The D.C. Circuit Court has promised to expedite review of an appeal to stay the railroad merger moratorium imposed by the Surface Transportation Board.
The Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad filed the appeal after the STB announced a moratorium on rail mergers until it could rewrite merger rules. The decision essentially blocked a proposed merger of BNSF and the Canadian National Railroad.
The court neither granted nor denied the stay, but set an expedited review of the request. Final arguments are set for June 13. Attorneys for the National Industrial Transportation League, which supports BNSF's petition, said the court will likely rule very quickly after that on whether STB has the power to impose such a moratorium.