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 ƒ   ! ÝÝ    Ý›Ô_        ÔÒ    ° ÒÒ   ° ÒÑ   X° ÑÑ €      ÑÑ8 €   ì»  X  X       dð                  dÈ  8 ÑÑ    
 ÑñÀñÔ €  &Äå %  X X   ÔñÀñÌÌÌÌÌFebruary€25,€2000ÌÌMr.€Vernon€A.€Williams,€SecretaryÌSurface€Transportation€BoardÌOffice€of€the€SecretaryÌCase€Control€UnitÌÔ_        ÔAttnÔ_        Ô:à    p à¢STB£€Ex€Parte€No.€582Ð   	 $t	   Ð1925€K€Street,€¢N.W.£ÌWashington,€D.C.€€20423„0001€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌñÁñÌñÁñMr.€Williams:ÌÌGreat€Northern€Grain€Terminals€Ltd.€is€a€reload€company€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€be€discussed€onÏMarch€8,€2000€in€Ex€Parte€582.ÌÌWe€encourage€the€Surface€Transportation€Board€to€focus€on€whether€the€proposed€CN„Ô_        Ô¢BNSF£Ô_        ÔÏcombination€should€be€judged€on€its€merits€and€if€otheñ¹ñrñ¹ññ ºññ·ñsñ·ññºññ ¸ñrñ¸ñ€ñ »ñcarriers€ñ»ñpropose€mergers,€then€these€casesÏought€to€be€evaluated€on€their€merits.€ÌÌThe€timing€of€the€proposed€CN„Ô_        Ô¢BNSF£Ô_        Ô€ñ¼ñcombination€ñ¼ñis€not€the€central€issue€for€our€company.€ÏOur€concern€is€service.€€Recentñ½ñ€ñ½ñ€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.ÌÌThe€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.ÌÌSincerely,ÌÌÌÌñ¿ñBrian€Horner,€CEOñ¿ññ ¾ñRoy€Ô_        ÔDollmanÔ_        Ô€ÌPresidentñ¾ñœ