OVERVIEW:

Abandonments

&

Alternatives to Abandonments

Office of Public Services

Surface Transportation Board

Washington, D.C. 20423

(202) 565-1592

April, 1997
- P R E F A C E -

This handout was prepared by the Surface Transportation Board's (STB) Office of Public

Services (OPS). OPS was created to help the public participate meaningfully in STB proceedings.

As part of that effort, this paper explains the standards and procedures governing

abandonments. It also discusses alternative means of preserving service, including the subsidy and

purchases of lines that might otherwise be abandoned. 

This paper is not an agency statement approved by the STB, but OPS believes it provides a

good overview of these subjects. For readers who want to explore these issues in more detail, OPS

has also prepared an information bulletin entitled "So You Want to Start a Small Railroad, Surface

Transportation Board Small Railroad Application Procedures"

If you want copies of these publications or have questions, please contact OPS at (202) 565-

1592. One of our staff attorneys will be glad to help you.
TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. OVERVIEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

II. ABANDONMENTS ...........................................................4

 A. Steps In The Abandonment Process ............................................5

1. System Diagram Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

2. Notice of Intent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

3. Abandonment Application ...........................................6

4. Protests or Comments To The Proposed Abandonment ....................7

5. Modified Procedure And Oral Hearings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

6. Appeals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

B. Issues In Abandonments ..................................................9

C. Evaluating Railroad Financial Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

III. EXCEPTIONS TO THE ABANDONMENT PROCESS UNDER 49 CFR 1152.50 . . . . . . 14

 A. Class Exemption: Out-of-Service Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

 B. Individual Exemptions under 49 CFR 1152.60 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

IV. ALTERNATIVES TO ABANDONMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

A. Forced Sales and Subsidies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

1. Lines Approved For Abandonment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

2. Purchase of Lines Potentially Subject to Abandonment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

B. Voluntary Sales and Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

1. Class Exemptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

a. Section 10901 Acquisitions

b. Section 11323 Transactions

2. Individual Exemptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

V. LABOR ISSUES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

VI. ALTERNATIVE USES FOR RAIL RIGHTS-OF-WAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

A. Public Use Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

B. Request for Trail Use Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
2

I. OVERVIEW

By the mid-1970's, our nation's rail transportation system was in dire financial condition. 

Rail carriers were faced with increased competition from other modes of transportation (especially

trucking), rising labor, fuel and maintenance expenses, and pervasive regulation that made it

difficult for rail carriers to get rid of unprofitable lines. These conditions had contributed to the

bankruptcy of several prominent rail carriers.

Against this background, Congress enacted a series of new laws, most notably the Staggers

Rail Act of 1980 (Staggers Act). Together with the implementing regulations issued by the

Interstate Commerce Commission, the STB’s predecessor, this legislation sought to increase the

role of the marketplace, rather than government regulation, in shaping rail transportation. In

essence, the Staggers Act gave railroads more flexibility to set prices and adjust service as the

market requires and thus enabled them to act more competitively. At the same time, the necessity

for some regulatory protection was recognized because rail carriers still have significant market

power in particular situations and because rail transportation is sometimes vital to the public. The

current regulatory scheme governing abandonments and acquisitions to preserve service seeks to

balance these competing considerations.

Where the market has spoken clearly and regulation is found to be unnecessary, a rail carrier

may usually abandon a line, subject to appropriate labor protection and environmental conditions. 

Indeed, lines over which no local traffic has moved for two years without any formal complaint have

been exempted from traditional regulatory scrutiny and can be abandoned simply by filing a notice

with the STB. 

Under the more detailed abandonment application process for active lines, the Board

balances the economic burden of continued operation against the public's need for the service. 

Permission usually will be given to abandon lines on which there are significant operating losses. 

On the other hand, the carrier's ability to earn more money by disinvesting from a line and

reinvesting its assets elsewhere usually is not sufficient to allow abandonment in the face of a strong

public need for service.

Although it may be easier for carriers to abandon unprofitable rail lines, it is also now much

easier for States and private parties to preserve rail service. The Feeder Railroad Development
3

Program enables any financially responsible person to force a rail carrier to sell a line that has been

designated for possible abandonment, even though no abandonment application has been filed. 

Similarly, once an abandonment application is filed for a line, financially responsible parties can

offer to subsidize the carrier's service or force the railroad to sell them the line for continued rail

service. To encourage entrepreneurs and the States to operate these lines, the Board has frequently

exempted them from many regulatory requirements. Also, they can often avoid expensive labor

protective conditions.

With this general background, we will first set out the standards and procedures that govern

formal applications to abandon a line (Part II). We will then discuss exemptions, a widely used

alternative to the more detailed abandonment application process (Part III). Several alternative

ways of preserving rail service will be reviewed (Part IV), including the purchase or subsidy of lines

slated for abandonment. The role labor plays in these cases will be examined (Part V). Finally, we

explore alternative means of preserving rail rights-of-way through rail banking (Part VI).

