United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

Piedmont & Northern Ry. Co. v. ICC, 286 U.S. 299 (1932)

Piedmont & Northern Railway Co. v.

Interstate Commerce Commission

No. 664

Argued April 22, 25, 1932

Decided May 16, 1932

286 U.S. 299

Syllabus

1. A railroad run by electricity, which carries its passengers in cars housing their own motors and connects with street railway systems in different cities, but whose trackage, except in small part, is outside of the cities, on private rights of way, and whose freight cars are of standard types and drawn in long trains by powerful electric locomotives, whose business is preeminently interchange freight business, national in character and in all essential respects conducted like the freight business of steam railroads in the territory served, is not an "interurban electric railway" within the meaning of par. 22 of § 1 of the Interstate Commerce Act. P. 286 U. S. 306.

2. The Transportation Act, being remedial legislation, should be liberally interpreted, but, for the same reason, exemptions from its sweep should be limited to effect the remedy intended. P. 286 U. S. 311.

51 F.2d 66 affirmed.

Certiorari, 285 U.S. 531, to review a decree of the District Court enjoining the railway company from constructing an extension without a certificate of public convenience and necessity from the Interstate Commerce Commission. The Commission brought the suit and several railway companies were permitted to intervene on the same side. See also Piedmont & Northern Ry. Co. v. United States, 280 U. S. 469. The appeal to the Circuit

Page 286 U. S. 300

Court of Appeals had not been heard when the certiorari was granted.

Page 286 U. S. 302