United States v. Baltimore & Ohio Railroad

Mr. Justice Brandéis

delivered the opinion of the Court.

This is a direct appeal from the decree of the federal court for northern Ohio, setting aside an order, under the Boiler Inspection Act, entered by the Interstate Commerce Commission on January 5, 1933.

At the date of the order there were in use in the United States about 31,597 steam locomotives equipped with hand reverse gear and 28,925 equipped with power reverse gear. Prior to the order, Rule 157, which prescribes the reverse gear on locomotives, left it optional with railroads to equip them with either hand operated or power operated…