In 1995, Congress enacted the “ICC Termination Act” which abolished the Interstate

Commerce Commission and established the Surface Transportation Board to handle rail

abandonments, inter alia. The new statutory reference is 49 U.S.C. 10903. The new rules are

codified at 49 CFR Parts 1105 and 1152. A quick summary of the changes to 49 CFR 1152, which

became effective on January 23, 1997, is included at Appendix I. The full text of the new rule is at

Appendix IV.
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 II. ABANDONMENTS

Under the ICC Termination Act of 1995 (Act), a railroad may abandon a line only with the

STB's permission. The Board must determine whether the "present or future public convenience and

necessity require or permit" the abandonment. In making this determination, the Board balances

two competing factors. The first is the need of local communities and shippers for continued service. 

That need is balanced against the broader public interest in freeing railroads from financial burdens

that are a drain on their overall financial health and lessen their ability to operate economically

elsewhere.

The railroad first must show how continued operation of the line would be a burden to it. If

it cannot establish this, the abandonment will be denied. However, the railroad does not have to

show an actual operating loss. It may also calculate its "opportunity costs" for the line. These are

the costs of tying up the railroad's assets in the line when those assets could earn more money

elsewhere.

If the railroad does demonstrate a burden, then evidence of the public's need for continued

service is examined. The effect on local businesses, surrounding communities, the local economy,

and the environment may be considered. Parties opposing abandonment should present that

evidence and should also challenge the railroad's financial data.

With this general introduction, we will now address in more detail the steps in the

abandonment process and the kinds of factors and evidence the Board considers in deciding these

cases.
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A. Steps In The Abandonment Process

The Act establishes strict filing and procedural requirements for abandonment applications. 

(49 U.S.C. 10904). The STB has adopted regulations to implement these requirements. These

regulations are found at 49 CFR 1152. 

Once an abandonment application is filed, interested parties have only 45 days to file

protests. Yet, an effective opposition to abandonment requires substantial preparation. The Act,

therefore, also gives communities and shippers advance notice of a railroad's abandonment plans.

1. System Diagram Map

The earliest indication that a railroad intends to abandon a line comes from the carrier's

system diagram map. The Act requires a rail carrier to maintain a map of all its rail lines. A Class

III carrier may choose to prepare a narrative description of its lines instead of a map. On this system

diagram map or in its narrative report, the carrier must identify separately (1) any line for which it

expects to file an abandonment application within the next three years and (2) any line that it

considers to be a potential candidate for abandonment. The Board will reject an abandonment

application if any part includes a line that has not been identified as a category 1 line (abandonment

application planned within 3 years) for at least 60 days before the carrier filed the abandonment

application. A carrier must publish its system diagram map or narrative in a newspaper of general

circulation in each county containing a rail line in category 1, and publish all subsequent changes to

its system diagram map. (The system diagram map rules are found at 49 U.S.C. 10903(c)(2) and 49

CFR 1152.10-13.) 

Thus, the first indication that a railroad intends to abandon a line comes at least 60 days

before the carrier's application is filed. This time should not be wasted. It gives shippers, local and

State governments, and interested citizens an opportunity to meet to weigh possible opposition to

abandonment, and to consider alternative means of continuing rail operations by the current railroad

or another operator. For example, rate and service changes which might permit the railroad to

operate more efficiently or profitably may be negotiated.
6

 A line need not have been listed in category 2 (potentially subject to abandonment) prior to

abandonment, so no weight should be attached to the fact that a line was or was not listed in

category 2.

2. Notice of Intent

In addition to the system diagram map requirement, the STB requires the railroad to file a

"Notice of Intent” to abandon. The railroad must publish this notice once a week for three

consecutive weeks in general circulation newspapers in each country where the line is located, send

it to each of the significant shippers on the line, send it to the State agency responsible for rail

transportation planning, and post it at each agency station and terminal on the line. All these notice

requirements must be fulfilled 15-30 days before the application is filed at the STB.

The complete form and all the information this notice must contain are set out in Section

1152.21 of the regulations. The notice describes when and how to file a protest to the proposed

abandonment. It also explains how to obtain information on possible subsidy or purchase of the line. 

Once the Notice of Intent to abandon is received, shippers, communities, and interested citizens

should organize their activities concerning the abandonment and prepare to present their position to

the STB and the railroad. For help in preparing a Notice of Intent or preparing an opposition to an

abandonment, please contact OPS at (202) 565-1592.

