SANTA FE PACIFIC CORP
8-K, 1994-11-29
RAILROADS, LINE-HAUL OPERATING
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<PAGE>

 
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                ----------------


                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT


                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the

                        Securities Exchange Act of 1934


Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):    November 28, 1994
                                                     -----------------



                         Santa Fe Pacific Corporation
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
            (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)



   Delaware                       1-8627                     36-3258709
- -----------------          ----------------------          ------------
   (State of               (Commission File Number)        (IRS Employer
 Incorporation)                                             Identification
                                                            No.)



1700 East Golf Road, Schaumburg, Illinois                   60173-5860     
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Address of principal executive offices)                   (Zip Code)


Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  (708) 995-6000
                                                    ------------------------

                               (Not Applicable)
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
         (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)



                              Page 1 of 107 pages
                            Exhibit Index at Page 8.
<PAGE>
 
ITEM 5.   OTHER EVENTS
          ------------

     On November 28, 1994, the Board of Directors of Santa Fe Pacific
Corporation (the "Company") declared a dividend distribution of one Right for
each outstanding share of common stock, par value $1.00 per share (the "Common
Stock"), of the Company to stockholders of record at the close of business on
December 9, 1994 (the "Record Date").  Except as described below, each Right,
when exercisable, entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company
one one-hundredth of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock,
par value $1.00 per share (the "Preferred Stock"), at a price of $50.00 per one
one-hundredth share (the "Purchase Price"), subject to adjustment.  The
description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement (the
"Rights Agreement") between the Company and First Chicago Trust Company of New
York, as Rights Agent.

     Initially, the Rights will be attached to all Common Stock certificates
representing shares then outstanding, and no separate Right certificates will be
distributed.  Until the earlier to occur of (i) 10 days following a public
announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (an
"Acquiring Person") has acquired, or obtained the right to acquire, beneficial
ownership of 10% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (the "Shares
Acquisition Date") or (ii) 15 business days (or such later date as may be
determined by action of the Board of Directors of the Company (the "Board of
Directors") prior to the time that any person becomes an Acquiring Person)
following the commencement of (or a public announcement of an intention to make)
a tender or exchange offer if, upon consummation thereof, such person or group
would be the beneficial owner of 10% or more of such outstanding shares of
Common Stock, (the earlier of such dates being called the "Distribution Date"),
the Rights will be evidenced by the Common Stock certificates together with a
copy of the Summary of Rights Plan and not by separate certificates.

     The Rights Agreement also provides that, until the Distribution Date, the
Rights will be transferred with and only with the Common Stock.  Until the
Distribution Date (or earlier redemption, expiration or termination of the
Rights), the transfer of any certificates for Common Stock, with or without a
copy of the Summary of Rights Plan, will also constitute the transfer of the
Rights associated with the Common Stock represented by such certificates.  As
soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate certificates
evidencing the Rights ("Right Certificates") will be mailed to holders of record
of the Common Stock as of the close of business on the Distribution Date and,
thereafter, such separate Right Certificates alone will evidence the Rights.

                                      -2-
<PAGE>
 
     The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and will expire
at the earliest of (i) December 9, 2004 (the "Final Expiration Date"), (ii) the
redemption of the Rights by the Company as described below, (iii) the time
immediately prior to the effectiveness of the merger of the Company with and
into Burlington Northern Inc. pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger dated
as of June 29, 1994, as such Agreement and Plan of Merger may be amended from
time to time, and (iv) the exchange of all Rights for Common Stock as described
below.

     In the event that any person (other than the Company, its affiliates or any
person receiving newly-issued shares of Common Stock directly from the Company)
becomes the beneficial owner of 10% or more of the then outstanding shares of
Common Stock, each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to receive,
upon exercise at the then current exercise price of the Right, Common Stock (or,
in certain circumstances, cash, property or other securities of the Company)
having a value equal to two times the exercise price of the Right.  The Rights
Agreement contains an exemption for any issuance of Common Stock by the Company
directly to any person (for example, in a private placement or an acquisition by
the Company in which Common Stock is used as consideration), even if that person
would become the beneficial owner of 10% or more of the Common Stock, provided
that such person does not acquire any additional shares of Common Stock.

     In the event that, at any time following the Shares Acquisition Date, the
Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction or 50%
or more of the Company's assets or earning power are sold, proper provision will
be made so that each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to
receive, upon exercise at the then current exercise price of the Right, common
stock of the acquiring or surviving company having a value equal to two times
the exercise price of the Right.

     Notwithstanding the foregoing, following the occurrence of any of the
events set forth in the preceding two paragraphs (the "Triggering Events"), any
Rights that are, or (under certain circumstances specified in the Rights
Agreement) were, beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person will immediately
become null and void.

     The Purchase Price payable, and the number of shares of Preferred Stock or
other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights, are subject
to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution, among other circumstances,
in the event of a stock dividend on, or a subdivision, split, combination,
consolidation or reclassification of, the Preferred Stock or the Common Stock,
or a reverse split of the outstanding shares of Preferred Stock or the Common
Stock.

                                      -3-
<PAGE>
 
     At any time after the acquisition by a person or group of affiliated or
associated persons of beneficial ownership of 10% or more of the outstanding
Common Stock and prior to the acquisition by such person or group of 50% or more
of the outstanding Common Stock, the Board of Directors may exchange the Rights
(other than Rights owned by such person or group, which have become void), in
whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock per Right
(subject to adjustment).

     With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in
the Purchase Price.  The Company will not be required to issue fractional shares
of Preferred Stock or Common Stock (other than fractions in multiples of one
one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock) and, in lieu thereof, an
adjustment in cash may be made based on the market price of the Preferred Stock
or Common Stock on the last trading date prior to the date of exercise.

     At any time after the date of the Rights Agreement until the time that a
person becomes an Acquiring Person, the Board of Directors may redeem the Rights
in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.01 per Right (the "Redemption
Price"), which may (at the option of the Company) be paid in cash, shares of
Common Stock or other consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of
Directors.  Upon the effectiveness of any action of the Board of Directors
ordering redemption of the Rights, the Rights will terminate and the only right
of the holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price.

     Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right
to vote or to receive dividends.

     The provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the Company,
except that any amendment adopted after the time that a person becomes an
Acquiring Person may not adversely affect the interests of holders of Rights.

     As of October 19, 1994, there were 187,049,738 shares of Common Stock
outstanding and 27,841,753 shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance under
employee benefit plans.  Each outstanding share of Common Stock on December 9,
1994 will receive one Right.  Two million five hundred thousand (2,500,000)
shares of Preferred Stock will be reserved for issuance in the event of exercise
of the Rights.

     The Rights have certain anti-takeover effects.  The Rights will cause
substantial dilution to a person or group that attempts to acquire the Company
without conditioning the offer on the Rights being redeemed or a substantial
number of Rights being

                                      -4-
<PAGE>
 
acquired, and under certain circumstances the Rights beneficially owned by such
a person or group may become void.  The Rights should not interfere with any
merger or other business combination approved by the Board of Directors because,
if the Rights would become exercisable as a result of such merger or business
combination, the Board of Directors may, at its option, at any time prior to the
time that any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, redeem all (but not less than
all) of the then outstanding Rights at the Redemption Price.

     A copy of the Rights Agreement is being filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as an exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form 8-A.  This
summary description of the Rights does not purport to be complete and is
qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement.

                                      -5-
<PAGE>
 
ITEM 7.   FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS
          ---------------------------------


          (c)  Exhibits
               --------

          Exhibit No.             Exhibit
          -----------             -------

               1                  Rights Agreement dated as of November 28,
                                  1994, between Santa Fe Pacific Corporation and
                                  First Chicago Trust Company of New York, as
                                  Rights Agent, which includes as Exhibit B
                                  thereto the Form of Right Certificate.

                                      -6-
<PAGE>
 
                                   SIGNATURE


     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.



                                       SANTA FE PACIFIC CORPORATION

                                            /s/ Jeffrey R. Moreland
DATE:  November 28, 1994               By: _______________________________
                                                Jeffrey R. Moreland
                                              Vice President-Law and
                                                 General Counsel

                                      -7-
<PAGE>
 
                                 EXHIBIT INDEX
                                 -------------



Exhibit No.         Exhibit                                      Page
- -----------         -------                                      ----

    1               Rights Agreement dated as of                   9
                    November 28, 1994, between
                    Santa Fe Pacific Corporation and
                    First Chicago Trust Company of New York,
                    as Rights Agent, which includes
                    as Exhibit B thereto the Form of
                    Right Certificate.

                                      -8-

<PAGE>


 
                                   EXHIBIT 1
<PAGE>
 
================================================================================



                               RIGHTS AGREEMENT


                                    between


                         SANTA FE PACIFIC CORPORATION


                                      and


                    FIRST CHICAGO TRUST COMPANY OF NEW YORK


                                 Rights Agent


                         Dated as of November 28, 1994



================================================================================
<PAGE>
 
                               TABLE OF CONTENTS
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                           Page
                                                           ----
<S>              <C>                                       <C>
 
Section 1.       Certain Definitions......................   1
Section 2.       Appointment of Rights Agent..............   8
Section 3.       Issue of Right Certificates..............   8
Section 4.       Form of Right Certificates...............  12
Section 5.       Countersignature and Registration........  14
Section 6.       Transfer, Split Up, Combination and
                   Exchange of Right Certificates;
                   Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or
                   Stolen Right Certificates..............  15
Section 7.       Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price;
                   Expiration Date of Rights..............  17
Section 8.       Cancellation and Destruction of
                   Right Certificates.....................  22
Section 9.       Availability of Preferred Shares.........  23
Section 10.      Preferred Shares Record Date.............  24
Section 11.      Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of
                   Shares or Number of Rights.............  25
Section 12.      Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price
                   or Number of Shares....................  41
Section 13.      Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer
                   of Assets or Earning Power.............  41
Section 14.      Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares..  46
Section 15.      Rights of Action.........................  49
Section 16       Agreement of Right Holders...............  49
Section 17.      Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a
                   Stockholder............................  51
Section 18.      Concerning the Rights Agent..............  51
</TABLE>

                                      -i-
<PAGE>
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION> 
                                                           Page
                                                           ----
<S>              <C>                                       <C>
Section 19.      Merger or Consolidation or Change of
                   Name of Rights Agent...................  52
Section 20.      Duties of Rights Agent...................  54
Section 21.      Change of Rights Agent...................  59
Section 22.      Issuance of New Right Certificates.......  61
Section 23.      Redemption...............................  61
Section 24.      Exchange.................................  63
Section 25.      Notice of Certain Events.................  66
Section 26.      Notices..................................  68
Section 27.      Supplements and Amendments...............  69
Section 28.      Successors...............................  69
Section 29.      Benefits of this Agreement...............  69
Section 30.      Severability.............................  70
Section 31.      Governing Law............................  70
Section 32.      Counterparts.............................  70
Section 33.      Descriptive Headings.....................  70
Section 34.      Determinations and Actions by the
                   Board of Directors.....................  71
Signatures................................................  72
</TABLE>

Exhibit A - Form of Certificate of Designation, Preferences and
            Rights

Exhibit B - Form of Right Certificate

Exhibit C - Summary of Rights Plan


                                     -ii-
<PAGE>
 
                                RIGHTS AGREEMENT
                                ----------------


          Rights Agreement, dated as of November 28, 1994, between SANTA FE
PACIFIC CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and FIRST CHICAGO
TRUST COMPANY OF NEW YORK, a New York trust company (the "Rights Agent").

                              W I T N E S S E T H:
                              - - - - - - - - - - 

          WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company has authorized and
declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a "Right") for each
Common Share (as hereinafter defined) of the Company outstanding as of the close
of business on December 9, 1994 (the "Record Date"), each Right representing the
right to purchase one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (as hereinafter
defined), upon the terms and subject to the conditions herein set forth, and has
further authorized and directed the issuance of one Right with respect to each
Common Share that shall become outstanding between the Record Date and the
Expiration Date (as such terms are hereinafter defined).

          NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:

          Section 1.  Certain Definitions.  For purposes of this Agreement,
the following terms have the meanings indicated:

          "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person (as such term is hereinafter
defined) who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates (as such
terms are hereinafter defined)


                                      -1-
<PAGE>
 
of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner (as such term is hereinafter
defined) of 10% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding,
but shall not include the Company, any Affiliate of the Company, any employee
benefit plan of the Company or of any Affiliate of the Company, or any person or
entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Person shall become an "Acquiring Person" as
the result of (a) an acquisition of Common Shares by the Company which, by
reducing the number of shares outstanding, increases the proportionate number of
shares beneficially owned by such Person to 10% or more of the Common Shares of
the Company then outstanding or (b) the acquisition by such Person of newly-
issued Common Shares directly from the Company (it being understood that a
purchase from an underwriter or other intermediary is not directly from the
Company); provided, however, that if a Person shall become the Beneficial Owner
of 10% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding by reason of
share purchases by the Company or the receipt of newly-issued Common Shares
directly from the Company and shall, after such share purchases or direct
issuance by the Company, become the Beneficial Owner of any additional Common
Shares of the Company, then such Person shall be deemed to be an "Acquiring
Person;" provided further, however, that any transferee from such Person who
becomes the Beneficial Owner of 10% or more of the Common Shares of the Company
then outstanding shall nevertheless be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person".

