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 ÑÔ ‡  Xìš  X X X©( Ôñ —ñÔ# †  Xö{ X  X XHF  # Ôñ—ñÌÌÌFebruary€25,€2000ÌÌÌMr.€Vernon€A.€Williams,€SecretaryÌSurface€Transportation€BoardÌOffice€of€the€SecretaryÌCase€Control€UnitÌAttention:€€¢STB£€Ex€Parte€No.€582Ì1925€K€Street,€¢N.W.£ÌWashington,€D.C.€€20423„0001€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌÌDear€Sir:ÌÌ€€€€Interstate€Commodities€is€a€grain€and€grain€products€trading€company€that€is€a€majorÏuser€of€rail€service€in€the€U.S.€and€Canada.€€The€purpose€of€this€letter€is€to€comment€onÏthe€issues€to€be€discussed€on€March€8òòthóó,€2000€in€Ex€Parte€582.Ð   	 �à   ÐÌ€€€€We€encourage€the€Surface€Transportation€Board€to€focus€on€whether€the€proposedÏCN„Ô_        Ô¢BNSF£Ô_        Ô€combination€is€good€for€shippers,€not€on€potential€downstream€effects.€€TheÏCN„Ô_        Ô¢BNSF£Ô_        Ô€combination€should€be€judged€on€its€merits€and€if€other€carriers€proposeÏmergers€then€these€cases€ought€to€be€evaluated€on€their€merits.€ÌÌñ �ñà    p àñ�ññ�ñ€€€€ñ�ñThe€timing€of€the€proposed€CN„Ô_        Ô¢BNSF£Ô_        Ô€is€not€the€central€issue€for€our€company.€€OurÏconcern€is€service.€€Recent€mergers€have€failed€on€service,€not€because€of€timing.€ÏAccordingly,€the€Surface€Transportation€Board€should€focus€on€ensuring€that€CN„Ô_        Ô¢BNSF£Ô_        ÔÏcombination,€and€any€other€future€mergers,€will€deliver€service.ÌÌñ ‘ñà    p àñ‘ññ’ñ€€€€ñ’ñThe€Surface€Transportation€Board€has€a€comprehensive€process€to€evaluate€railroadÏtransactions€and€protect€the€public€interest.€€It€should€fairly€evaluate€the€CN„Ô_        Ô¢BNSF£Ô_        ÔÏcombination€according€to€that€process.€€Do€not€let€other€railroads€use€the€SurfaceÏTransportation€Board€process€to€protect€themselves€and€not€shippers.ÌÌñ “ñÌÌñ“ñSincerely,ÌÌñ ”ñÌÌñ”ññ–ñÌÌVictor€A.€Ô_        Ô¢Oberting£Ô_        Ô,€Jr.ÌPresidentñ–ññ •ñSteve€Pleisñ•ññ—ñÔ# †  X©( X  X Xìšù   # Ôñ—ñœ