Southern Pacific Transportation Co. v. United States

In 1965 and 1966 plaintiff carried over its railroad a number of shipments of generators, internal combustion engines, tractors, graders, cranes, earth hauling vehicles and other similar articles, from various points in the United States to Port Hueneme, California. These shipments moved on commercial bills of lading from apparently private consignors to apparently private consignees; there was no endorsement indicating that the transportation was for the United States or that the freight charges were to be paid or reimbursed by the Government; nor did the documents otherwise show, on their…