                                      -2-
<PAGE>
 
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Board of Directors of the Company
determines in good faith that a Person who would otherwise be an "Acquiring
Person," as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph, has
become such inadvertently, and such Person divests as promptly as practicable
(and in any event within ten business days after notification by the Company) a
sufficient number of Common Shares so that such Person would no longer be an
Acquiring Person, as defined pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this
paragraph, then such Person shall not be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person" for
any purposes of this Agreement.

          "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings
ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under
the Exchange Act, as in effect on the date of this Agreement.

          A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of and shall be deemed
to "beneficially own" any securities :

          (a) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates
     beneficially owns, directly or indirectly;

          (b) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
     Associates, directly or indirectly, has (A) the right to acquire (whether
     such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time)
     pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding, whether written or
     oral (other than customary agreements with and between


                                      -3-
<PAGE>
 
     underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide public
     offering of securities), or upon the exercise of conversion rights,
     exchange rights, rights (other than these Rights), warrants or options, or
     otherwise; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the
     Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, securities tendered pursuant
     to a tender or exchange offer made by or on behalf of such Person or any of
     such Person's Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities are
     accepted for purchase or exchange; (B) the sole or shared right to vote or
     dispose (including any such right pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or
     understanding, whether written or oral); provided, however, that a Person
     shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, any
     security if the agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such
     security (1) arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent given to such
     Person in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant
     to, and in accordance with, the applicable rules and regulations
     promulgated under the Exchange Act and (2) is not also then reportable on
     Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor
     report); or (C) "beneficial ownership" (as determined pursuant to Rule 13d-
     3 (or any successor rule) of the General Rules and Regulations under the
     Exchange Act); or


                                      -4-
<PAGE>
 
          (c) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any other
     Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof) with which such Person or
     any of such Person's Affiliates or Associates has any agreement,
     arrangement or understanding, whether written or oral (other than customary
     agreements with and between underwriters and selling group members with
     respect to a bona fide public offering of securities) for the purpose of
     acquiring, holding, voting (except to the extent contemplated by the
     proviso to clause (B) of subparagraph (b) of this definition) or disposing
     of any securities of the Company.

          Notwithstanding anything in this definition of Beneficial Ownership to
the contrary, the phrase "then outstanding," when used with reference to a
Person's Beneficial Ownership of securities of the Company, shall mean the
number of such securities then issued and outstanding together with the number
of such securities not then actually issued and outstanding which such Person
would be deemed to own beneficially hereunder.

          Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, for
purposes of this Agreement, Burlington Northern Inc., a Delaware corporation
("BNI"), shall not be deemed a "Beneficial Owner" of, or to "beneficially own,"
any shares of any class of capital stock of the Company as a result of the
execution, delivery or performance of the Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as
of June 29, 1994 between BNI and the Company, as


                                      -5-
<PAGE>
 
amended from time to time (the "Merger Agreement") or the consummation of any of
the transactions contemplated thereunder.

          "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday, or
a day on which banking institutions in Illinois or New York are authorized or
obligated by law or executive order to close.

          "Close of business" on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M., Chicago
time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a Business Day
it shall mean 5:00 P.M., Chicago time, on the next succeeding Business Day.

          "Common Shares" when used with reference to the Company shall mean the
shares of common stock, par value $1.00 per share, of the Company.  "Common
Shares" when used with reference to any Person other than the Company shall mean
the capital stock (or equity interest) with the greatest voting power of such
other Person or the equity securities or other equity interest having power to
control or direct the management of such other Person.

          "Distribution Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3
hereof.

          "Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.

          "Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7
hereof.

          "Final Expiration Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7
hereof.

                                      -6-
<PAGE>
 
          "Merger Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7 hereof.

          "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation or other entity,
and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.

          "Preferred Shares" shall mean shares of Series A Junior Participating
Preferred Stock, par value $1.00 per share, of the Company having the rights and
preferences set forth in the Form of Certificate of Designations, Preferences
and Rights attached to this Agreement as Exhibit A.

          "Purchase Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4 hereof.

          "Redemption Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7
hereof.
        
          "Right Certificate" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3
hereof.

          "Securities Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

          "Shares Acquisition Date" shall mean the first date of public
announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, shall include, without
limitation, a report filed pursuant to Section 13(d) promulgated under the
Exchange Act) by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has
become such.

          "Subsidiary" shall mean, with reference to any Person, any corporation
or other entity of which a majority of the voting


                                      -7-
<PAGE>
 
power of the voting equity securities or equity interest is owned, directly or
indirectly, by such Person.

          "Triggering Event" shall mean any event described in Section 11(a)(ii)
or Section 13(a) hereof.

     Any determination or interpretation required in connection with any of the
definitions contained in this Section 1 shall be made by the Board of Directors
of the Company in their good faith judgment, which determination shall be final
and binding on the Rights Agent.

     Section 2.  Appointment of Rights Agent.  The Company hereby appoints the
Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company and the holders of the Rights (who,
in accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall prior to the Distribution Date also
be the holders of the Common Shares) in accordance with the terms and conditions
hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment.  The Company may
from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as it may deem necessary or
desirable.

     Section 3.  Issue of Right Certificates.

     (a) Until the earlier of (i) the close of business on the tenth day after
the Shares Acquisition Date or (ii) the close of business on the fifteenth
business day (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of
Directors prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person) after
the date of the commencement by any Person (other than the Company, any
Affiliate of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any
Affiliate of the Company or any entity holding Common Shares for or


                                      -8-
<PAGE>
 
pursuant to the terms of any such plan) of, or of the first public announcement
of the intention of any Person (other than the Company, any Affiliate of the
Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Affiliate of the
Company or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any
such plan) to commence, a tender or exchange offer the consummation of which
would result in any Person becoming the Beneficial Owner of Common Shares
aggregating 10% or more of the then outstanding Common Shares (including any
such date which is after the date of this Agreement and prior to the issuance of
the Rights; the earlier of such dates being herein referred to as the
"Distribution Date"), (x) the Rights will be evidenced (subject to the
provisions of Section 3(b) hereof) by the certificates for Common Shares
registered in the names of the holders thereof (which certificates shall also be
deemed to be certificates for Rights) and not by separate certificates, and (y)
the Rights will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of the
underlying Common Shares (including a transfer to the Company).  As soon as
practicable after the Distribution Date, the Company will prepare and execute,
the Rights Agent will countersign, and the Company will send or cause to be sent
(and the Rights Agent will, if requested, send) by first-class, insured,
postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as of the close of
business on the Distribution Date, at the address of such holder shown on the
records of the Company, a Right Certificate, in substantially the form of
Exhibit B hereto (a "Right Certificate"), evidencing one Right for each Common
Share so held.  As of the


                                      -9-
<PAGE>
 
Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Right
Certificates.

     (b) On the Record Date, or as soon as practicable thereafter, the Company
will send a copy of a Summary of Rights Plan, in substantially the form of
Exhibit C hereto (the "Summary of Rights Plan"), by first class, postage-prepaid
mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as of the close of business on the
Record Date (other than any Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of
any Acquiring Person), at the address of such holder shown on the records of the
Company.  With respect to certificates for Common Shares outstanding as of the
Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced by such
certificates registered in the names of the holders thereof together with the
Summary of Rights Plan, and registered holders of Common Shares shall also be
the registered holders of the associated Rights.  Until the Distribution Date
(or the Expiration Date), the transfer of any certificate for Common Shares
outstanding on the Record Date, with or without a copy of the Summary of Rights
Plan, shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the
Common Shares represented thereby.

     (c) Rights shall be issued in respect of all Common Shares which are issued
(whether originally issued or delivered from the Company's treasury) after the
Record Date but prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration
Date.  Certificates representing such Common Shares shall also be deemed to be
certificates for Rights.  Certificates representing both


                                     -10-
<PAGE>
 
Common Shares and Rights in accordance with this Section 3 which are executed
and delivered (whether the Common Shares represented thereby are originally
issued, delivered from the Company's treasury or are presented for transfer) by
the Company (including, without limitation, certificates representing reacquired
Common Shares referred to in the last sentence of this paragraph (c)) after the
Record Date but prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration
Date shall have impressed on, printed on, written on or otherwise affixed to
them a legend substantially equivalent to the following:

     This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to certain
     rights as set forth in the Rights Agreement between Santa Fe Pacific
     Corporation (the "Company") and First Chicago Trust Company of New York,
     dated as of November 28, 1994 (the "Rights Agreement"), the terms of which
     are hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is on file
     at the principal offices of the Company.  Under certain circumstances, as
     set forth in the Rights Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by
     separate certificates and will no longer be evidenced by this certificate.
     The Company will mail to the holder of this certificate a copy of the
     Rights Agreement, as in effect on the date of mailing, without charge
     promptly after receipt of a written request therefor.  Under certain
     circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement, Rights issued to, or held
     by, any Person who is, was or becomes an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate
     or Associate thereof (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement),
     whether currently held by or on behalf of such Person or by any subsequent
     holder, shall become null and void.

Until the Distribution Date, the Rights associated with the Common Shares shall
be evidenced by the certificates representing the associated Common Shares
alone, and the transfer of any such certificate shall also constitute the
transfer of the Rights


                                     -11-
<PAGE>
 
associated with the Common Shares represented thereby.  In the event that the
Company purchases or acquires any Common Shares after the Record Date but prior
to the Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such Common Shares shall be
deemed cancelled and retired so that the Company shall not be entitled to
exercise any Rights associated with the Common Shares which are no longer
outstanding.

     Section 4.  Form of Right Certificates.
 
     (a) The Right Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase Preferred
Shares and of assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall each be
substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit B hereto and may have such marks
of identification or designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements
printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent
with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any
applicable law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any
rule or regulation of any stock exchange on which the Rights may from time to
time be listed, or to conform to usage.  Subject to the provisions of Section 11
and Section 22 hereof, the Right Certificates shall entitle the holders thereof
to purchase such number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share as shall be
set forth therein at the price per one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share set
forth therein (the "Purchase Price"), but the amount and type of securities
purchasable upon the exercise of each


                                     -12-
<PAGE>
 
Right and the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment as provided
herein.

     (b) Any Right Certificate issued pursuant to Section 3(a) or Section 22
hereof that represents Rights beneficially owned by:  (i) an Acquiring Person or
any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of an
Acquiring Person (or such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee after
the Acquiring Person becomes an Acquiring Person, or (iii) a transferee of an
Acquiring Person (or such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a transferee prior
to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming such and receives such
Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from
the Acquiring Person to holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or
to any Person with whom the Acquiring Person has any continuing agreement,
arrangement or understanding, whether written or oral, regarding the transferred
Rights or (B) a transfer which is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding,
whether written or oral, which has as a primary purpose or effect avoidance of
Section 7(e) hereof, and any Right Certificate issued pursuant to Section 6 or
Section 11 hereof upon transfer, exchange, replacement or adjustment of any
other Right Certificate referred to in this sentence, shall contain (to the
extent feasible and otherwise reasonably identifiable as such) the following
legend:

     The Rights represented by this Right Certificate are or were beneficially
     owned by a Person who was or became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
     Associate of an

                                     -13-
<PAGE>
 
     Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in the Rights Agreement).
     Accordingly, this Right Certificate and the Rights represented hereby may
     become void in the circumstances specified in Section 7(e) of such
     Agreement.

The provisions of Section 7(e) shall apply whether or not any Right Certificate
actually contains the foregoing legend.

     Section 5.  Countersignature and Registration.  The Right Certificates
shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the Board, its
Chief Executive Officer, any Vice Chairman, its President, any of its Vice
Presidents, or its Treasurer, either manually or by facsimile signature, shall
have affixed thereto the Company's seal or a facsimile thereof, and shall be
attested by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, either
manually or by facsimile signature.  The Right Certificates shall be manually
countersigned by the Rights Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless
countersigned.  In case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of
the Right Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Company before
countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company,
such Right Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent
and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as though
the person who signed such Right Certificates had not ceased to be such officer
of the Company; and any Right Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Company
by any person who, at the actual date of the execution of such Right
Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company to

                                     -14-
<PAGE>
 
sign such Right Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this
Rights Agreement any such person was not such an officer.

     Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or cause to be
kept, at its office designated for such purpose, books for registration and
transfer of the Right Certificates issued hereunder.  Such books shall show the
names and addresses of the respective holders of the Right Certificates, the
number of Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Right Certificates and the
date of each of the Right Certificates.

     Section 6.  Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right
Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates.

     (a) Subject to the provisions of Sections 4(b), 7(e), 14 and 24 hereof, at
any time after the close of business on the Distribution Date, and at or prior
to the close of business on the Expiration Date, any Right Certificate or Right
Certificates may be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for another
Right Certificate or Right Certificates, entitling the registered holder to
purchase a like number of Preferred Shares (or, following a Triggering Event,
Common Shares, other securities or property, as the case may be) as the Right
Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered then entitled such holder to
purchase. Any registered holder desiring to transfer, split up, combine or
exchange any Right Certificate or Right Certificates shall make such request in
writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall

                                     -15-
<PAGE>
 
surrender the Right Certificate or Right Certificates to be transferred, split
up, combined or exchanged at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such
purpose.  Neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to take
any action whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any such surrendered Right
Certificate until the registered holder shall have completed and signed the
certificate contained in the form of assignment on the reverse side of such
Right Certificate accompanied by such documents as the Rights Agent may deem
appropriate and the Company shall have been provided with such additional
evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or
Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company shall reasonably request.
Thereupon the Rights Agent shall, subject to Sections 4 and 7 hereof,
countersign and deliver to the person entitled thereto a Right Certificate or
Right Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested.  The Company may
require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that
may be imposed in connection with any transfer, split up, combination or
exchange of Right Certificates.

