Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in any case pending under section 77 of the Bankruptcy Act on November 4, 1979, the court may authorize the abandonment of lines of railroad pursuant to section 1170 of title 11. Pending the expiration of the time for appeal of an abandonment order or the determination of any such appeal, the court may authorize the termination of service on a line to be abandoned, and the order authorizing such termination may not be stayed. In authorizing any abandonment pursuant to this section, the court shall require the carrier to provide a fair arrangement at least as protective of the interests of employees as that required under section 11347 [1] of title 49.
The authority of the bankruptcy court to authorize abandonments, sales, and transfers of lines of the Milwaukee Railroad shall be governed by the provisions of section 904 of this title, rather than the provisions of this section.
Nothing in this section shall be deemed to affect the priorities or timing of payment of employee protection which might have existed in the absence of this chapter.