 3. Abandonment Application

The abandonment application must contain detailed information about the costs and

revenues on the line to be abandoned and the overall financial condition of the carrier. (A complete

recitation of what must be in the application is found at 49 CFR 1152.22.) Any interested person

may request a copy of the application from the carrier, and persons planning to participate should

obtain a copy as soon as the application is filed and immediately begin to examine the information

carefully. 

Abandonment applications may contain pages of figures, tables, charts, and graphs, some of

which may be less important than other parts. Opponents should make an effort to verify and, if

appropriate, recalculate and reconcile key figures and totals. Shippers and small communities often

lack the expertise to sort out rail financial data or the money to hire experts to do it for them. State
7

 NOTE: Oral Hearing requests must be filed within 10 days of receipt of the application. The Board must act 1

on those requests within 15 days of the filing of the application. See time line in Appendix I.

rail officials can help in this area and should be contacted for assistance. 

 A railroad may ask the Board to waive certain informational requirements. For example, a

railroad is normally allowed to exclude data concerning overhead or bridge traffic (shipments not

actually originated or terminated on the line sought to be abandoned) if it would retain that traffic by

rerouting it over other routes. However, an opponent who believes relevant information has been

left out, should appeal the waiver explaining why the information is necessary. If the Board agrees,

it will rescind the waiver and require the information.

4. Protests or Comments To The Proposed Abandonment

Once an application is filed, protestants have only 45 days to submit protests. Protests 1

should attempt to quantify the harm to shippers and the community and explain each protestant's

interest in continued service. If possible, they should also try to critically evaluate the railroad's

financial evidence. Section 1151.25(a) of the regulations lists all the information that should be in

the protest.

 All larger shippers and every community on the line should submit statements describing in

detail their use of the line and the impact a loss of rail service will have on their operations and area. 

Opposition from elected officials from both the local and national level is also very helpful.

 Shippers should submit car loading data and estimates of future use -- the best are showings

of projected increased traffic. They should also point out any defects in the carrier's cost data. 

Communities and shippers should make every effort to quantify the harm from abandonment.

Protestants should describe their interest in the proceeding in as much detail as possible. For

instance, if the line sought to be abandoned is used for grain shipments and the protestant is a grain

producer, the statement should at least specify the number of years in farming, the farm's size, the

amount of grain produced and shipped by rail, the number of people employed directly on the farm,

the availability of alternative (whether rail, truck or barge) transportation, the cost of alternative

transportation compared to the cost of using this line, and any other factors believed to be relevant. 

In addition, protestants should present any evidence they may have developed that contradicts the

revenue and cost evidence the railroad has submitted. Always use specific numbers, facts and
8

figures when possible, and explain where the information comes from or how it was developed. Cost

and revenue information is usually critical. Remember: If it is shown that the line is not a financial

burden to the railroad, abandonment will be denied. 

Again, protests and comments to the proposed abandonment must be received at the STB

within 45 days after the filing of the application. An original and 10 copies of each comment or

protest must be filed with the Board. A copy must be mailed to the applicant railroad, and each

copy must contain a "Certificate of Service" (a statement that the railroad was mailed a copy of the

comment or protest). No set "form" exists for a protest and many letter protests are received. 

However, the more detailed a protest is, the more weight it will receive.

5. Modified Procedure And Oral Hearings

The Board will either set the proceeding for an oral hearing or, more often, what is called

"modified procedure". (In the years 1990 and 1991, 8 of the 27 abandonment applications filed

resulted in an oral hearing. During its first year in existence the STB held no oral hearings.) 

Modified procedure means that no oral hearing is held, and all evidence is filed in writing. Oral

hearings are for the primary purpose of cross examining witnesses who have filed verified statements

in the proceeding. See 49 CFR 1152.25(a). With this in mind, requests for oral hearing should

specify any factual matters which are likely to be disputed and require cross-examination.

Regardless of whether modified procedure or oral hearing is used, the core of both the

railroad's and protestant's case will come in the form of written evidence. 

After receiving the protests and the carrier’s reply, the Board must issue its decision within

110 days after the application is filed.
9

 6. Appeals

 If a party is dissatisfied with a Director’s decision, it may ask the STB to reconsider the

matter. Director’s decisions are made during certain stages of the proceeding. For example, the

Director of the Office of Proceedings makes the determination whether or not an Offer of Financial

Assistance is bona fide. See 49 CFR 1152.25(e) for other decisions made by the Director.

A party that is dissatisfied with a decision of the full Board may seek judicial review of the

STB's decision by filing a petition for review in the appropriate United States Court of Appeals. 

In situations where the abandonment application was protested a dissatisfied party may ask

the STB to reopen the case if it can show material error, new evidence, or substantially changed

circumstances. In an unprotested case, the only recourse for a dissatisfied party is if it can show that

the carrier's abandonment application was defective (for failure to provide the required notices, for

example) in which case it can ask the Board to vacate the abandonment certificate.