     (b) Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably
satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Right
Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or
security reasonably satisfactory to them, and, at the Company's request,
reimbursement to the Company and the Rights Agent of all

                                     -16-
<PAGE>
 
reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent
and cancellation of the Right Certificate if mutilated, the Company will make
and deliver a new Right Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for
countersignature and delivery to the registered holder in lieu of the Right
Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.

     Section 7.  Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights.
(a)  Subject to Section 7(e) hereof, the registered holder of any Right
Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise
provided herein) in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date
upon surrender of the Right Certificate, with the form of election to purchase
on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights Agent at the office of
the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, together with payment of the
Purchase Price with respect to each surrendered Right for the total number of
Preferred Shares (or other securities or property, as the case may be) as to
which the Rights are exercised, at or prior to the earliest of (i) the close of
business on December 9, 2004 (the "Final Expiration Date"), (ii) the time at
which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof (the "Redemption
Date"), (iii) the time immediately prior to the effective time of the merger of
the Company with and into BNI in accordance with Delaware law and pursuant to
the Merger Agreement (the "Merger Date") (the earliest of (i), (ii) or (iii)
being herein referred

                                     -17-
<PAGE>
 
to as the "Expiration Date") or (iv) the time at which such Rights are exchanged
as provided in Section 24 hereof.

     (b) The Purchase Price for each one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share
pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $50.00, shall be subject
to adjustment from time to time as provided in Sections 11 and 13 hereof and
shall be payable in lawful money of the United States of America in accordance
with paragraph (c) below.

     (c) Upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing exercisable Rights,
with the form of election to purchase and the certificate on the reverse side of
the Right Certificate duly executed, accompanied by such documents as the Rights
Agent may deem appropriate, payment of the Purchase Price for the shares (or
other securities or property, as the case may be) to be purchased and an amount
equal to any applicable transfer tax required to be paid by the holder of such
Right Certificate in accordance with Section 9 hereof by certified check,
cashier's check or money order payable to the order of the Company, the Rights
Agent shall thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from any transfer agent of
the Preferred Shares (or make available, if the Rights Agent is the transfer
agent of the Preferred Shares) certificates for the number of Preferred Shares
to be purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent
to comply with all such requests, or (B) if the Company shall have elected to
deposit the Preferred Shares issuable upon exercise of the Rights with a
depositary agent, requisition from

                                     -18-


<PAGE>
 
the depositary agent depositary receipts representing such number of one one-
hundredths of a Preferred Share as are to be purchased (in which case
certificates for the Preferred Shares represented by such receipts shall be
deposited by the transfer agent with the depositary agent) and the Company will
direct the depositary agent to comply with such request, (ii) when appropriate,
requisition from the Company the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of issuance
of fractional shares in accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii) after receipt
of such certificates or depositary receipts, cause the same to be delivered to
or upon the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate, registered
in such name or names as may be designated by such holder and (iv) when
appropriate, after receipt, deliver such cash to or upon the order of the
registered holder of such Right Certificate.  In the event that the Company is
obligated to issue other securities (including Common Shares) of the Company,
pay cash and/or distribute other property pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof, the
Company will make all arrangements necessary so that such other securities, cash
and/or property are available for distribution by the Rights Agent, if and when
appropriate.

     (d) In case the registered holder of any Right Certificate shall exercise
less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Right Certificate evidencing
Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued by the
Rights Agent and delivered to the registered holder of such Right Certificate or


                                     -19-
<PAGE>
 
to his duly authorized assigns, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof.

     (e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, from and
after the occurrence of a Triggering Event, any Rights beneficially owned by (i)
an Acquiring Person or an Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person, (ii) a
transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who
becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes an Acquiring Person, or
(iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or such Associate or Affiliate) who
becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming
an Acquiring Person and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer
(whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders of
equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom the
Acquiring Person has any continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding,
whether written or oral, regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a transfer
which the Board of Directors otherwise concludes in good faith is part of a
plan, arrangement or understanding (whether written or oral) which has as a
primary purpose or effect the avoidance of this Section 7(e), shall become null
and void without any further action, and any holder of such Rights shall
thereupon have no rights whatsoever with respect to such Rights, whether under
any provision of this Agreement or otherwise, from and after the occurrence of a
Triggering Event.  The Company shall use all reasonable efforts to insure that
the provisions of this Section


                                     -20-
<PAGE>
 
7(e) hereof are complied with, but shall have no liability to any holder of
Rights for the inability to make any determinations with respect to an Acquiring
Person or its Affiliates, Associates or transferees hereunder.

     (f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the
Rights Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake any action with
respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence of any purported exercise as
set forth in this Section 7 unless the certificate contained in the form of
election to purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Right Certificate
surrendered for such exercise shall have been completed and signed by the
registered holder thereof and the Company shall have been provided with such
additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or former
Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the Company shall
reasonably request.

     (g) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be reserved and
kept available out of its authorized and unissued Preferred Shares (and,
following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Shares and/or other
securities) or any Preferred Shares (and, following the occurrence of a
Triggering Event, Common Shares and/or other securities) held in its treasury,
the number of Preferred Shares (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering
Event, Common Shares and/or other securities) that will be sufficient to permit
the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights.


                                     -21-
<PAGE>
 
     (h) Notwithstanding any statement to the contrary contained in this
Agreement or in any Right Certificate, if the Distribution Date or the Shares
Acquisition Date shall occur prior to the Record Date, the provisions of this
Agreement, including (without limitation) Sections 3 and 11(a)(ii), shall be
applicable to the Rights upon their issuance to the same extent such provisions
would have been applicable if the Record Date were the date of this Agreement.

     Section 8.  Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates.  All Right
Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up,
combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or to any of its
agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in cancelled form,
or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by it, and no Right
Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by
any of the provisions of this Rights Agreement.  The Company shall deliver to
the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so
cancel and retire, any other Right Certificate purchased or acquired by the
Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof.  The Rights Agent shall
deliver all cancelled Right Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the
written request of the Company, cause such cancelled Right Certificates to be
destroyed, and in such case cause a certificate of destruction to be delivered
to the Company.


                                     -22-
<PAGE>
 
     Section 9.  Availability of Preferred Shares.  The Company covenants and
agrees that it will take all such action as may be necessary to ensure that all
Preferred Shares (and, following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common
Shares and/or other securities) delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the
time of delivery of the certificates for such Preferred Shares (and, following
the occurrence of a Triggering Event, Common Shares and/or other securities),
subject to payment of the Purchase Price, be duly and validly authorized and
issued and fully paid and nonassessable shares.

     The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due and
payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges which may be
payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Right Certificates or of
any Preferred Shares (or Common Shares and/or other securities, as the case may
be) upon the exercise of Rights.  The Company shall not, however, be required to
pay any transfer tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer or delivery
of Right Certificates to a person other than, or the issuance or delivery of
certificates or depositary receipts for the Preferred Shares (or Common Shares
and/or other securities, as the case may be) in a name other than that of, the
registered holder of the Right Certificate evidencing Rights surrendered for
exercise or to issue or to deliver any certificates or depositary receipts for
Preferred Shares (or Common Shares and/or other securities, as the case may be)
upon the exercise of any Rights until any such tax shall have


                                     -23-
<PAGE>
 
been paid (any such tax being payable by the holder of such Right Certificate at
the time of surrender) or until it has been established to the Company's
reasonable satisfaction that no such tax is due.

     Section 10.  Preferred Shares Record Date.  Each person in whose name any
certificate for Preferred Shares (or Common Shares and/or other securities, as
the case may be) is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be
deemed to have become the holder of record of the shares or securities
represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date upon which
the Right Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of
the Purchase Price (and any applicable transfer taxes) was made; provided,
however, that if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which the
Preferred Shares (or Common Shares and/or other securities, as the case may be)
transfer books of the Company are closed, such person shall be deemed to have
become the record holder of such shares or securities on, and such certificate
shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Shares
(or Common Shares and/or other securities, as the case may be) transfer books of
the Company are open.  Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby,
the holder of a Right Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a
holder of Preferred Shares (or Common Shares and/or other securities, as the
case may be) for which the Rights shall be exercisable, including, without
limitation, the right to vote, to receive dividends or other


                                     -24-
<PAGE>
 
distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights, and shall not be entitled to
receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.

     Section 11.  Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or Number of
Rights.  The Purchase Price, the number of Preferred Shares covered by each
Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time
to time as provided in this Section 11.

          (a)  (i)  In the event the Company shall at any time after the date of
     this Agreement (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Shares payable in
     Preferred Shares, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred Shares, (C)
     combine the outstanding Preferred Shares into a smaller number of Preferred
     Shares or (D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification
     of the Preferred Shares (including any such reclassification in connection
     with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or
     surviving corporation), except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a)
     and Section 7(e) hereof, the Purchase Price in effect at the time of the
     record date for such dividend or of the effective date of such subdivision,
     combination or reclassification, and the number and kind of shares of
     capital stock issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted so
     that the holder of any Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to
     receive the aggregate number and kind of shares of capital stock which,


                                     -25-
<PAGE>
 
     if such Right had been exercised immediately prior to such date and at a
     time when the Preferred Shares transfer books of the Company were open, he
     would have owned upon such exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue
     of such dividend, subdivision, combination or reclassification; provided,
     however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the
     exercise of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of
     capital stock of the Company issuable upon exercise of one Right.  If an
     event occurs which would require an adjustment under both Section 11(a)(i)
     and Section 11(a)(ii), the adjustment provided for in this Section 11(a)(i)
     shall be in addition to, and shall be made prior to, any adjustment
     required pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii).

          (ii)  Subject to Section 24 of this Agreement, in the event any Person
     becomes an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right, except as provided
     below and in Section 7(e) hereof, shall thereafter have a right to receive,
     upon exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current Purchase Price
     multiplied by the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share for
     which a Right is then exercisable, in accordance with the terms of this
     Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Shares, such number of Common Shares of
     the Company as shall equal the result obtained by (x) multiplying the then
     current Purchase Price by the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred
     Share for which


                                     -26-
<PAGE>
 
     a Right is then exercisable and dividing that product by (y) 50% of the
     then current per share market price of the Company's Common Shares
     (determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of the occurrence
     of such event.  In the event that any Person shall become an Acquiring
     Person and the Rights shall then be outstanding, the Company shall not take
     any action which would eliminate or diminish the benefits intended to be
     afforded by the Rights.

          (iii)  In lieu of issuing Common Shares of the Company in accordance
     with Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the Company may, in the sole discretion of
     the Board of Directors, elect to (and, in the event that the Board of
     Directors has not exercised the exchange right contained in Section 24
     hereof and there are not sufficient issued but not outstanding and
     authorized but unissued Common Shares to permit the exercise in full of the
     Rights in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph (ii), the Company
     shall) take all such action as may be necessary to authorize, issue or pay,
     upon the exercise of the Rights, cash (including by way of a reduction of
     the Purchase Price), property, other securities or any combination thereof
     having an aggregate value equal to the value of the Common Shares of the
     Company which otherwise would have been issuable pursuant to Section
     11(a)(ii), which aggregate value shall be determined by a majority of the
     Board of Directors.  For purposes of the preceding sentence, the value of
     the Common Shares shall be


                                     -27-
<PAGE>
 
     determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof and the value of any equity
     securities which a majority of the Board of Directors determines to be a
     "common stock equivalent" (including the Preferred Shares, in such ratio as
     the Board of Directors shall determine) shall be deemed to have the same
     value as the Common Shares.  Any such election by the Board of Directors
     must be made and publicly announced within 60 days following the date on
     which the event described in Section 11(a)(ii) shall have occurred.
     Following the occurrence of the event described in Section 11(a)(ii), a
     majority of the Board of Directors then in office may suspend the
     exercisability of the Rights for a period of up to 60 days following the
     date on which the event described in Section 11(a)(ii) shall have occurred
     to the extent that such directors have not determined whether to exercise
     the company's right of election under this Section 11(a)(iii).  In the
     event of any such suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement
     stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily
     suspended.

