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On May 12, the Surface Transportation Board (STB) will hear oral arguments for two cases at its Washington, D.C., headquarters.

The first case concerns a challenge by CN to an arbitration award the Class I claims would block a planned consolidation of its Troy, Mich., and Homewood, Ill., dispatching facilities. The American Train Dispatchers Association opposes the challenge, claiming an arbitrator correctly determined that CN has not upgraded its dispatching system and trained its dispatchers in a way that would allow the consolidation to proceed.

The second case concerns a proposal by GNP Rly. Inc. to acquire the right to restore rail service over two segments of railroad right of way in Washington state that currently are reserved for a recreational trail. GNP is asking the STB to vacate its notice of interim trail use so the carrier can serve freight customers. King County, the trail sponsor, and the city of Redmond oppose the request, claiming GNP does not own the right of way or have any other contractual rights to it, and therefore isn’t in a position to resume rail service.

Each side in the cases will have 20 minutes to argue their position and respond to questions from STB members, similar to proceedings in federal appellate courts.