B. Issues In Abandonments

We will now discuss the important issues in rail abandonments and the factors the Board

weighs in deciding these cases.

As explained earlier, the standard used in deciding abandonment cases is whether the

railroad's burden of continued service outweighs the public's current and future need for the service.

The railroad first must establish that it is indeed suffering a loss or burden from the line. If

it fails to prove this, the abandonment will be denied. However, the railroad does not have to

demonstrate an "operating" loss. The Board also considers the annual "opportunity costs" of owning

and operating the line. This is the cost of tying up the railroad's assets in track, land, and materials

on the line, rather than putting those assets to other, more profitable uses. It is calculated by

multiplying the carrier's investment in the line (including the net liquidation value of the track and

land) by an appropriate annual rate of return. Where there is evidence of public need, the Board

may refuse to grant abandonment based only on opportunity cost losses. If the railroad does show a

loss or burden, then the protestants' evidence of public need is examined.
10

The statute specifically directs the STB to consider whether the abandonment "will have a

serious, adverse impact on rural and community development." 49 U.S.C. 10903(d). Protestants

can address this factor through evidence showing the economic impact abandonment would have on

the area. This can be done by computing (1) markets that would be lost without rail service, (2) the

number of business failures or relocations and lost jobs that would result from abandonment, and (3)

the number of current or future ventures (such as industrial parks) that depend upon continued rail

service. Likely sponsors of this type of testimony would be shippers (using data from their own

business, industry, or farm), development experts from local or state governments, elected or

appointed officials, and Chamber of Commerce representatives. In sparsely populated areas, for

example, discontinuance of rail service may cause a significant loss of jobs and reduce the tax base

upon which the community depends to support its local school system and other important public

services.

A critical factor in assessing the impact of abandonment on a rail shipper's farm or business

is the possible transportation alternatives available after abandonment. If shippers have already

switched to truck transportation for part of their traffic, then truck transportation may be a suitable

alternative for all their traffic. Yet, truck rates may be higher than rail rates, bringing into question

whether the business can survive with higher transportation costs. Also, sufficient trucks may not be

available in the area to handle the increased traffic, or the local road system may not be capable of

handling the increased wear and tear of truck transportation. These issues need to be fully explored

and developed by protestants. This is another area where State transportation specialists can provide

shippers and local communities with invaluable assistance.

Local shippers also should be able to present testimony concerning past and future use of the

rail line. Reasons for the low levels of past rail shipments, such as sporadic business fluctuations,

drought or other local disaster, should be explained. If shippers are expecting increased rail

shipments, based on sound and defensible business forecasts, this should be documented.

Besides the economic impact of the proposed abandonment, protestants may also point out

any effect that the abandonment would have on the environment. For example, increased use of

alternative modes of transportation, such as trucks, might adversely affect noise levels in congested

areas or pose safety problems. The environmental consequences of abandonment are assessed by the

STB's Section of Energy and Environment (SEE). For more information about environmental issues
11

you can contact SEE at (202) 565-1538. Also see the STB's regulations at 49 CFR 1105.

. The balancing test the Board employs to decide abandonments has factors on both sides of

the equation. To be successful, protestants should not only present the harm that they will suffer

from abandonment, but they should also attempt to discredit the railroad's evidence of losses or

burden from operating the line.

C. Evaluating Railroad Financial Data

Nobody opposing an abandonment can afford to ignore the railroad's financial data. The

railroad must show it is incurring a loss or a burden. The railroad will attempt to show that (1) it is

not receiving, and cannot reasonably expect in the future to earn, sufficient revenues from the line;

and/or (2) it expects to face significant costs on the line in the future that it will not be able to

recover. Normally, the past revenue generated by the line can be determined fairly accurately based

on carrier and shipper records. Other data are subject to interpretation by the parties, however. 

These include: (1) projecting the revenues for the line; (2) isolating the historical expenses of

operating and maintaining the line, and projecting future operating, maintenance and rehabilitation

expenses; and (3) calculating the opportunity costs of operating the line.

Protestants who can critically evaluate this data will have a better chance of success. The

assistance of a CPA or rail cost analyst is useful and can be critical. Even if there is insufficient time

or money to analyze the financial data thoroughly, there are a number of key issues that should be

examined.

Railroads are required to include in their abandonment applications projections of their

revenues and costs on the line for a "forecast year" --the 12-month period beginning the first day of

the month the application is filed. To project future revenues and costs, the railroad must necessarily

make assumptions. Those assumptions should be evaluated critically. Nobody can predict the

future with certainty, and in many instances the protestants may be in as good or better position than

the railroad to make accurate predictions. For example, a substantial component of revenues

usually consists of the number of shipments originating or terminating on the line. Shippers on the

line presumably know their own businesses and future transportation needs and may be able to

dispute the railroad's projections of future traffic. Wherever possible, protestants should provide

specific facts and figures to support their own projections.
12

Of course, projections as to the future usually are based upon prior experience. Thus, the

railroad's historical data should also be examined. Again, there are some issues that can be explored

even if a rail cost analyst or other expert is not available.