     (b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of rights,
options or warrants to all holders of Preferred Shares entitling them (for a
period expiring within 45 calendar days after such record date) to subscribe for
or purchase Preferred Shares (or shares having the same rights, privileges and
preferences as the Preferred Shares ("equivalent


                                     -28-
<PAGE>
 
preferred shares")) or securities convertible into Preferred Shares or
equivalent preferred shares at a price per Preferred Share or equivalent
preferred share (or having a conversion price per share, if a security
convertible into Preferred Shares or equivalent preferred shares) less than the
then current per share market price of the Preferred Shares (as defined in
Section 11(d)) on such record date, the Purchase Price to be in effect after
such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which
shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date plus the
number of Preferred Shares which the aggregate offering price of the total
number of Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred shares so to be offered
(and/or the aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible securities so
to be offered) would purchase at such current market price and the denominator
of which shall be the number of Preferred Shares outstanding on such record date
plus the number of additional Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred
shares to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible
securities so to be offered are initially convertible); provided, however, that
in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be
less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company
issuable upon exercise of one Right.  In case such subscription price may be
paid in a consideration part or all of which shall be in a form other than cash,
the

                                     -29-


<PAGE>
 
value of such consideration shall be as determined in good faith by the Board of
Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement
filed with the Rights Agent and shall be binding on the Rights Agent.  Preferred
Shares owned by or held for the account of the Company shall not be deemed
outstanding for the purpose of any such computation.  Such adjustment shall be
made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that
such rights, options or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase Price shall be
adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record
date had not been fixed.

     (c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the making of a
distribution to all holders of the Preferred Shares (including any such
distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the
Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of indebtedness
or assets (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend or a dividend payable in
Preferred Shares) or subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred
to in Section 11(b) hereof), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such
record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect
immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which
shall be the then current per share market price of the Preferred Shares on such
record date, less the fair market value (as determined in good faith by the
Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described

                                     -30-


<PAGE>
 
in a statement filed with the Rights Agent) of the portion of the assets or
evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such subscription rights or
warrants applicable to one Preferred Share and the denominator of which shall be
such current per share market price of the Preferred Shares; provided, however,
that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one
Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the
Company to be issued upon exercise of one Right.  Such adjustments shall be made
successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such
distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall again be adjusted to be
the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not
been fixed.

          (d)  (i)  For the purpose of any computation hereunder, other than
     under Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the "current per share market price" of
     any security (a "Security" for the purpose of this Section 11(d)(i)) on any
     date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per
     share of such Security for the 30 consecutive Trading Days (as such term is
     hereinafter defined) immediately prior to such date, and for the purpose of
     any computation under Section 11(a)(iii) hereof, the "current per share
     market price" of a Security on any date shall be deemed to be the average
     of the daily closing prices per share of such Security for thirty (30)
     consecutive Trading Days immediately following such date; provided,
     however, that in

                                     -31-


<PAGE>
 
     the event that the current per share market price of the Security is
     determined during a period following the announcement by the issuer of such
     Security of (A) a dividend or distribution on such Security payable in
     shares of such Security or securities convertible into such shares (other
     than the Rights), or (B) any subdivision, combination or reclassification
     of such Security and prior to the expiration of 30 Trading Days after the
     ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution, or the record date for
     such subdivision, combination or reclassification, then, and in each such
     case, the "current per share market price" shall be appropriately adjusted
     to reflect the current market price per share equivalent (ex-dividend) of
     such Security.  The closing price for each day shall be the last sale
     price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the
     average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as
     reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with
     respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock
     Exchange or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on the
     New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated
     transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on the
     principal national securities exchange on which the Security is listed or
     admitted to trading or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to
     trading on any national securities exchange, the

                                     -32-


<PAGE>
 
     last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low
     asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the National
     Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotation System
     ("NASDAQ") or such other system then in use, or, if on any such date the
     Security is not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing
     bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a
     market in the Security selected by the Board of Directors of the Company.
     If on any such date no market maker is making a market in the Security, the
     fair value of such Security on such date (as determined in good faith by
     the Board of Directors of the Company) shall be used.  The term "Trading
     Day" shall mean a day on which the principal national securities exchange
     on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading is open for the
     transaction of business or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to
     trading on any national securities exchange, a Business Day.

          (ii)  For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "current per
     share market price" of the Preferred Shares shall be determined in
     accordance with the method set forth in Section 11(d)(i).  If the Preferred
     Shares are not publicly traded, the "current per share market price" of the
     Preferred Shares shall be conclusively deemed to be the current per share
     market price of the Common Shares of the Company as determined pursuant to
     Section 11(d)(i)

                                     -33-
<PAGE>
 
     (appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or
     similar transaction occurring after the date hereof), multiplied by one
     hundred.  If neither the Common Shares of the Company nor the Preferred
     Shares are publicly held or so listed or traded, "current per share market
     price" shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by
     the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be
     described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent.

     (e) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no adjustment in the
Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment would require an
increase or decrease of at least 1% in the Purchase Price; provided, however,
that any adjustments which by reason of this Section 11(e) are not required to
be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in any subsequent
adjustment.  All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made to the nearest
cent or to the nearest one one-millionth of a Preferred Share or one ten-
thousandth of any other share or security, as the case may be.  Notwithstanding
the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any adjustment required by this
Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier of (i) three years from the
date of the transaction which requires such adjustment or (ii) the date of the
expiration of the right to exercise any Rights.

     (f)  If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a) or
Section 13(a) hereof, the holder of any Right

                                     -34-
<PAGE>
 
thereafter exercised shall become entitled to receive any shares of capital
stock of the Company other than Preferred Shares, thereafter the number of such
other shares so receivable upon exercise of any Right shall be subject to
adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as
practicable to the provisions with respect to the Preferred Shares contained in
this Section 11, and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 with respect
to the Preferred Shares shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.

     (g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any
adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one one-hundredths of a
Preferred Share purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the
Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.

     (h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as provided in
Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result of the
calculations made in Sections 11(b) and (c), each Right outstanding immediately
prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of one one-hundredths of a
Preferred Share (calculated to the nearest one one-millionth of a Preferred
Share) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of one one-hundredths of a
share covered by a Right immediately prior to this adjustment by (y) the
Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment of the Purchase
Price and

                                     -35-
<PAGE>
 
(ii) dividing the product so obtained by the Purchase Price in effect
immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase Price.

     (i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment of the
Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in substitution for any
adjustment in the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share purchasable
upon the exercise of a Right.  Each of the Rights outstanding after such
adjustment of the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of one
one-hundredths of a Preferred Share for which a Right was exercisable
immediately prior to such adjustment.  Each Right held of record prior to such
adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number of Rights
(calculated to the nearest one ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the
Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price.
The Company shall make a public announcement of its election to adjust the
number of Rights, indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if known
at the time, the amount of the adjustment to be made.  This record date may be
the date on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if
the Right Certificates have been issued, shall be at least 10 days later than
the date of the public announcement.  If Right Certificates have been issued,
upon each adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the
Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of
record of Right Certificates on such

                                     -36-
<PAGE>
 
record date Right Certificates evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof, the
additional Rights to which such holders shall be entitled as a result of such
adjustment, or, at the option of the Company, shall cause to be distributed to
such holders of record in substitution and replacement for the Right
Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of adjustment, and upon
surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new Right Certificates evidencing
all the Rights to which such holders shall be entitled after such adjustment.
Right Certificates so to be distributed shall be issued, executed and
countersigned in the manner provided for herein and shall be registered in the
names of the holders of record of Right Certificates on the record date
specified in the public announcement.

     (j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or the
number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share issuable upon the exercise of
the Rights, the Right Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may
continue to express the Purchase Price and the number of one one-hundredths of a
Preferred Share which were expressed in the initial Right Certificates issued
hereunder.

     (k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing the
Purchase Price below one one-hundredth of the then par value, if any, of the
Preferred Shares issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company shall take
any corporate action which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in
order that

                                     -37-
<PAGE>
 
the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable Preferred
Shares at such adjusted Purchase Price.

     (l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an adjustment
in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a specified
event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such event the
issuing to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date of the
Preferred Shares and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any,
issuable upon such exercise over and above the Preferred Shares and other
capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise
on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided,
however, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due bill or other
appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional
shares upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.

     (m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding, the
Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the Purchase Price, in
addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to
the extent that it in its sole discretion shall determine to be advisable in
order that any consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred Shares, issuance
wholly for cash of any Preferred Shares at less than the current market price,
issuance wholly for cash of Preferred Shares or securities which by their terms
are convertible into or exchangeable for Preferred Shares, dividends

                                     -38-
<PAGE>
 
on Preferred Shares payable in Preferred Shares or issuance of rights, options
or warrants referred to hereinabove in Section 11(b), hereafter made by the
Company to holders of its Preferred Shares shall not be taxable to such
stockholders.

     (n) In the event that at any time after the date of this Agreement and
prior to the Distribution Date, the Company shall (i) declare or pay any
dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or (ii) effect a
subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Shares)
into a greater or lesser number of Common Shares, then in any such case (i) the
number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share purchasable after such event
upon proper exercise of each Right shall be determined by multiplying the number
of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share so purchasable immediately prior to
such event by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of Common Shares
outstanding immediately before such event and the denominator of which is the
number of Common Shares outstanding immediately after such event, and (ii) each
Common Share outstanding immediately after such event shall have issued with
respect to it that number of Rights which each Common Share outstanding
immediately prior to such event had issued with respect to it.  The adjustments
provided for in this Section 11(n) shall be made successively whenever such a
dividend is declared or paid or such a subdivision, combination or consolidation
is effected.

                                     -39-
<PAGE>
 
     (o) So long as the shares issuable upon the exercise of the Rights may be
listed on any national securities exchange, the Company shall use its best
efforts to cause, from and after such time as the Rights become exercisable, all
shares reserved for such issuance to be listed on such exchange upon official
notice of issuance upon such exercise.

     (p) The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) file, as soon as
practicable following the first occurrence of a Triggering Event, a registration
statement under the Securities Act with respect to the securities purchasable
upon exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, (ii) cause such registration
statement to become effective as soon as practicable after such filing, and
(iii) cause such registration statement to remain effective (with a prospectus
at all times meeting the requirements of the Securities Act) until the date of
the expiration of the Rights.  The Company will also take such action as may be
appropriate under the blue sky laws of the various states.  The Company may
temporarily suspend, for a period of time not to exceed 90 days, the
exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare and file such registration
statement or in order to comply with such blue sky laws.  Upon any such
suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement stating that the
exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily suspended.

                                     -40-
<PAGE>
 
     Section 12.  Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or
Number of Shares.  Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 or
13 hereof, the Company shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate setting forth
such adjustment, and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such
adjustment, (b) file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the
Common Shares or the Preferred Shares a copy of such certificate and (c) mail a
brief summary thereof to each holder of a Right Certificate in accordance with
Section 25 hereof.  The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any
such certificate and on any adjustment therein contained and may assume that no
adjustment has been made unless and until it shall have received such
certificate.

     Section 13.  Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning
Power.

     (a) If after the Shares Acquisition Date, directly or indirectly, (x) the
Company shall consolidate with, or merge with and into, any other Person, (y)
any Person shall consolidate with the Company, or merge with and into the
Company and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of such
merger and, in connection with such merger, all or part of the Common Shares
shall be changed into or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other
Person (or the Company) or cash or any other property, or (z) the Company shall
sell or otherwise transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or
otherwise transfer), in one or more transactions, assets or

                                     -41-
<PAGE>
 
earning power aggregating 50% or more of the assets or earning power of the
Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any Person or Persons other
than the Company or one or more of its wholly-owned Subsidiaries, then, and in
each such case, proper provision shall be made so that (i) each holder of a
Right (except as otherwise provided herein) shall thereafter have the right to
receive, upon the exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current Purchase
Price multiplied by the number of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share for
which a Right is then exercisable, in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Shares, such number of validly authorized and
issued, fully paid, non-assessable and freely tradeable Common Shares of the
Principal Party (as hereinafter defined), free and clear of all liens, rights of
call or first refusal, encumbrances or other adverse claims, as shall equal the
result obtained by (A) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number
of one one-hundredths of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable
(or, if such Right is not then exercisable for a number of one one-hundredths of
a Preferred Share, the number of such fractional shares for which it was
exercisable immediately prior to an event described under Section 11(a)(ii)
hereof) and dividing that product by (B) 50% of the then current per share
market price of the Common Shares of such Principal Party (determined pursuant
to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of consummation of such consolidation,
merger, sale or transfer; (ii) such Principal Party shall thereafter be liable

                                     -42-
<PAGE>
 
for, and shall assume, by virtue of such consolidation, merger, sale or
transfer, or otherwise, all the obligations and duties of the Company pursuant
to this Agreement; (iii) the term "Company" shall thereafter be deemed to refer
to such Principal Party and (iv) such Principal Party shall take such steps
(including, but not limited to, the reservation of a sufficient number of its
Common Shares in accordance with Section 9 hereof) in connection with such
consummation as may be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof shall
thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to its
Common Shares thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights.

     (b)  "Principal Party" shall mean:

          (i)  In the case of any transaction described in (x) or (y) of the
     first sentence of Section 13(a), the Person that is the issuer of any
     securities into which Common Shares of the Company are converted in such
     merger or consolidation, and if no securities are so issued, the Person
     that is the surviving entity of such merger or consolidation (including the
     Company if applicable); and

          (ii)  in the case of any transaction described in (z) of the first
     sentence in Section 13(a), the Person that is the party receiving the
     greatest portion of the assets or earning power transferred pursuant to
     such transaction or transactions;

provided, however, that in any such case described in clauses (b)(i) and
(b)(ii):  (1) if the Common Shares of such Person are

                                     -43-
<PAGE>
 
not at such time and have not been continuously over the preceding 12-month
period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, and such Person is a
direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person the Common Shares of which is
and has been so registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to such other Person;
(2) in case such Person is a Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, or more than
one Person, the Common Shares of two or more of which are and have been so
registered, "Principal Party" shall refer to whichever of such Persons is the
issuer of the Common Shares having the greatest aggregate market value; and (3)
in case such Person is owned, directly or indirectly, by a joint venture formed
by two or more Persons that are not owned, directly or indirectly, by the same
Person, the rules set forth in (1) and (2) above shall apply to each of the
chains of ownership having an interest in such joint venture as if such party
were a "Subsidiary" of both or all of such joint venturers and the Principal
Parties in each such chain shall bear the obligations set forth in this Section
13 in the same ratio as their direct or indirect interests in such Person bear
to the total of such interests.

