Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 92 Part 2.djvu/1363

 PIJBLIC LAW 95-598—NOV. 6, 1978

92 STAT. 2643

§ 1169. Effect of rejection of lease of railroad line (a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, if a lease of a line of railroad under which the debtor is the lessee is rejected under section 366 of this title, and if the trustee, within such time as the court fixes, and with the court's approval, elects not to operate the leased line, the lessor under such lease, after such approval, shall operate the line. (b) If operation of such line by such lessor is impracticable or contrary to the public interest, the court, on request of such lessor, and after notice and a hearing, shall order the trustee to continue operation of such line for the account of such lessor until abandonment is ordered under section 1170 of this title, or until such operation is otherwise lawfully terminated, whichever occurs first. (c) During any such operation, such lessor is deemed a carrier subject to the provisions of the Interstate Commerce Act (49 U.S.C. 1 et seq.) that are applicable to railroads. § 1170. Abandonment of railroad line (a) The court, after notice and a hearing, may authorize the abandonment of a railroad line if such abandonment is— (1)(A) in the best interest of the estate; or (B) essential to the formulation of a plan; and (2) consistent with the public interest. (b) If, except for the pendency of the case under this chapter, such abandonment would require approval by the Commission under a law of the United States, the trustee shall initiate an appropriate application for such abandonment with the Commission. The court may fix a time within which the Commission shall report to the court on such application. (c) After the court receives the report of the Commission, or the expiration of the time fixed under subsection (b) of this section, whichever occurs first, the court may authorize such abandonment after notice to the Commission, the Secretary of Transportation, the trustee, any party in interest that has requested notice, any affected shipper or community, and any other entity prescribed by the court, and a hearing. (d)(1) Enforcement of an order authorizing such abandonment shall be stayed until the time for taking an appeal has expired, or, if an appeal is timely taken, until such order has become final. (2) If an order authorizing the abandonment of a railroad line is appealed, the court, on request of a party in interest, may authorize termination of service on a line or a portion of a line pending the determination of such appeal, after notice to the Commission, the Secretary of Transportation, the trustee, any party in interest that has requested notice, any affected shipper or community, and any other entity prescribed by the court, and a hearing. An appellant may not obtain a stay of the enforcement of an order authorizing such termination by the giving of a supersedeas bond or otherwise, during the pendency of such appeal. § 1171. Priority claims (a) There shall be paid as an administrative expense any claim of an individual or of the personal representative of a deceased individual against the debtor or the estate, for personal injury to or death of such individual arising out of the operation of the debtor or the estate, whether such claim arose before or after the commencement of the case. (b) Any unsecured claim against the debtor that would have been entitled to priority if a receiver in equity of the property of the debtor

H USC 1169. Ante, p. 2574.

Notice and hearing,

H USC 1170. Notice and hearing.

H USC 1171.

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