Following is a wire service article dated today. Note the double
error on name of predecessor RR; they are trying to say Burlington &
Missouri River but that is also an error as the CB&Q built the shops.
In any case, will be interesting how this plays out in the courts.
Reminds me of suit State of Georgia brought against the Georgia RR
when it wanted to end it's mixed trains in 1970 or 80's - the STate
cited the original charter that req'd passenger service on certain
routes in perpetuity. They won too as I recall but was a settlement
that allowed discontinuance but payment of $$$ to the State. Gerald
BURLINGTON, Iowa -- The city of Burlington filed a lawsuit against
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad on Thursday. They are trying to
force the railroad to live up to a 146 year old agreement.
City Manager Bruce Slagle says it's a breach of contract when the
BNSF moved or attempted to move maintenance shops out of Burlington.
Mayor Mike Edwards says the goal of the lawsuit is to bring jobs back
to the city.
Edwards says the city entered into an agreement with the Missouri
River Railroad Company in 1858 which allowed the railroad to run
tracks through the city as long as the railroad kept its local shops
open.
The Missouri River Railroad Company has since been absorbed by other
railroad companies, which in turn, were absorbed by BNSF.
BNSF eliminated 258 local jobs last year and is set to move 100 more
to shops in Topeka this month, leaving only 44 jobs behind.
------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~-->
Buy Ink Cartridges or Refill Kits for your HP, Epson, Canon or Lexmark
Printer at MyInks.com. Free s/h on orders $50 or more to the US & Canada.
http://www.c1tracking.com/l.asp?cid=5511
http://us.click.yahoo.com/mOAaAA/3exGAA/qnsNAA/8ZCslB/TM
---------------------------------------------------------------------~->
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CBQ/
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
CBQ-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
|