First, confirm that all the data are from the relevant periods. Historical cost and revenue

data must be submitted for a so-called "base year." The base year is the most recent 12 month

period for which data have been collected at the branch level, ending no earlier than 6 months prior

to the filing of the application. 

Second, be alert to circumstances that may make the historical data unrepresentative. For

example, was the carrier's ability to meet requests for service impaired by a shortage of rail cars? Or

was there a recession or drought that resulted in lower, unrepresentative traffic volumes and

revenues?

Third, confirm that actual costs and revenues are used where required by the regulations. 

Maintenance-of-way expenses usually cannot be estimated by prorating expenses from a larger

section of track; actual expenses incurred on the line sought to be abandoned are normally required. 

Similarly, depreciation of equipment, the return on investment for locomotives, and fuel costs must

be based upon the type of locomotive and freight cars actually used on the line. The use of summary

data based upon "Road" and "Yard" categories is generally unacceptable, because it tends to

overstate costs when, as is often the case, a local or way train serves the branch line.

Fourth, if there are high rehabilitation or deferred maintenance costs, a qualified individual

should examine the railroad's work papers and physically inspect the properties. It may be possible

to further defer maintenance-of-way expenses for yet another year, taking those costs out of the

forecast year. Usually only those rehabilitation costs necessary to meet Federal Railroad

Administration minimum class I standards are allowed. As a rule of thumb, rehabilitation costs and

maintenance-of-way expenses vary inversely. That is, if rehabilitation costs are high, then

maintenance-of-way costs should be low.

Fifth, as with the actual and projected revenue and cost information, the railroad's claimed

opportunity costs should also be examined thoroughly by an analyst. Even if this is not possible,

several key components of opportunity costs can be examined.

For example, land values are usually an important factor in calculating opportunity costs. 

Protestants should check with the Register of Deeds to make sure the land included in the railroad's
13

calculations is and would still be owned by the railroad in the event of an abandonment. In some

cases, ownership of the land reverts automatically to adjoining landholders. In addition, local

bankers and real estate agents can supply accurate information on land values that may contradict

the railroad's estimate of the value of its land holdings. Protestants should also (1) verify the tons of

track material that will result from salvaging the line; (2) obtain an estimate of the scrap value in

dollars per ton, and (3) see whether the cost of dismantling the track was deducted from the

railroad's estimated sales proceeds.

It should be noted that a carrier may either calculate its own (pre-tax) cost of capital or use

the industry-wide (pre-tax) cost of capital figure that is determined annually by the STB. To obtain

the Board's latest cost of capital determination call the STB's Section of Costing and Financial

Information at (202)565-1533.

Finally, the railroad's projected gains or losses on its rail assets should be examined. Local

real estate agents or brokers can check projections of changes in value for land, and the railroad's

projections can also be compared to the index price series for historical sales of rail assets

maintained by the Board. The railroad must justify departures from these trends.
14

III. EXCEPTIONS TO THE ABANDONMENT PROCESS

 UNDER 49 CFR 1152.50

The STB's power to exempt rail lines from the normal abandonment procedures is found in

the ICC Termination Act, 49 U.S.C. 10502. Section 10502 gives the Board a broad grant of

authority to exempt carriers, services and transactions from almost any and all kinds of STB

regulation. The Board must exempt a carrier, service or transaction from regulation if it finds (1)

that continued regulation is unnecessary to carry out the national rail transportation policy of 49

U.S.C. 10101, and (2) that either the transaction or service is of limited scope or application of the

regulatory scheme is unnecessary to protect shippers from an abuse of market power. Congress

clearly contemplated that the STB would use this general exemption power broadly. The legislative

history reflects Congress' desire that the Board actively exempt railroads from unnecessary

regulation, particularly regulations restricting changes in rates and services. But Congress also

provided the Board with authority to revoke exemptions that it has issued if and when the Board

finds that its regulation is indeed necessary.

The STB and the ICC before it have both used broad exemption authority to facilitate the

abandonment of lines where it believes that closer regulatory scrutiny is unnecessary, through both

class exemptions and individual line exemptions. As a class, the Board has exempted the

abandonment of lines over which no local traffic has moved for at least 2 years without formal

complaint about a lack of service. Where a line has generated traffic within the last 2 years, the

railroad may seek to persuade the STB that an exemption is nevertheless appropriate for that

individual line. 

