# 2025-04525: Canadian rails gobble Iowa line under STB watchful eye 2025-04525, Canadian National Railway Company and Grand Trunk Corporation -Control-Iowa Northern Railway Company (General Oversight), is a Federal Register notice from Surface Transportation Board published 2025-03-19, effective 2025-03-13; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-04525 - As of: 2026-10-01 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Document number: 2025-04525 - Title: Canadian National Railway Company and Grand Trunk Corporation -Control-Iowa Northern Railway Company (General Oversight) - Type: Notice - Agencies: Surface Transportation Board - Citation: 90 FR 12926 - Published: 2025-03-19 - Effective: 2025-03-13 - Comments close: not stated - Significant: no - Touches household money: yes - Regulation identifier numbers: none - Last updated: 2026-10-01 ## In one line Canadian rails gobble Iowa line under STB watchful eye ## Summary Canadian National Railway and Grand Trunk Corporation now control Iowa Northern Railway’s 218-mile rail system. The Surface Transportation Board approved this in January 2025 but will keep a close eye on them for three years to make sure they follow the rules. They must report their progress regularly, starting April 2025, so everyone stays in the loop without surprises. ## Abstract On January 30, 2024, Canadian National Railway Company (CNR) and Grand Trunk Corporation (GTC), together with the Iowa Northern Railway Company (IANR) (collectively, Applicants) filed an application seeking approval for CNR and GTC to acquire control of IANR and operate IANR's 218-mile rail system in Iowa. By decision served on January 14, 2025 (Decision No. 3), the Board approved Applicants' application. As a condition of its approval, the Board imposed a three-year oversight period, during which the Board will closely monitor Applicants' compliance with, and the effectiveness of, the conditions imposed by the Board. Throughout the oversight period, Applicants are required to report service, operational, and competition-related metrics at prescribed frequencies, as described in Decision No. 3. The Board now institutes this proceeding to implement the general oversight condition and provide further guidance regarding Applicants' reporting obligations. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ## Effects PRIA read - Big Railroads Now Control 218‑Mile Iowa Line: benefit, medium. Canadian National Railway Company and Grand Trunk Corporation now control the Iowa Northern Railway Company's 218-mile rail system. The Surface Transportation Board approved the control on January 14, 2025 and imposed a three-year oversight period during which the Board will closely monitor complia… - Interchange Volume Reporting, STCC Data Filed Under Seal: benefit, low. During the three-year oversight, Applicants must report counts of cars interchanged; public reports will include only total counts and counts by each interchange partner, while the detailed two-digit Standard Transportation Commodity Code (STCC) breakdown must be filed under seal. Applicants must i… - Exact Reporting Deadlines and Lookback Requirements: benefit, low. Applicants' first data submission, including the two-year historical lookback and Q1 2025 data, is due by April 30, 2025. Subsequent quarterly files must be submitted 30 days after each calendar quarter. Applicants' initial plan and report on scheduled local service is due by November 13, 2025, and… - Protective Order Allows Confidential Filings: benefit, low. The Board adopted the protective order from the main docket for this oversight subdocket, allowing parties to submit filings under seal marked Confidential or Highly Confidential. Parties may use these protections for commercially sensitive information during the oversight period. ## Related documents - [2026-20783](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20783): First Student, Inc.-Acquisition of Control-Autumn Transportation Inc. and Ambassador Wheelchair Services, Inc., 2026-10-09 - [2026-20455](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20455): 60-Day Notice of Intent To Seek Extension of Approval: Petitions for Declaratory Order and Petitions for Relief Not Otherwise Specified, 2026-10-06 - [2026-20456](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20456): 60-Day Notice of Intent To Seek Extension of Approval: Classification Index Survey Form, 2026-10-06 - [2026-20205](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20205): Macquarie Infrastructure Partners V GP, LLC, et al.-Control Exemption-Kankakee, Beaverville and Southern Railroad Company, 2026-10-02 - [2026-20206](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20206): Union Pacific Railroad Company-Discontinuance of Service Exemption-in San Bernardino County, Cal., 2026-10-02 - [2026-19711](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-19711): CSX Transportation, Inc.-Abandonment Exemption-in Hamilton County, Ohio, 2026-09-28 ## Sources - [2025-04525 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/03/19/2025-04525/canadian-national-railway-company-and-grand-trunk-corporation--control-iowa-northern-railway-company) - [2025-04525 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2025-03-19/pdf/2025-04525.pdf) ## Related - [Previous: 2025-04524, Notice of Receipt of Complaint; Solicitation of Comments Relating to the Public…](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-04524) - [Next: 2025-04526, Notice of OFAC Sanctions Action](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-04526) - [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-04525 (as of 2026-10-01).