Ralston Purina Co. v. Louisville & Nashville R. Co., 426 U.S. 476 (1976)

Ralston Purina Co. v. Louisville & Nashville Railroad Co.

No. 75-1015

Decided June 14, 1976
426 U.S. 476

ON APPEAL FROM THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF KENTUCKY

Syllabus

Concluding from the protesting appellant feed manufacturers’ evidence that, though appellee railroads’ proposed new tariffs would increase through rates on meal and related articles used in making feed, the railroads would lose revenue because of diversion of meal traffic to trucks, the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) canceled the proposed tariffs. The District Court set aside and annulled the ICC’s order for want of substantial evidence to support it, viewing the shippers’ evidence as mere conjecture and self-serving and finding that, instead of losing revenue from the new tariffs, the railroads would improve their financial position notwithstanding any predicted traffic diversion.

Held: The District Court exceeded its function in reweighing the testimony, and, on the record before it, erred in differing with the ICC and agreeing with the railroads on the impact of the new tariffs on railroad revenue.

397 F.Supp. 607, reversed.