     (c) The Company shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger, sale
or transfer unless the Principal Party shall have sufficient Common Shares
authorized to permit the full exercise of the Rights and prior thereto the
Company and such Principal Party shall have executed and delivered to the Rights
Agent a supplemental agreement providing for the terms set

                                     -44-
<PAGE>
 
forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 13 and further providing that,
as soon as practicable after the date of any consolidation, merger or sale of
assets mentioned in paragraph (a) of this Section 13, the Principal Party will:

          (i)  prepare and file a registration statement under the Securities
     Act, with respect to the Rights and the securities purchasable upon
     exercise of the Rights on an appropriate form, and will use its best
     efforts to cause such registration statement to (A) become effective as
     soon as practicable after such filing and (B) remain effective (with a
     prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Securities Act)
     until the Expiration Date;

          (ii)  deliver to holders of the Rights historical financial statements
     for the Principal Party and each of its Affiliates which comply in all
     respects with the requirements for registration on Form 10 under the
     Exchange Act; and

          (iii)  take such actions as may be necessary or appropriate under the
     blue sky laws of the various states.

The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers or
consolidations or sales or other transfers.  In the event that one of the
transactions described in this Section 13(a) shall occur at any time after the
occurrence of a transaction described in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof, the Rights
which have not theretofore been exercised shall thereafter become exercisable in
the manner described in Section 13(a).

                                     -45-
<PAGE>
 
     Section 14.  Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.  (a) The Company
shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or to distribute Right
Certificates which evidence fractional Rights.  In lieu of such fractional
Rights, there may be paid to the registered holders of the Right Certificates
with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable, an
amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole
Right.  For the purposes of this Section 14(a), the current market value of a
whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading Day
immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have been
otherwise issuable.  The closing price for any day shall be the last sale price,
regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of
the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the
principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities
listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the Rights
are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as
reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect
to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the
Rights are listed or admitted to trading or, if the Rights are not listed or
admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price
or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the
over-the-counter market, as reported by NASDAQ or such other system then in use

                                     -46-
<PAGE>
 
or, if on any such date the Rights are not quoted by any such organization, the
average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional
market maker making a market in the Rights selected by the Board of Directors of
the Company.  If on any such date no such market maker is making a market in the
Rights, the fair value of the Rights on such date as determined in good faith by
the Board of Directors of the Company shall be used.

     (b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Preferred
Shares (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth
of a Preferred Share) upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates
which evidence fractional Preferred Shares (other than fractions which are
integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share).  Fractions of
Preferred Shares in integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share
may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts,
pursuant to an appropriate agreement between the Company and a depositary
selected by it; provided, that such agreement shall provide that the holders of
such depositary receipts shall have all the rights, privileges and preferences
to which they are entitled as beneficial owners of the Preferred Shares
represented by such depositary receipts.  In lieu of fractional Preferred Shares
that are not integral multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share, the
Company may pay to the registered holders of Right Certificates at the time such
Rights are exercised as herein


                                     -47-
<PAGE>
 
provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market
value of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share.  For the purposes of this
Section 14(b), the current market value of one one-hundredth of a Preferred
Share shall be one one-hundredth of the closing price of a Preferred Share (as
determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the
Trading Day immediately prior to the date of such exercise.

     (c) Following the occurrence of a Triggering Event, the Company shall not
be required to issue fractions of Common Shares upon exercise of the Rights or
to distribute certificates which evidence fractional Common Shares.  In lieu of
fractional Common Shares, the Company may pay to the registered holders of Right
Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount
in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of one Common
Share.  For purposes of this Section 14(c), the current market value of one
Common Share shall be the closing price of one Common Share (as determined
pursuant to the second sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day
immediately prior to the date of such exercise.

     (d) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right expressly waives
his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon
exercise of a Right (except as provided above).

     Section 15.  Rights of Action.  All rights of action in respect of this
Agreement, excepting the rights of action given


                                     -48-
<PAGE>
 
to the Rights Agent under Section 18 hereof, are vested in the respective
registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution
Date, the registered holders of the Common Shares); and any registered holder of
any Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common
Shares), without the consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other
Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares),
may, in his own behalf and for his own benefit, enforce, and may institute and
maintain any suit, action or proceeding against the Company to enforce, or
otherwise act in respect of, his right to exercise the Rights evidenced by such
Right Certificate in the manner provided in such Right Certificate and in this
Agreement.  Without limiting the foregoing or any remedies available to the
holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights
would not have an adequate remedy at law for any breach of this Agreement and
will be entitled to specific performance of the obligations under, and
injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations of the obligations of
any Person subject to, this Agreement.

     Section 16.  Agreement of Right Holders.  Every holder of a Right, by
accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent
and with every other holder of a Right that:

     (a)  prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferable only
in connection with the transfer of the Common Shares;


                                     -49-
<PAGE>
 
     (b) after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates are transferable
only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at the office of
the Rights Agent designated for such purposes, duly endorsed or accompanied by a
proper instrument of transfer and with appropriate forms and certificates fully
executed;

     (c) the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose
name the Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated
Common Shares certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of
the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or
writing on the Right Certificates or the associated Common Shares Certificate
made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes
whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be affected by
any notice to the contrary; and

     (d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the
Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of a Right
or any other Person as a result of its inability to perform any of its
obligations under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or permanent
injunction or other order, decree or ruling issued by a court of competent
jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or
commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated or
enacted by any


                                     -50-
<PAGE>
 
governmental authority prohibiting or otherwise restraining performance of such
obligation.

     Section 17.  Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder.  No holder,
as such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive dividends
or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Shares or any other
securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise of
the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein or in any
Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Right
Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any
right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to
stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any
corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting
stockholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof), or to receive dividends
or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by
such Right Certificate shall have been exercised in accordance with the
provisions hereof.

     Section 18.  Concerning the Rights Agent.  The Company agrees to pay to the
Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder
and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses
and counsel fees and other disbursements (including any taxes other than income
taxes) incurred in the administration and execution of this Agreement and the
exercise and performance of its duties


                                     -51-
<PAGE>
 
hereunder.  The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to
hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for
anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance
and administration of this Agreement, including the costs and expenses of
defending against any claim of liability arising, directly or indirectly,
therefrom.

     The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability for, or in
respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection with, its
administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Right Certificate or
certificate for the Preferred Shares or Common Shares or for other securities of
the Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney,
endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate,
statement, or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to be
signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by the proper
person or persons, or otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set forth in
Section 20 hereof.

     Section 19.  Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.
Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be
merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from
any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights
Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the


                                     -52-
<PAGE>
 
stock transfer or corporate trust business of the Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement
without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of
any of the parties hereto; provided, that such corporation would be eligible for
appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 21
hereof.  In case at the time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the
agency created by this Agreement, any of the Right Certificates shall have been
countersigned but not delivered; any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the
countersignature of the predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Right
Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Right
Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may
countersign such Right Certificates either in the name of the predecessor Rights
Agent or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such
Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates
and in this Agreement.

     In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and at
such time any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but not
delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior name
and deliver Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of
the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights Agent may
countersign such Right Certificates either in its prior name or in its changed
name; and in all such cases such


                                     -53-
<PAGE>
 
Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates
and in this Agreement.

     Section 20.  Duties of Rights Agent.  The Rights Agent undertakes the
duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and
conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Right Certificates,
by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:

     (a)  The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel satisfactory to it
(who may be legal counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel
shall be full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent and
the Rights Agent shall incur no liability or responsibility to the Company or to
any holder of any Right Certificate in respect of any action taken or omitted by
it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.

     (b)  Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the
Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter be
proved or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering or omitting
action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof
be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and
established by a certificate signed by any one of the Chairman of the Board, the
Chief Executive Officer, any Vice Chairman, the President, any Vice President,
the Treasurer or the Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Rights Agent;
and such certificate shall be full authorization to the Rights Agent


                                     -54-
<PAGE>
 
for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it under the provisions of
this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.

     (c)  The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder to the Company only for,
and shall indemnify and hold harmless the Company from and against, any and all
losses, liabilities, costs, damages and expenses (including attorneys' fees)
arising out of or in connection with, the Rights Agent's negligence, bad faith
or willful misconduct.

     (d)  The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of the
statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Right
Certificates (except its countersignature thereof) or be required to verify the
same, but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been
made by the Company only.

     (e)  The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in respect of
the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the
due execution hereof by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity or
execution of any Right Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor
shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or
condition contained in this Agreement or in any Right Certificate; nor shall it
be responsible for any change in the exercisability of the Rights (including the
Rights becoming void pursuant to Section 7(e) hereof) or any adjustment in the
terms of the Rights (including the manner, method or amount thereof) provided
for in Section 3, 11, 13, 23 or 24, or the ascertaining


                                     -55-
<PAGE>
 
of the existence of facts that would require any such change or adjustment
(except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Right Certificates
after receipt of a certificate furnished pursuant to Section 12 describing a
change or adjustment); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any
representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any
Preferred Shares or Common Shares to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any
Right Certificate or as to whether any Preferred Shares or Common Shares will,
when issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

     (f)  The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and
deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such
further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required
by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights Agent of
the provisions of this Agreement.

     (g)  The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept
instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from any
one of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, any Vice
Chairman, the President, any Vice President, the Secretary or the Treasurer of
the Company, and to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in
connection with its duties, and it shall not be liable for any action taken or
suffered by it in good faith in accordance with instructions of any such officer
or for any delay in acting while waiting for those instructions.  Any
application by the Rights Agent for


                                     -56-
<PAGE>
 
written instructions from the Company may, at the option of the Rights Agent,
set forth in writing any action proposed to be taken or omitted by the Rights
Agent under this Rights Agreement and the date on and/or after which such action
shall be taken or such omission shall be effective.  The Rights Agent shall not
be liable for any action taken by, or omission of, the Rights Agent in
accordance with a proposal included in any such application on or after the date
specified in such application (which date shall not be less than five Business
Days after the date such application is given, unless any such officer shall
have consented in writing to an earlier date) unless, prior to taking any such
action (or the effective date in the case of an omission), the Rights Agent
shall have received written instructions in response to such application
specifying the action to be taken or omitted.

     (h) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or employee of
the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other securities
of the Company or its Subsidiaries or become pecuniarily interested in any
transaction in which the Company or its Subsidiaries may be interested, or
contract with or lend money to the Company or its Subsidiaries or otherwise act
as fully and freely as though it were not Rights Agent under this Agreement.
Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting in any other capacity
for the Company or its Subsidiaries or for any other legal entity.


                                     -57-
<PAGE>
 
     (i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers
hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or through
its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or
accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or
agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such act, default,
neglect or misconduct, provided reasonable care was exercised in the selection
and continued employment thereof.

     (j) If, with respect to any Rights Certificate surrendered to the Rights
Agent for exercise, transfer, split-up, combination or exchange, the certificate
attached to the form of assignment or form of election to purchase, as the case
may be, has either not been completed or indicates an affirmative response to
clause 1 and/or 2 thereof, the Rights Agent shall not take any further action
with respect to such requested exercise,  transfer, split-up, combination or
exchange without first consulting with the Company.

     (k) The Rights Agent shall not be under any duty or responsibility to
insure compliance with any applicable federal or state securities laws in
connection with the issuance, transfer or exchange of Right Certificates.

     (l) The Rights Agent shall be under no obligation to institute any action,
suit or legal proceeding or to take any other action likely to involve expense
unless the Company or one or more holders of Right Certificates shall furnish
the Rights


                                     -58-
<PAGE>
 
Agent with security and indemnity to its satisfaction for any costs and expenses
which may be incurred.

     (m) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for failure to perform any duties
except as specifically set forth herein and no implied covenants or obligations
shall be read into this Agreement against the Rights Agent whose duties and
obligations are ministerial and shall be determined solely by the express
provisions hereof.

