[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 181 (Friday, September 18, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 49953]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-25094]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board


Indexing the Annual Operating Revenues of Railroads

    This Notice sets forth the annual inflation adjusting index numbers 
which are used to adjust gross annual operating revenues of railroads 
for classification purposes. This indexing methodology will insure that 
regulated carriers are classified based on real business expansion and 
not from the effects of inflation. Classification is important because 
it determines the extent of reporting for each carrier.
    The railroad's inflation factors are based on the annual average 
Railroad's Freight Price Index. This index is developed by the Bureau 
of Labor Statistics (BLS). This index will be used to deflate revenues 
for comparison with established revenue thresholds.
    The base year for railroads is 1991. The inflation index factors 
are presented as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                       Railroad freight 
                                                             index      
                                                     -------------------
                                                                Deflator
                                                        Index    percent
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1991................................................     409.5  \1\100.0
                                                                       0
1992................................................     411.8     99.45
1993................................................     415.5     98.55
1994................................................     418.8     97.70
1995................................................    418.17     97.85
1996................................................    417.46     98.02
1997................................................    419.67    97.50 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Ex Parte No. 492, Montana Rail Link, Inc., and Wisconsin Central    
  Ltd., Joint Petition For Rulemaking With Respect To 49 CFR 1201, 8    
  I.C.C. 2d 625 (1992), raised the revenue classification level for     
  Class I railroads from $50 million to $250 million (1991 dollars),    
  effective for the reporting year beginning January 1, 1992. The Class 
  II threshold was also revised to reflect a rebasing from $10 million  
  (1978 dollars) to $20 million (1991 dollars).                         

Effective Date: January 1, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Scott Decker (202)-565-1531. (TDD for 
the hearing impaired: (202) 565-1695)

    By the Board, Vernon A. Williams, Secretary.
Vernon A. Williams,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-25094 Filed 9-17-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-00-P