These exemptions are widely used.
15

 A. Class Exemption: Out-of-Service Lines

To invoke the class exemption for out-of-service lines, a carrier must file a notice at the

Board certifying that (1) no local traffic has moved on the line for the past 2 years; (2) any overhead

traffic that has moved over the line can be rerouted over other lines; and (3) no formal complaint

about a lack of service is pending or has been decided in favor of the shipper.

Unlike the traditional application process, no Notice of Intent to abandon or system diagram

map or narrative notice is required. However, 10 days before filing the exemption notice with the

Board, the railroad must notify the affected State's Public Service Board or equivalent agency of its

intention to do so. The railroad must also send an advance environmental notice to the State, in

accordance with STB regulation 49 CFR 1105.11. 

The STB will publish the exemption notice in the Federal Register within 20 days after it is

filed. Thirty (30) days after the Federal Register notice, the railroad may abandon the line, unless

the Board stays the exemption.

Stay requests that raise transportation concerns must be filed within 10 days after the

exemption notice is published in the Federal Register. Stay requests based on environmental or

historic preservation concerns may be filed at any time but must be file sufficiently in advance of the

effective date for the Board to consider and act on the petition before the notice becomes effective. 

Offers to subsidize or purchase the line must be filed within 30 days after the Federal Register

publication. 

In addition, parties may ask the Board to reject the notice or reconsider the exemption as it

applies to a particular line. Petitions to reject or reconsider may be filed within 20 days after the

Federal Register notice. After the exemption takes effect, parties may ask the STB to revoke the

exemption. Petitions to revoke may be filed at any time.

The STB will reject the notice if the information contained in the request is false or

misleading. Therefore, if local traffic has moved on the line within the last 2 years, the exemption

will be rejected. 

 Although environmental concerns, public need for continued service, and other issues can be

raised in a petition to reconsider or revoke, the Board will disallow the exemption only in
16

extraordinary cases. 

If use of the class exemption is disallowed for a line, the railroad is still free to apply for

abandonment of the line under the regular application procedures discussed above (or seek an

individual exemption under the procedures discussed below). The complete regulations applying to

this class exemption are found at 49 CFR 1152.50. Also see the attached STB Timetable for class

exemption proceedings at Appendix II.. 

B. Individual Exemptions under 49 CFR 1152.60

As with the out-of-service lines exemption, no Notice of Intent to abandon or system diagram

map or narrative notice is required when a request for an individual exemption is filed. The only

notice a railroad must give before filing an individual exemption request is an environmental notice

to the designated State agency in each state where abandonment is proposed. To obtain the name

and address of the designated agency in your State call the Board's Section of Energy and

Environment at (202) 565-1538.

The Board must publish notice of the proposed exemption in the Federal Register 20 days

after it is filed. No further public notice is given even if the petition is denied. Carriers frequently

will serve a copy of their petition on any shippers on the line but are not required to give notice when

the petition is granted or denied. Interested persons can be notified individually by the Board, if they

ask that their names be placed on the Board’s service list in a particular case. Parties of record

(applicants and protestants) are placed on the service list automatically, but other interested persons

should notify the Board’s Office of the Secretary, 1925 K Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20423 of

their desire to be served with copies of all decisions in a particular case.

A petition for an exemption generally will include only a brief description of the relevant

facts. It need not be, and typically is not, accompanied by detailed financial or other information. 

Persons opposing an exemption must file an opposition within 20 days after publication of

the Federal Register notice. Offers to purchase or subsidize the line must be filed 120 days after the

filing of the petition or exemption or 10 days after the service of the Board’s decision granting the

exemption, whichever occurs sooner. To receive a copy of that decision, you must have notified the

Office of the Secretary of your interest in the case and have asked to be put on the service list as

instructed, supra.
17

Petitions to stay the effective date of the decision may be filed in either “Petition” (Individual

exemption) or “Notice” (class exemption cases). It should be noted that administrative agencies,

like the Courts, have developed firm criteria for staying administrative action. To justify a stay, a

petitioner must demonstrate that: 

(1) there is a strong, and the emphasis is on strong, likelihood that it will prevail on the 

 merits;

(2) it will suffer irreparable harm in the absence of a stay;

(3) other interested parties will not be substantially harmed by the issuance of a stay; and

(4) the public interest supports the granting of the stay.

The Board, as do the Courts, gives very careful consideration to each of the above criteria

and has required a strong substantive showing on all of the four factors. While the showing of

irreparable injury may vary from case to case, the key consideration is irreparable, and injuries that

can be corrected later (however substantial in terms of money, time and energy) may not be enough

to justify a stay. Similarly, in determining the public interest factor, the interests of private litigants

must give way to the realization of public purposes. The burden of making a strong showing on all

four of the above factors rests with the petitioner to convince the Courts or the Board that such

extraordinary relief is warranted.