     Section 21.  Change of Rights Agent.  The Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement
upon 30 days' notice in writing mailed to the Company and to each transfer agent
of the Common Shares or Preferred Shares by registered or certified mail, and to
the holders of the Right Certificates by first-class mail.  The Company may
remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon 30 days' notice in
writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may
be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Shares or Preferred Shares by
registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the Right Certificates by
first-class mail.  If the Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or shall
otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint a successor to
the Rights Agent.  If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a
period of 30 days after giving notice of such removal or after it has been
notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or
incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder


                                     -59-
<PAGE>
 
of a Right Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his Right
Certificate for inspection by the Company), then the registered holder of any
Right Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the
appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed
by the Company or by such a court, shall be a corporation or bank organized and
doing business under the laws of the United States or of any other state of the
United States, which is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust
or stock transfer powers and is subject to supervision or examination by federal
or state authority and which has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent
a combined capital and surplus of at least $100 million.  After appointment, the
successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers, rights, duties and
responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights Agent without
further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer
to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and
execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for
the purpose.  Not later than the effective date of any such appointment the
Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent
and each transfer agent of the Common Shares or Preferred Shares, and mail a
notice thereof in writing to the registered holders of the Right Certificates.
Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 21, however, or any
defect therein, shall not affect the legality or

                                     -60-


<PAGE>
 
validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of
the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.

     Section 22.  Issuance of New Right Certificates.  Notwithstanding any of
the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Company
may, at its option, issue new Right Certificates evidencing Rights in such form
as may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any adjustment or change
in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of shares or other
securities or property purchasable under the Right Certificates made in
accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.

     Section 23.  Redemption.

     (a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time
prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, redeem all but not
less than all the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $.01 per
Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or
similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such redemption price being
hereinafter referred to as the "Redemption Price").  The redemption of the
Rights by the Board of Directors may be made effective at such time on such
basis and with such conditions as the Board of Directors in its sole discretion
may establish.  If redemption of the Rights is to be effective as of a future
date, the Rights shall continue to be exercisable, subject to Section 7 hereof,
until the effective date of the redemption, provided that nothing contained
herein shall preclude

                                     -61-


<PAGE>
 
the Board of Directors from subsequently causing the Rights to be redeemed at a
date earlier than the previously scheduled effective date of the redemption.
The Company may, at its option, pay the Redemption Price in cash, Common Shares
(based on the current per share market price of the Common Shares at the time of
redemption) or any other form of consideration deemed appropriate by the Board
of Directors.

     (b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company
ordering the redemption of the Rights (or at the effective time of such
redemption established by the Board of Directors of the Company pursuant to
paragraph (a) of this Section 23), and without any further action and without
any notice, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right
thereafter of the holders of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price.
The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such redemption; provided,
however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, any such notice shall not
affect the validity of such redemption.  Within 10 days after such action of the
Board of Directors ordering the redemption of the Rights or, if later, the
effectiveness of the redemption of the Rights pursuant to the last sentence of
paragraph (a), the Company shall mail a notice of redemption to all the holders
of the then outstanding Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon the
registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on the
registry books of the transfer agent for the Common Shares.  Any notice which is
mailed in the

                                     -62-


<PAGE>
 
manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives
the notice.  Each such notice of redemption will state the method by which the
payment of the Redemption Price will be made.  The Company may, at its option,
discharge all of its obligations with respect to the Rights by (i) issuing a
press release announcing the manner of redemption of the Rights, (ii) depositing
with a bank or trust company having a capital and surplus of at least
$100,000,000, funds necessary for such redemption, in trust, to be applied to
the redemption of the Rights so called for redemption and (iii) arranging for
the mailing of the Redemption Price to the registered holders of the Rights;
then, and upon such action, all outstanding Rights Certificates shall be null
and void without further action by the Company.  Neither the Company nor any of
its Affiliates or Associates may redeem, acquire or purchase for value any
Rights at any time in any manner other than that specifically set forth in this
Section 23, in Section 24 hereof, or in connection with the purchase of Common
Shares prior to the Distribution Date.

     Section 24.  Exchange.  (a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at
its option, at any time after a Triggering Event, exchange all or part of the
then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that
have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof) for Common
Shares at an exchange ratio of one Common Share per Right, appropriately
adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction
occurring after the date hereof (such

                                     -63-


<PAGE>
 
exchange ratio being hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange Ratio").
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors shall not be empowered to
effect such exchange at any time after any Person (other than the Company, any
Affiliate of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any such
Affiliate, or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of
any such plan), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person,
becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the Common Shares then
outstanding.

     (b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the Company
ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of this Section 24
and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise
such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder of such
Rights shall be to receive that number of Common Shares equal to the number of
such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio.  The Company
shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange; provided, however, that
the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the validity
of such exchange.  The Company promptly shall mail a notice of any such exchange
to all of the holders of such Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon
the registry books of the Rights Agent.  Any notice which is mailed in the
manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives
the notice.  Each such notice of exchange will state the method by which the
exchange of the Common Shares for Rights will be

                                     -64-


<PAGE>
 
effected and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights which
will be exchanged.  Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the
number of Rights (other than Rights which have become void pursuant to the
provisions of Section 7(e) hereof) held by each holder of Rights.

     (c) In any exchange pursuant to this Section 24, the Company, at its
option, may substitute Preferred Shares (or equivalent preferred shares, as such
term is defined in Section 11(b) hereof) for Common Shares exchangeable for
Rights, at the initial rate of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share (or
equivalent preferred share) for each Common Share, as appropriately adjusted to
reflect adjustments in the voting rights of the Preferred Shares pursuant to the
terms thereof, so that the fraction of a Preferred Share delivered in lieu of
each Common Share shall have the same voting rights as one Common Share.

     (d) In the event that there shall not be sufficient Common Shares or
Preferred Shares issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit
any exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with this Section 24, the
Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to authorize additional
Common Shares or Preferred Shares for issuance upon exchange of the Rights.

     (e) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Common Shares
or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional Common Shares.  In lieu
of such fractional Common

                                     -65-


<PAGE>
 
Shares, the Company shall pay to the registered holders of the Right
Certificates with regard to which such fractional Common Shares would otherwise
be issuable an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market
value of a whole Common Share.  For the purposes of this paragraph (e), the
current market value of a whole Common Share shall be the closing price of a
Common Share (as determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section 11(d)(i)
hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of exchange pursuant
to this Section 24.

     Section 25.  Notice of Certain Events.

     (a) In case the Company shall propose at any time after the Distribution
Date (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the holders of its
Preferred Shares or to make any other distribution to the holders of its
Preferred Shares (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend), (ii) to offer
to the holders of its Preferred Shares rights or warrants to subscribe for or to
purchase any additional Preferred Shares or shares of stock of any class or any
other securities, rights or options, (iii) to effect any reclassification of its
Preferred Shares (other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision
of outstanding Preferred Shares), (iv) to effect any consolidation or merger
into or with, or to effect any sale or other transfer (or to permit one or more
of its Subsidiaries to effect any sale or other transfer), in one or more
transactions, of 50% or more of the assets or earning power of the Company and
its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to, any other Person, (v) to effect the

                                     -66-
<PAGE>
 
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, or (vi) to declare or pay
any dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or to effect a
subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by
reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Shares),
then, in each such case, the Company shall give to each holder of a Right
Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such proposed
action, which shall specify the record date for the purposes of such stock
dividend, or distribution of rights or warrants, or the date on which such
reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, liquidation,
dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date of participation
therein by the holders of the Common Shares and/or Preferred Shares, if any such
date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any action
covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least 10 days prior to the record date
for determining holders of the Preferred Shares for purposes of such action, and
in the case of any such other action, at least 10 days prior to the date of the
taking of such proposed action or the date of participation therein by the
holders of the Common Shares and/or Preferred Shares, whichever shall be the
earlier.

     (b) In case any of the events set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall
occur, then the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each
holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of
the occurrence of such event, which notice shall describe such

                                     -67-
<PAGE>
 
event and the consequences of such event to holders of Rights under Section
11(a)(ii) hereof.

     Section 26.  Notices.  Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to
be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Right Certificate
to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class
mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with
the Rights Agent) as follows:

               Santa Fe Pacific Corporation
               1700 East Golf Road
               Schaumburg, Illinois 60173
               Attention:  Corporate Secretary

Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or demand authorized
by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any
Right Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made
if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address
is filed in writing with the Company) as follows:

               First Chicago Trust Company of New York
               Tenders & Exchanges
               Suite 4660
               P.O. Box 2507
               Jersey City, New Jersey 07303-2507
               Attention:  Joanne Gorostiola
                           Assistant Vice President

Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Right Certificate shall be
sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid,
addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the registry
books of the

                                     -68-
<PAGE>
 
Company.  Notices or demands sent by mail shall be deemed given or made three
business days after the date they are sent.

     Section 27.  Supplements and Amendments.  The Company may from time to time
supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any holders of Right
Certificates in order to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any
provision contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other
provisions herein, or to make any other provisions with respect to the Rights
which the Company may deem necessary or desirable, any such supplement or
amendment to be evidenced by a writing signed by the Company and the Rights
Agent; provided, however, that from and after such time as any Person becomes an
Acquiring Person, this Agreement shall not be amended in any manner which would
adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights.

     Section 28.  Successors.  All the covenants and provisions of this
Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind
and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.

     Section 29.  Benefits of this Agreement.  Nothing in this Agreement shall
be construed to give to any person or corporation other than the Company, the
Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to
the Distribution Date, the Common Shares) any legal or equitable right, remedy
or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the sole and
exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and

                                     -69-
<PAGE>
 
the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution
Date, the Common Shares).

     Section 30.  Severability.  If any term, provision, covenant or restriction
of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other
authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms,
provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full
force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.

     Section 31.  Governing Law.  This Agreement and each Right Certificate
issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the
State of Delaware and for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of such State applicable to contracts to be made and
performed entirely within such State.

     Section 32.  Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to
be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and
the same instrument.

     Section 33.  Descriptive Headings.  Descriptive headings of the several
Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not
control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.

                                     -70-
<PAGE>
 
     Section 34.  Determinations and Actions by the Board of
Directors.  The Board of Directors of the Company shall have the exclusive power
and authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers
specifically granted to the Board or the Company or as may be necessary or
advisable in the administration of this Agreement, including, without
limitation, the right and power to (i) interpret the provisions of this
Agreement, and (ii) make all determinations deemed necessary or advisable for
the administration of this Agreement (including a determination to redeem or not
redeem the Rights or to amend the Agreement).  All such actions, interpretations
and determinations (including, for purpose of clause (ii) below, all omissions
with respect to the foregoing) which are done or made by the Board in good
faith, shall (i) be final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights
Agent, the holders of the Right Certificates and all other parties, and (ii) not
subject the Board of Directors to any liability to the holders of the Right
Certificates.

                                     -71-
<PAGE>
 
     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed and attested, all as of the day and year first above written.


Attest:                            SANTA FE PACIFIC CORPORATION

   /s/ M.K. Morgan                    /s/ Robert D. Krebs
By:__________________________      By:______________________________
   Title: Corporate Secretary         Title: Chairman, President and
                                             Chief Executive Officer


Attest:                            FIRST CHICAGO TRUST COMPANY
                                     OF NEW YORK

   /s/ Dale R. Granchalek             /s/ D.R. Hollis
By:__________________________      By:______________________________
   Title: Counsel                     Title: Chairman
<PAGE>
 
                                                                   Exhibit A
                                                                   ---------



                                    FORM OF
              CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION, PREFERENCES AND RIGHTS
               OF SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK

                                      of

                         SANTA FE PACIFIC CORPORATION

          Pursuant to Section 151 of the General Corporation Law
of the State of Delaware

          We, Robert D. Krebs, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer,
and Marsha K. Morgan, Corporate Secretary of Santa Fe Pacific Corporation, a
corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the
State of Delaware (the "Corporation"), in accordance with the provisions of
Section 103 thereof, DO HEREBY CERTIFY:

          That pursuant to the authority conferred upon the Board of Directors
by the Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, of the Corporation, the Board
of Directors on November 28, 1994 adopted the following resolution creating a
series of 2,500,000 shares of preferred stock designated as Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock:

          RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority vested in the Board of
Directors of the Corporation in accordance with the provisions of its
Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, a series of preferred stock, par value
$1.00 per share, of the Corporation (such preferred stock being herein referred
to as "Preferred Stock," which term shall include any additional shares of
preferred stock of the same class heretofore or hereafter authorized to be
issued by the Corporation), consisting of 2,500,000 shares is hereby created,
and the voting powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional or
other special rights, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions
thereof, are as follows:

          Section 1.  Designation and Amount.  There shall be a series of
Preferred Stock of the Corporation which shall be designated as "Series A Junior
Participating Preferred Stock," par value $1.00 per share (hereinafter called
"Series A Preferred Stock"), and the number of shares constituting such series
shall be 2,500,000.  Such number of shares may be increased or decreased by
resolution of the Board of Directors and by the filing of a certificate pursuant
to the provisions of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware
stating that such increase or reduction has been so authorized; provided,
however, that no decrease shall reduce the
<PAGE>
 
number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock to a number less than that of the
shares then outstanding plus the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock
issuable upon exercise of outstanding rights, options or warrants or upon
conversion of outstanding securities issued by the Corporation.

          Section 2.  Dividends and Distributions.

