[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 28 (Thursday, February 10, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6687-6688]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-2970]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board

[STB Finance Docket No. 33831]


Wisconsin Chicago Link Ltd.--Lease Exemption--Pennsylvania Lines 
LLC

    Wisconsin Chicago Link Ltd. (WCLL), a Class III rail carrier, has 
filed a notice of exemption under 49 CFR 1150.41 to lease from 
Pennsylvania Lines LLC (PRR) approximately 1.9 miles of rail line (the 
Panhandle Line) of the former Pittsburgh Cincinnati, Chicago & St. 
Louis Railroad Company (PCC&StL) in Chicago, Cook County, IL.\1\ The 
Panhandle Line extends between (1) A connection with CSX 
Transportation, Inc. (CSXT) via the Altenheim Subdivision of The 
Baltimore and Ohio Chicago Terminal Railroad Company at Ogden Junction 
near Rockwell Street (approximately PCC&StL milepost 309.8), and (2) A 
point (approximately PCC&StL milepost 307.9) 600 feet north of the 
north bank of the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, near the Ash Street 
Interlock. WCLL will also obtain incidental, overhead trackage rights 
extending south from PCC&StL milepost 307.9, a distance of 
approximately 2 miles, to present or future connections with the rail 
lines of NS, Canadian National/Grand Trunk Western Railroad, Inc., 
Illinois Central Railroad Company, Chicago, Central & Pacific

[[Page 6688]]

Railroad Company and The Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway 
Company.
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    \1\ Applicants report that the lease of the rail line was the 
subject of an October 17, 1997 settlement agreement between Norfolk 
Southern Corporation and Norfolk Southern Railway Company (NS), 
which now control and operate PRR, and Wisconsin Central 
Transportation Corporation (WCTC) and its then-existing carrier 
affiliates. The Panhandle Line was formerly owned by Consolidated 
Rail Corporation. Pursuant to a transaction approved by the Board, 
and consummated by the parties on June 1, 1999, PRR was assigned 
assets designated to be operated as part of the NS rail system (the 
PRR-Allocated Assets). See CSX Corporation and CSX Transportation, 
Inc., Norfolk Southern Corporation and Norfolk Southern Railway 
Company--Control and Operating Leases/Agreements--Conrail Inc. and 
Consolidated Rail Corporation, STB Finance Docket No. 33388, 
Decision No. 89 (STB served July 23, 1998). Applicants further 
report that the lease provides for WCLL's acquisition of a leasehold 
interest in the Panhandle Line, a portion of the associated right-
of-way, and certain incidental overhead trackage rights.
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    WCLL states that the Panhandle Line is currently out of service and 
that WCLL intends to reconstruct the line and add additional capacity. 
WCLL further states that, initially, operations on the line will be 
conducted by NS, CSXT, and Wisconsin Central Ltd. pursuant to trackage 
rights. WCLL indicates that it anticipates that CSXT will dispatch a 
portion of the Panhandle Line.
    This transaction is related to STB Finance Docket No. 33811, 
Wisconsin Central Transportation Corporation--Continuance in Control 
Exemption--Wisconsin Chicago Link Ltd., wherein WCTC has filed a 
petition for exemption from the requirements of 49 U.S.C. 11323 to 
control WCLL. The stock of WCLL has been placed in an independent 
voting trust pursuant to 49 CFR 1013 pending a Board decision in STB 
Finance Docket No. 33811.
    The transaction is scheduled to be consummated on or shortly after 
February 4, 2000.
    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 does not automatically stay the transaction.
    An original and 10 copies of all pleadings, referring to STB 
Finance Docket No. 33831, 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, a copy of each pleading must be 
served on William C. Sippel, Esq., Oppenheimer Wolff & Donnelly 
(Illinois), 180 North Stetson Avenue, Two Prudential Plaza, 45th Floor, 
Chicago, IL 60601-6710.
    Board decisions and notices are available on our website at 
``WWW.STB.DOT.GOV.''

    Decided: February 3, 2000.

    By the Board, David M. Konschnik, Director, Office of 
Proceedings.
Vernon A. Williams,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 00-2970 Filed 2-9-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-00-P