Where possible, parties opposed to the exemption should file an opposition or a protest with

the Board before it acts on the exemption request. Even in the absence of a formal notice

requirement, community leaders and shippers often are aware of a railroad's plan to seek an

exemption before the carrier files its petition. 

Protests and petitions for reconsideration of individual exemptions should include essentially

the same kind of facts that would be included in a regular abandonment case. For instance, shippers

should explain their business operations, quantify their use of the involved rail line, discuss the
18

availability and any additional cost of alternative transportation services, and explain the impact loss

of the rail service would have on their businesses and the community. To the extent possible,

protestants also should try to critically evaluate any financial information and traffic projections

submitted by the railroad.

If the Board denies a carrier's request for an exemption, the carrier is free to file for authority

to abandon under the regular application procedures discussed earlier.
19

IV. ALTERNATIVES TO ABANDONMENT

Users and interested parties should consider alternatives to abandonment at the first sign a

carrier may be contemplating abandonment. The fact that the existing railroad believes the line is no

longer economically viable does not necessarily mean the line cannot continue operations under

other arrangements. There are many examples of small "short line" railroads operating on lines that

the main line railroad sought to abandon. Congress and the STB have made it easier to preserve rail

service by acquiring or subsidizing rail lines. These options will be briefly outlined below.

A. Forced Sales and Subsidies

To encourage continued service, Congress and the STB have adopted procedures that make

it possible to force the sale or subsidy of lines slated for abandonment where the parties cannot agree

on the price or terms of a subsidy.

1. Lines Approved For Abandonment

Under the offer of financial assistance (OFA) procedures, any financially responsible party

seeking to continue service on a line approved for abandonment (or exempted) may compel the

railroad to sell or conduct subsidized operations over the line. The statutory requirements and STB

regulations concerning offers of financial assistance are contained at 49 U.S.C. 10904 and 49 CFR

1152.27, respectively. 

Parties may request data on subsidy and acquisition costs from applicants in abandonment

proceedings as soon as the Notice of Intent to abandon is filed. This includes (1) an estimate of the

minimum purchase price or annual subsidy needed to keep the line in operation, (2) reports on the

physical condition of the line, and (3) traffic and other data necessary to determine the amount of

annual financial assistance needed to continue service. Any one who believes subsidy or acquisition

is a possibility should request this information immediately and begin a thorough feasibility study. 
20

 Write to the Office of the Secretary, Surface Transportation Board, 1925 K Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 2

20423 and identify the docket number of the proceeding .

 Any carrier seeking abandonment authority from the Board must provide certain information to a party 3

considering making an offer of financial assistance, including an estimate of the annual subsidy and minimum

Often the State will assist the railroad by providing substantial money for rehabilitation of the line.

In class exemption cases, where the railroad files a Notice of Exemption, Offers of Financial

Assistance must be filed within 10 days of the publication of the Notice of Exemption in the Federal

Register. In individual exemption cases where the carrier files a Petition for Exemption and in cases

where the carrier files a full abandonment application and OFA must be filed within 10 days of the

service date of the Board’s order granting the exemption or abandonment application or within 120

days after the application or petition for exemption is filed, whichever is sooner. It is very important

for a potential offeror to be aware of both the filing date and the date of the Board’s decision. To do

this, the potential offeror should ask to be placed on the Board’s service list for the relevant 2

abandonment proceeding, so that the offeror will be advised as soon as any decision is in the case is

served.

Each OFA is reviewed by the Board to determine whether the offeror is financially

responsible and whether the offer itself is reasonable. A copy of the offeror's annual report or other

financial statements should be submitted with the offer to show its financial responsibility. The STB

assumes a State or local government entity to be financially responsible. 

 As to the reasonableness of the offer, a subsidy should cover the railroad's avoidable

operating losses on the line, plus a reasonable return on the value of the line. An offer to purchase

should equal the acquisition cost of the line (the net liquidation or going concern value of the line,

whichever is higher). The offeror should explain how its offer was calculated and explain any

disparity between its offer and the carrier's estimate. If the Board finds that the offeror is financially 3
21

purchase price required to keep the line or a portion of the line in operation. See 49 U.S.C. 10904(b)(1) and OPS’s

information bulletin entitled “So You Want to Start a Small Railroad” which provides a more detailed discussion of

the OFA process.

responsible and the offer is reasonable, it will postpone the abandonment and give the parties an

opportunity to negotiate. 

If negotiations are successful and the parties voluntarily enter into a purchase (or subsidy)

agreement which will result in continued rail service, the Board is required to approve the

transaction and dismiss the abandonment application.