          (A) Subject to the prior and superior rights of the holders of any
shares of any series of Preferred Stock ranking prior and superior to the shares
of Series A Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of shares of
Series A Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared
by the Board of Directors out of funds legally available for the purpose,
quarterly dividends payable in cash to holders of record on the last business
day of March, June, September and December in each year (each such date being
referred to herein as a "Quarterly Dividend Payment Date"), commencing on the
first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance of a share or
fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock, in an amount per share (rounded
to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (a) $1.00 or (b) subject to the
provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 100 times the aggregate per
share amount of all cash dividends, and 100 times the aggregate per share amount
(payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends or other distributions other than a
dividend payable in shares of Common Stock (hereinafter defined) or a
subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or
otherwise), declared on the Common Stock, par value $1.00 per share, of the
Corporation (the "Common Stock") since the immediately preceding Quarterly
Dividend Payment Date, or, with respect to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment
Date, since the first issuance of any share or fraction of a share of Series A
Preferred Stock.  In the event the Corporation shall at any time following
December 9, 1994 (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of
Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding Common Stock or (iii) combine the
outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case
the amount to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled
immediately prior to such event under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall
be adjusted by multiplying each such amount by a fraction the numerator of which
is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event
and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.

          (B) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on the
Series A Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (A) above at the time it
declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock (other than a dividend
payable in shares of Common Stock).

                                      -2-
<PAGE>
 
          (C) No dividend or distribution (other than a dividend payable in
shares of Common Stock) shall be paid or payable to the holders of shares of
Common Stock unless, prior thereto, all accrued but unpaid dividends to the date
of such dividend or distribution shall have been paid to the holders of shares
of Series A Preferred Stock.

          (D) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding
shares of Series A Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date next
preceding the date of issue of such shares of Series A Preferred Stock, unless
the date of issue of such shares is prior to the record date for the first
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in which case dividends on such shares shall
begin to accrue from the date of issue of such shares, or unless the date of
issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date
for the determination of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled
to receive a quarterly dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date,
in either of which events such dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative
from such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.  Accrued but unpaid dividends shall
not bear interest.  Dividends paid on the shares of Series A Preferred Stock in
an amount less than the total amount of such dividends at the time accrued and
payable on such shares shall be allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis
among all such shares at the time outstanding.  The Board of Directors may fix a
record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A Preferred
Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend or distribution declared
thereon, which record date shall be no more than 30 days prior to the date fixed
for the payment thereof.

          Section 3. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series A Preferred
Stock shall have the following voting rights:

          (A) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth,
each one one-hundredth of a share of Series A Preferred Stock shall entitle the
holder thereof to one vote on all matters submitted to a vote of the
stockholders of the Corporation.  In the event the Corporation shall at any time
following December 9, 1994 (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in
shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding shares of Common Stock or
(iii) combine the outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then
in each such case the number of votes per share to which holders of shares of
Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event shall be
adjusted by multiplying such number by a fraction the numerator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and
the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.

          (B) Except as otherwise provided herein or by law, the holders of
shares of Series A Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of Common Stock and
any other capital stock of the Corporation having

                                      -3-
<PAGE>
 
general voting rights shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted
to a vote of stockholders of the Corporation.

     (C)  (i)  Whenever, at any time or times, dividends payable on any share or
     shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be in arrears in an amount equal
     to at least six full quarterly dividends (whether or not declared and
     whether or not consecutive), the holders of record of the outstanding
     Preferred Stock shall have the exclusive right, voting separately as a
     single class, to elect two directors of the Corporation at a special
     meeting of stockholders of the Corporation or at the Corporation's next
     annual meeting of stockholders, and at each subsequent annual meeting of
     stockholders, as provided below.  At elections for such directors, the
     holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be entitled to cast one
     vote for each one one-hundredth of a share of Series A Preferred Stock
     held.

          (ii)  Upon the vesting of such right of the holders of the Preferred
     Stock, the maximum authorized number of members of the Board of Directors
     shall automatically be increased by two and the two vacancies so created
     shall be filled by vote of the holders of the outstanding Preferred Stock
     as hereinafter set forth.  A special meeting of the stockholders of the
     Corporation then entitled to vote shall be called by the Chairman or the
     President or the Secretary of the Corporation, if requested in writing by
     the holders of record of not less than 10% of the Preferred Stock then
     outstanding.  At such special meeting, or, if no such special meeting shall
     have been called, then at the next annual meeting of stockholders of the
     Corporation, the holders of the shares of the Preferred Stock shall elect,
     voting as above provided, two directors of the Corporation to fill the
     aforesaid vacancies created by the automatic increase in the number of
     members of the Board of Directors.  At any and all such meetings for such
     election, the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of the
     Preferred Stock shall be necessary to constitute a quorum for such
     election, whether present in person or by proxy, and such two directors
     shall be elected by the vote of at least a plurality of shares held by such
     stockholders present or represented at the meeting.  Any director elected
     by holders of shares of the Preferred Stock pursuant to this Section may be
     removed at any annual or special meeting, by vote of a majority of the
     stockholders voting as a class who elected such director, with or without
     cause.  In case any vacancy shall occur among the directors elected by the
     holders of the Preferred Stock pursuant to this Section, such vacancy may
     be filled by the remaining director so elected, or his successor then in
     office, and the director so elected to fill such vacancy shall serve until
     the next meeting of stockholders for the election of directors.  After the
     holders of the Preferred

                                      -4-
<PAGE>
 
     Stock shall have exercised their right to elect Directors in any default
     period and during the continuance of such period, the number of Directors
     shall not be further increased or decreased except by vote of the holders
     of Preferred Stock as herein provided or pursuant to the rights of any
     equity securities ranking senior to or pari passu with the Series A
     Preferred Stock.

          (iii)  The right of the holders of the Preferred Stock, voting
     separately as a class, to elect two members of the Board of Directors of
     the Corporation as aforesaid shall continue until, and only until, such
     time as all arrears in dividends (whether or not declared) on the Preferred
     Stock shall have been paid or declared and set apart for payment, at which
     time such right shall terminate, except as herein or by law expressly
     provided, subject to revesting in the event of each and every subsequent
     default of the character above-mentioned.  Upon any termination of the
     right of the holders of the shares of the Preferred Stock as a class to
     vote for directors as herein provided, the term of office of all directors
     then in office elected by the holders of Preferred Stock pursuant to this
     Section shall terminate immediately.  Whenever the term of office of the
     directors elected by the holders of the Preferred Stock pursuant to this
     Section shall terminate and the special voting powers vested in the holders
     of the Preferred Stock pursuant to this Section shall have expired, the
     maximum number of members of the Board of Directors of the Corporation
     shall be such number as may be provided for in the By-laws of the
     Corporation irrespective of any increase made pursuant to the provisions of
     this Section.

     (D) Except as set forth herein, holders of Series A Preferred Stock shall
have no special voting rights and their consent shall not be required (except to
the extent they are entitled to vote with holders of Common Stock as set forth
herein) for taking any corporate action.

     Section 4.  Certain Restrictions.

     (A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions
payable on the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in Section 2 are in arrears,
thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions, whether
or not declared, on shares of Series A Preferred Stock outstanding shall have
been paid in full, the Corporation shall not:

          (i) declare or pay dividends on, make any other distributions on, or
     redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of
     stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
     dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock;

                                      -5-


<PAGE>
 
          (ii) declare or pay dividends on or make any other distributions on
     any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon
     liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Preferred Stock,
     except dividends paid ratably on the Series A Preferred Stock and all such
     parity stock on which dividends are payable or in arrears in proportion to
     the total amounts to which the holders of all such shares are then
     entitled;

          (iii)  redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration
     shares of any stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon
     liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Preferred Stock,
     provided that the Corporation may at any time redeem, purchase or otherwise
     acquire shares of any such parity stock in exchange for shares of any stock
     of the Corporation ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon
     dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock; or

          (iv)  purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of
     Series A Preferred Stock, except in accordance with a purchase offer made
     in writing or by publication (as determined by the Board of Directors) to
     all holders of such shares upon such terms as the Board of Directors, after
     consideration of the respective annual dividend rates and other relative
     rights and preferences of the respective series and classes, shall
     determine in good faith will result in fair and equitable treatment among
     the respective series or classes.

     (B) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the Corporation to
purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock of the
Corporation unless the Corporation could, under paragraph (A) of this Section,
purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner.

     Section 5.  Reacquired Shares.  Any shares of Series A Preferred Stock
purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner whatsoever
shall be retired and cancelled promptly after the acquisition thereof.  All such
shares shall upon their cancellation become authorized but unissued shares of
Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series of Preferred Stock
to be created by resolution or resolutions of the Board of Directors, subject to
the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth herein.

     Section 6.  Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up.  (A)  Upon any
voluntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, no
distribution shall be made to the holders of shares of stock ranking junior
(either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the
Series A Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series
A Preferred Stock

                                      -6-


<PAGE>
 
shall have received $1.00 per share, plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid
dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the date of
such payment (the "Series A Liquidation Preference").  Following the payment of
the full amount of the Series A Liquidation Preference, no additional
distributions shall be made to the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock
unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall have received
an amount per share (the "Common Adjustment") equal to the quotient obtained by
dividing (i) the Series A Liquidation Preference by (ii) 100 (as appropriately
adjusted as set forth in subparagraph C below to reflect such events as stock
splits, stock dividends and recapitalizations with respect to the Common Stock)
(such number in clause (ii), the "Adjustment Number").  Following the payment of
the full amount of the Series A Liquidation Preference and the Common Adjustment
in respect of all outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock and Common
Stock, respectively, holders of Series A Preferred Stock and holders of shares
of Common Stock shall receive their ratable and proportionate share of the
remaining assets to be distributed in the ratio, on a per share basis, of the
Adjustment Number to 1 with respect to such Preferred Stock and Common Stock, on
a per share basis, respectively.

     (B) In the event, however, that there are not sufficient assets available
to permit payment in full of the Series A Liquidation Preference and the
liquidation preferences of all other series of Preferred Stock, if any, which
rank on a parity with the Series A Preferred Stock, then such remaining assets
shall be distributed ratably to the holders of such parity shares in proportion
to their respective liquidation preferences.

     (C) In the event the Corporation shall at any time following December 9,
1994 (i) declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock,
(ii) subdivide the outstanding shares of Common Stock or (iii) combine the
outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case
the Adjustment Number in effect immediately prior to such event shall be
adjusted by multiplying such Adjustment Number by a fraction the numerator of
which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such
event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that
were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

     Section 7.  Consolidation, Merger, etc.  In case the Corporation shall
enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which
the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock or
securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case the shares of
Series A Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or
changed in an amount per share (subject to the provision for adjustment
hereinafter set forth) equal to 100 times the aggregate amount of stock,
securities, cash and/or any other property (payable

                                      -7-


<PAGE>
 
in kind), as the case may be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock
is changed or exchanged.  In the event the Corporation shall at any time (i)
declare any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, (ii)
subdivide the outstanding Common Stock or (iii) combine the outstanding Common
Stock into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case the amount set
forth in the preceding sentence with respect to the exchange or change of shares
of Series A Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a
fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such
event.

     Section 8.  Redemption.  The shares of a Series A Preferred Stock shall not
be redeemable by the Corporation.  The preceding sentence shall not limit the
ability of the Corporation to purchase or otherwise deal in such shares of stock
to the extent permitted by law.

     Section 9.  Ranking.  The Series A Preferred Stock shall rank junior to all
other series of the Corporation's preferred stock (whether with or without par
value) as to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets, unless the
terms of any such series shall provide otherwise.

     Section 10.  Amendment.  The Certificate of Incorporation of the
Corporation shall not be amended in any manner which would materially alter or
change the powers, preferences or special rights of the Series A Preferred Stock
so as to affect them adversely without the affirmative vote of the holders of a
majority or more of the outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock, voting
separately as a class.

     Section 11.  Fractional Shares.  Series A Preferred Stock may be issued in
fractions of a share which shall entitle the holder, in proportion to such
holder's fractional shares, to exercise voting rights, receive dividends,
participate in distributions and to have the benefit of all other rights of
holders of Series A Preferred Stock.

                                      -8-


<PAGE>
 
     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Santa Fe Pacific Corporation has caused its corporate
seal to be hereunto affixed and this Certificate to be signed by Robert D.
Krebs, its Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, and the same to be
attested by Marsha K. Morgan, its Corporate Secretary, this 29th day of
November, 1994.


                                    SANTA FE PACIFIC CORPORATION



                                    By:_____________________________
                                      Robert D. Krebs 
                                       Chairman, President and
                                       Chief Executive Officer


 
(SEAL)


Attest:


By:____________________________
   Marsha K. Morgan
   Corporate Secretary

                                      -9-


<PAGE>

                                                                       EXHIBIT B
                                                                       ---------


                          [Form of Right Certificate]



Certificate No. R-                            ________ Rights

     NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER DECEMBER 9, 2004 OR EARLIER IF THE RIGHTS EXPIRE
     UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES OR ARE REDEEMED BY THE COMPANY.  THE RIGHTS ARE
     SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF THE COMPANY, AT $.01 PER RIGHT ON
     THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.  UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES,
     RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERM IS DEFINED
     IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS MAY
     BECOME NULL AND VOID.  [THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE ARE OR
     WERE BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY A PERSON WHO WAS OR BECAME AN ACQUIRING PERSON
     OR AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE
     DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT).  ACCORDINGLY, THIS RIGHT CERTIFICATE AND
     THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY BECOME VOID IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES
     SPECIFIED IN SECTION 7(e) OF SUCH AGREEMENT.]/*/

                               Right Certificate
                         Santa Fe Pacific Corporation

     This certifies that __________________________, or registered assigns, is
the registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which
entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of
the Rights Agreement, dated as of November 28, 1994 (the "Rights Agreement"),
between Santa Fe Pacific Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"),
and First Chicago Trust Company of New York, a New York trust company (the
"Rights Agent"), to purchase from the Company at any time after the Distribution
Date (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) and prior to 5:00 p.m.
(Chicago time) on December 9, 2004, or notice of redemption or exchange at the
office of the Rights Agent (or its successors as Rights Agent) designated for
such purpose, one one-hundredth of a fully paid non-assessable share of Series A
Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $1.00 per share (the "Preferred
Shares") of the Company at a purchase price of $50.00 per one one-hundredth of a
share (the "Purchase Price") upon presentation and surrender of this Right
Certificate with the appropriate Form of Election to Purchase and related
Certificate duly executed.  The number of Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate (and the number of shares which may be purchased upon

- ------------------------
/*/  The portion of the legend in brackets shall be inserted only if applicable
     and shall replace the preceding sentence.

