The Surface Transportation Board (Board) amended its Rules of Practice at 49 CFR 1100-1149 in a decision served October 1, 1996 and published in the Federal Register on October 8, 1996 (61 FR 52710). The rules were scheduled to become effective November 7, 1996. The Board is postponing the effective date of the rules to November 16, 1996 to allow sufficient time to consider the petitions to reopen that have been filed in this proceeding.