ÿWPC•  
      8     ¢ûãñ]ÁfãÔ±–¼K4ÑÂÙ.×9›M�¶¢;	3øSDúIDã°—v›Y-¹:žCpT¼ÎT-©Š �Î‡1¹¹NjP[iJM§[g¤?$p»‡Ý“©	£Qñ‰!Ê·¿‘Îûÿ�“Š¼Ù.¸b’Ž˜ 7æ×�æÏ;¶©,�S§öñ gˆœ’ÔöÙP¨Ñ²ˆë™§yÎL{fÕñÐ[kïÌC¹ ³ÇMHgúÓ±œÇÍÊªýe„?ðÿAÒ­ñ{5—¡GÍªÝÂ�jM¥Âƒ*-˜;( ˆÛô“wÝ¹]ÝÎš·§šFOV¶Ü+6Àì˜óJôš.÷yLŽÿÃœýF^ÿ$’’d¥ZVËcšÝË$¸4i**\Î•Â`$øc<Ç0!1•P}­Œœ9½;‘Hªú€ØPOÿSl‚Â:+¯#xuEà|>/F�LmÑ2ÔJI¾ûpO¹²’
EÝy�xNqV¡ëüW�ù¡±%‡ü©Œöšˆ “	fó¤™·‚?«†Ë¸ö¡}…»´©Å†>5ñÞùÚÙìf÷î°Îæ �s(ãKÚAÿï¿A0h1š÷4èûTÀv.UÈÛ´ÁêVÀYJøØmôa„Å(:Jîþ«‡Pƒ‰C½Ð\«ïEÑËN            #   !  à   U  N     	%      O  0   (   U  ^      }  w   @   ‰  4      É        Ý        ì  	m      î           U  @      b      M            M   U   @   U   ˜H P   L a s e r J e t   5 / 5 M   -   S t a n d a r d                                                        ,,,,0                                                                                                                                                                 ( ÈhH  	   Z  ‹6 T i m e s   N e w   R o m a n   R e g u l a r           X    (                    $ ¡   ¡   o¡\(b     
   ç D è D é D ê D ë  ì  í E î  ï ™ ð ¿ ŒÊ&    ê:i¢Ø +00�3| x   ð               ÿU‹ÿ  ÀÀÀ 	    ( ÈhH  	   Z  ‹( C G   T i m e s   R e g u l a r         -  ù-   * �0€   A   Z  ‹( C G   O m e g a   R e g u l a r         Ý
 ƒ   ! ÝÝ    Ý›Ô_        ÔñïñÒ    ° ÒÒ   ° ÒñïñÔ €  &D­ %  X X   ÔÑ   X° ÑÑ €      ÑÑ8 €   ì»  X  X       dð                  dÈ  8 ÑÑ    
 Ññ ðñÔ ‡  X8  X % &ëÐ ÔñðññðñÔ €  &¿ý % % &D­ ÔñðñÌFebruary€23òòrdóó,€2000Ð   	 ŒÜ    ÐÌÌÌÌMr.€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€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ï€€€€€€€ÌÌÌÌDear€Sir:ÌÌÔ_        Ô¢Tardan£Ô_        Ô€International€is€a€Warehouse€Sales€Agency€that€is€a€major€user€of€rail€service€inÏthe€U.S.€and€Canada.€€The€purpose€of€this€letter€is€to€comment€on€the€issues€to€beÏdiscussed€on€March€8òòthóó,€2000€in€Ex€Parte€582.Ð   	 ¼   ÐÌWe€encourage€the€Surface€Transportation€Board€to€focus€on€whether€the€proposed€CN„¼Ô_        Ô¢BNSF£Ô_        Ô€combination€should€be€judged€on€its€merits€and€if€other€carriers€propose€mergersÏthen€these€cases€ought€to€be€evaluated€on€their€merits.€ÌÌñ çñà     àñç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„¼Ô_        Ô¢BNSF£Ô_        Ô€combination,€and€any€other€future€mergers,€will€deliver€service.ÌÌñ èñà     àñè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 éñà     àà     àà     àà     àà     àà     àà     àñéñSincerely,ÌÌÌÌñ êñà     àà     àà     àà     àà     àà     àà     àñêññìñÔ_        Ô¢J.ñìññ íññìñSñìññíññîñM.£Ô_        Ô€(Jim)€EastÌPresidentñîññ ëñBill€Ô_        ÔMcClearyÔ_        Ô,€Jr.Ìà     àà    `	 àà    ¸ àà     àà    h àà    À àà     àGeneral€Managerñëññ ðñÔ# †  &Ó¶ % X X†Lâ   # Ôñðñœ