Railroads Defeat Lengthy Freight Fuel Cost Antitrust Litigation

A federal judge overseeing consolidated antitrust lawsuits against four large railroad companies granted their request for summary judgment related to fuel surcharge claims from shippers.

Three cases made of hundreds of consolidated claims against the railroad companies were being overseen by Judge Beryl A. Howell of the US District Court for the District of Columbia, who ruled Tuesday in favor of the railroads. An accompanying opinion with the court’s reasoning was sealed until June 27. A partial summary judgment motion related to damage claims and several other motions were denied as moot.

The shippers accused the railroads of conspiring to ...