<PAGE>
 
exercise thereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price per share set forth
above, are the number and Purchase Price as of November 28, 1994, based on the
Preferred Shares as constituted at such date.  Capitalized terms not defined in
this Right Certificate that are defined in the Rights Agreement shall have the
meanings ascribed to them in the Rights Agreement.

     Upon the occurrence of a Triggering Event, if the Rights evidenced by this
Right Certificate are beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined
in the Rights Agreement), (ii) under certain circumstances specified in the
Rights Agreement, a transferee of any such Acquiring Person, Associate or
Affiliate, or (iii) under certain circumstances specified in the Rights
Agreement, a transferee of a person who, after such transfer, became an
Acquiring Person, or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person, such
Rights shall become null and void and no holder hereof shall have any right with
respect to such Rights from and after the occurrence of any such Triggering
Event.

     As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number and
kind of Preferred Shares or other securities, which may be purchased upon the
exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are subject to
modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events.

     This Right Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and
conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are
hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which
Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights,
limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the
Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Right Certificates, which
limitations of rights include the temporary suspension of the exercisability of
such Rights under certain circumstances specified in such Rights Agreement.
Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the above-mentioned office of the
Rights Agent and are also available upon written request to the Rights Agent.

     This Right Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates, upon
surrender at the principal corporate trust office of the Rights Agent, may be
exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates of like tenor and
date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number
of Preferred Shares as the Rights evidenced by the Right Certificate or Right
Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase.  If this
Right Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to
receive upon surrender hereof another Right Certificate or Right Certificates
for the number of whole Rights not exercised.


                                      -2-

<PAGE>
 
     Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced by
this Certificate may be redeemed by the Company at its option at a redemption
price of $.01 per Right at any time prior to the earlier of the close of
business on (i) the tenth day following the Shares Acquisition Date and (ii) the
Final Expiration Date.

     No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued upon the exercise of any
Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are integral
multiples of one one-hundredth of a Preferred Share, which may at the election
of the Company be evidenced by depository receipts), but in lieu thereof a cash
payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement.

     No holder of this Right Certificate, as such, shall be entitled to vote or
receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of Preferred Shares or
of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the
exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights Agreement or herein
be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights of a
stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or
upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or
withhold consent to any corporate action, or, to receive notice of meetings or
other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in the Rights
Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until
the Right or Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate shall have been
exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.

     This Right Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose
until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.

                                      -3-

<PAGE>
 
     WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company and
its corporate seal.

Dated as of _________ __, 19__

ATTEST:  (SEAL)                                         SANTA FE PACIFIC
CORPORATION


_____________________________                By: _____________________________ 

_____
Name:                                            Name:
Title:                                           Title:


Countersigned:

________________________




By: ___________________________
     Authorized Signature

                                      -4-
<PAGE>
 
                  [Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate]

                               FORM OF ASSIGNMENT

     (To be executed by the registered holder if such holder desires to transfer
     the Right Certificate.)


FOR VALUE RECEIVED _____________________________________________________________
hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto _______________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________
                 (Please print name and address of transferee)

________________________________________________________________________________
this Right Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and
does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint ______________________ Attorney,
to transfer the within Right Certificate on the books of the within-named
Company, with full power of substitution.

Date:  __________________, 19___

                                                _______________________________
                                                Signature


Signature Guaranteed:

                                  CERTIFICATE

     The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:

     (1)                               this Right Certificate [ ] is [ ] is not 
     being sold, assigned and transferred by or on behalf of a Person who is or
     was an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring
     Person (as such terms are defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement)

     (2)                                      after due inquiry and to the best 
     knowledge of the undersigned, it [ ] did [ ] did not acquire the Rights
     evidenced by this Right Certificate from any Person who is, was or
     subsequently became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an
     Acquiring Person.

Dated:  _____________, 19___                 __________________________________ 
                                             Signature
<PAGE>
 
                                     NOTICE

          The signature to the foregoing Assignment and Certificate must
correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Right Certificate in
every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
<PAGE>
 
                         FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
                         ----------------------------

                     (To be executed if holder desires to
                      exercise Rights represented by the
                              Right Certificate.)

To:  SANTA FE PACIFIC CORPORATION

     The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise ______ Rights
represented by this Right Certificate to purchase the Preferred Shares issuable
upon the exercise of the Rights (or such other securities of the Company or of
any other person which may be issuable upon the exercise of the Rights) and
requests that certificates for such shares be issued in the name of:

Please insert social security
or other identifying number:____________________________________

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        (Please print name and address)

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

     If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this
Right Certificate, a new Right Certificate for the balance of such Rights shall
be registered in the name of and delivered to:

Please insert social security
or other identifying number:____________________________________

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        (Please print name and address)

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dated:  __________________, 19___                  _____________________________
                                                              Signature

Signature Guaranteed:

                                  CERTIFICATE
                                  -----------

     The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:

     (1) the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate [ ] are  [ ] are not
being exercised by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or
an Affiliate or Associate of any such


<PAGE>
 
Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined pursuant to the Rights Agreement);

     (2) after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, it [ ]
did [ ] did not acquire the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate from any
Person who is, was or became an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of
an Acquiring Person.

Dated:  ____________, 19___         ______________________________
                                             Signature


                                    NOTICE
                                    ------

     The signature to the foregoing Election to Purchase and Certificate must
correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Right Certificate in
every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.

                                      -2-
<PAGE>
 
                                                                      Exhibit C
                                                                      ---------


          UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, AS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT,
          RIGHTS OWNED BY OR TRANSFERRED TO ANY PERSON WHO IS OR BECOMES AN
          ACQUIRING PERSON (AS DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND CERTAIN
          TRANSFEREES THEREOF WILL BECOME NULL AND VOID AND WILL NO LONGER BE
          TRANSFERABLE


                             SUMMARY OF RIGHTS PLAN
                             ----------------------


     On November 28, 1994, the Board of Directors of Santa Fe Pacific
Corporation (the "Company") declared a dividend distribution of one Right for
each outstanding share of common stock, par value $1.00 per share (the "Common
Stock"), of the Company to stockholders of record at the close of business on
December 9, 1994 (the "Record Date").  Except as described below, each Right,
when exercisable, entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company
one one-hundredth of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock,
par value $1.00 per share (the "Preferred Stock"), at a price of $50.00 per one
one-hundredth share (the "Purchase Price"), subject to adjustment.  The
description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement (the
"Rights Agreement") between the Company and First Chicago Trust Company of New
York, as Rights Agent.

     Initially, the Rights will be attached to all Common Stock certificates
representing shares then outstanding, and no separate Right certificates will be
distributed.  Until the earlier to occur of (i) 10 days following a public
announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (an
"Acquiring Person") has acquired, or obtained the right to acquire, beneficial
ownership of 10% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (the "Shares
Acquisition Date") or (ii) 15 business days (or such later date as may be
determined by action of the Board of Directors of the Company (the "Board of
Directors") prior to the time that any person becomes an Acquiring Person)
following the commencement of (or a public announcement of an intention to make)
a tender or exchange offer if, upon consummation thereof, such person or group
would be the  beneficial owner of 10% or more of such outstanding shares of
Common Stock (the earlier of such dates being called the "Distribution Date"),
the Rights will be evidenced by the Common Stock certificates together with a
copy of the Summary of Rights Plan and not by separate certificates.

     The Rights Agreement also provides that, until the Distribution Date, the
Rights will be transferred with and only


<PAGE>
 
with the Common Stock.  Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption,
expiration or termination of the Rights), the transfer of any certificates for
Common Stock, with or without a copy of this Summary of Rights Plan, will also
constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Stock
represented by such certificates.  As soon as practicable following the
Distribution Date, separate certificates evidencing the Rights ("Right
Certificates") will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Stock as of the
close of business on the Distribution Date and, thereafter, such separate Right
Certificates alone will evidence the Rights.

     The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and will expire
at the earliest of (i) December 9, 2004 (the "Final Expiration Date"), (ii) the
redemption of the Rights by the Company as described below, (iii) the time
immediately prior to the effectiveness of the merger of the Company with and
into Burlington Northern Inc. pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger dated
as of June 29, 1994, as such Agreement and Plan of Merger may be amended from
time to time, and (iv) the exchange of all Rights for Common Stock as described
below.

     In the event that any person (other than the Company, its affiliates or any
person receiving newly-issued shares of Common Stock directly from the Company)
becomes the beneficial owner of 10% or more of the then outstanding shares of
Common Stock, each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to receive,
upon exercise at the then current exercise price of the Right, Common Stock (or,
in certain circumstances, cash, property or other securities of the Company)
having a value equal to two times the exercise price of the Right.  The Rights
Agreement contains an exemption for any issuance of Common Stock by the Company
directly to any person (for example, in a private placement or an acquisition by
the Company in which Common Stock is used as consideration), even if that person
would become the beneficial owner of 10% or more of the Common Stock, provided
that such person does not acquire any additional shares of Common Stock.

     In the event that, at any time following the Shares Acquisition Date, the
Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction or 50%
or more of the Company's assets or earning power are sold, proper provision will
be made so that each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to
receive, upon exercise at the then current exercise price of the Right, common
stock of the acquiring or surviving company having a value equal to two times
the exercise price of the Right.

     Notwithstanding the foregoing, following the occurrence of any of the
events set forth in the preceding two paragraphs (the "Triggering Events"), any
Rights that are, or (under certain circumstances specified in the Rights
Agreement) were,

                                      -2-
<PAGE>
 
beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person will immediately become null and
void.

     The Purchase Price payable, and the number of shares of Preferred Stock or
other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights, are subject
to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution, among other circumstances,
in the event of a stock dividend on, or a subdivision, split, combination,
consolidation or reclassification of, the Preferred Stock or the Common Stock,
or a reverse split of the outstanding shares of Preferred Stock or the Common
Stock.

     At any time after the acquisition by a person or group of affiliated or
associated persons of beneficial ownership of 10% or more of the outstanding
Common Stock and prior to the acquisition by such person or group of 50% or more
of the outstanding Common Stock, the Board of Directors may exchange the Rights
(other than Rights owned by such person or group, which have become void), in
whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one share of Common Stock per Right
(subject to adjustment).

     With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in
the Purchase Price.  The Company will not be required to issue fractional shares
of Preferred Stock or Common Stock (other than fractions in multiples of one
one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock) and, in lieu thereof, an
adjustment in cash may be made based on the market price of the Preferred Stock
or Common Stock on the last trading date prior to the date of exercise.

     At any time after the date of the Rights Agreement until the time that a
person becomes an Acquiring Person, the Board of Directors may redeem the Rights
in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.01 per Right (the "Redemption
Price"), which may (at the option of the Company) be paid in cash, shares of
Common Stock or other consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of
Directors.  Upon the effectiveness of any action of the Board of Directors
ordering redemption of the Rights, the Rights will terminate and the only right
of the holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price.

     Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right
to vote or to receive dividends.

     The provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the Company,
except that any amendment adopted after the time that a person becomes an
Acquiring Person may not adversely affect the interests of holders of Rights.

                                      -3-
<PAGE>
 
     As of October 19, 1994, there were 187,049,738 shares of Common Stock
outstanding and 27,841,753 shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance under
employee benefit plans.  Each outstanding share of Common Stock on December 9,
1994 will receive one Right. Two million five hundred thousand (2,500,000)
shares of Preferred Stock will be reserved for issuance in the event of exercise
of the Rights.

     The Rights have certain anti-takeover effects.  The Rights will cause
substantial dilution to a person or group that attempts to acquire the Company
without conditioning the offer on the Rights being redeemed or a substantial
number of Rights being acquired, and under certain circumstances the Rights
beneficially owned by such a person or group may become void.  The Rights should
not interfere with any merger or other business combination approved by the
Board of Directors because, if the Rights would become exercisable as a result
of such merger or business combination, the Board of Directors may, at its
option, at any time prior to the time that any Person becomes an Acquiring
Person, redeem all (but not less than all) of the then outstanding Rights at the
Redemption Price.

     A copy of the Rights Agreement is being filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as an exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form 8-A.  This
summary description of the Rights does not purport to be complete and is
qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement.

                                      -4-



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