5 minutes

LABOR PARTIES
American Train Dispatchers Department--BLE, and 4 minutes
The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes 4 minutes
International Association of Machinists and
Aerospace Workers 4 minutes
Transportation•Communications International Union 5 minutes
United Transportation Union 10 minutes
Total 27 minutes
REBUTTAL
The primary applicants are allotted the unused portion of their 55 minutes argument time for rebuttal.