Appeals court delays hazmat rail ban in Washington, D.C.

Appeals court delays hazmat rail ban in Washington, D.C.    The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has temporarily prevented a law taking effect in Washington that would ban rail shipments of hazardous materials through the nation's capital.
   The appellate court, which acted hours before the law was to take effect, said it needed more time to review legal issues. CSX Transportation Inc. had appealed a lower federal court ruling Monday that upheld the ban.
   The appeals court ordered parties supporting the law to files responses to CSX's appeal by Friday afternoon.
   CSXT did not return calls from Shippers' NewsWire, but posted a statement on its Web site saying it appreciated the appeals court's prompt action.
   The judges on the appellate court, Karen LeCraft Henderson, A. Raymond Randolph, and John G. Roberts, that their action was not 'in any way a ruling on the merits' of the case.