(The Associated Press distributed the following article on March 5.)
BURLINGTON, Iowa — The city of Burlington filed a lawsuit against Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad on Thursday. They are trying to force the railroad to live up to a 146 year old agreement.
City Manager Bruce Slagle says it’s a breach of contract when the BNSF moved or attempted to move maintenance shops out of Burlington.
Mayor Mike Edwards says the goal of the lawsuit is to bring jobs back to the city.
Edwards says the city entered into an agreement with the Missouri River Railroad Company in 1858 which allowed the railroad to run tracks through the city as long as the railroad kept its local shops open.
The Missouri River Railroad Company has since been absorbed by other railroad companies, which in turn, were absorbed by BNSF.
BNSF eliminated 258 local jobs last year and is set to move 100 more to shops in Topeka this month, leaving only 44 jobs behind.