Should the parties fail to agree on the amount or terms of subsidy or purchase, either party

may ask the STB (within 30 days after the offer is filed) to establish terms and conditions. The

Board must issue a decision setting the terms and conditions, within 30 days after the request is

made. The offeror then has 10 days to accept or reject the STB's terms and conditions. If the offeror

chooses to accept them, then the railroad by law is forced to comply with them.

When a railroad receives more than one OFA, it can select the offeror with whom it wishes

to transact business. Moreover, if the STB establishes terms and conditions at the request of an

offeror who subsequently withdraws, then any other qualified offeror may take its place, forcing the

railroad to go through with the subsidy or sale under those terms and conditions.

 Certain conditions apply to sales under Section 10904(f)(4)(A). A purchaser may not transfer the

line or discontinue service over the line for at least 2 years after consummation. After that time

period, the purchaser may transfer the line back to the selling carrier, but it must wait at least 5 years

before it can sell the line to others.

The financial assistance provisions of Section 10904 also apply where the Board exempts an

abandonment from the formal application process. There are some differences however, particularly

as to timing. For example, in exemption proceedings, persons interested in purchasing or
22

 Even if a line is not shown on the carrier’s system diagram map as a candidate for potential abandonment, 4

shippers and communities may seek to compel the Board to require a railroad to sell the line by proving that the

"public convenience and necessity" requires or permits the sale. This test, however, is more difficult to satisfy.

subsidizing the line must first submit to the STB and the railroad a written expression of their intent

to make such an offer. This expression of intent must be received within 10 days after notice of the

exemption is published in the Federal Register. Once the expression of intent is received, the

exemption will be automatically stayed for 40 days. The offer itself is due 30 days after the Federal

Register notice. For more information on these procedures see the STB's regulations at 49 CFR

1152.27.

2. Purchase of Lines Potentially Subject to Abandonment

The feeder railroad development program was designed as an alternative to abandonment. 

Congress envisioned it as a method of allowing shippers, communities, or other interested parties to

acquire rail lines before an abandonment application is filed. If a rail line has been listed on a

carrier's system diagram map as potentially subject to abandonment, a financially responsible

person can compel the Board to require a railroad to sell it the line . The price for such a sale is 4

either agreed to by the parties or set by the Board. The statutory procedures for this program are

found at 49 U.S.C. 10907 and the STB's regulations are detailed at 49 CFR 1151.

In short, a proceeding commences upon the filing of a feeder line application with the Board. 

The applicant must show, among other things, that it can (1) pay the net liquidation value of the line

or its going concern value, whichever is higher, and (2) provide adequate service for at least 3 years. 

The Board has 15 days to reject the application if it does not contain the prescribed information or to

accept it by filing a Notice in the Federal Register no later than 30 days after the application is filed. 

Within 30 days after the application is accepted, any other interested party may file a competing
23

application to acquire all or any portion of the same line. The owning railroad and other interested

parties may submit verified statements containing their evidence and arguments within 60 days after

the initial application is accepted. Within 80 days after the initial application is accepted, offerors

may file verified replies. The STB must publish its decision in the Federal Register. Within 10

days of the service date of the decision, the offeror must file a notice with the STB and the owning

railroad either accepting or rejecting the Board's terms. If two or more offerors accept the STB's

terms, the owning railroad has 15 days from the service date of the Board's decision to select the

offeror with whom it wishes to transact business and to notify the STB and offerors. If the parties

agree on a price then that price will be the final sale price. 

In theory, this program has two major advantages. It allows the parties to save the time and

expense involved in the abandonment process, and it allows the new owners to take over operation

of a line before further downgrading occurs. The program however, has not lived up to its potential,

in part because it places the railroad and new short line owner in an adversarial relationship from the

outset. It forces the railroad to sell at a price it may not agree upon and requires the newly created

shortline to then develop a relationship with the railroad (with whom it must interchange traffic to

reach the main line) in order to function in its new venture. 

 

B. Voluntary Sales and Operations

Parties interested in preserving rail service need not wait until abandonment is approved to

negotiate a voluntary purchase of a line proposed for abandonment or for that matter any active rail

line. To make purchases of lines that might otherwise be abandoned more attractive to potential

buyers, the STB has exempted these purchases from regulation. Special provisions have also been

adopted to encourage continued service on abandoned lines acquired by States. 
24

 The STB has modified these rules by decision served November 18, 1996 at Ex parte 529, Class Exemption for 5

Acquisition or Operation of Rail Lines by Class III Rail Carriers under 49 U.S.C. 10902.

1. Class Exemptions

The statutory standards for voluntary acquisitions are found in 49 U.S.C. 10901, 10902,

and 11323. Section 10901 applies only when (1) a non-carrier acquires a rail line, and (2) an

existing carrier acquires an inactive line (a line that is already lawfully abandoned). Acquisitions of

active rail lines by existing carriers fall under Section 10902 or 11323. These formal application

procedures are seldom used to preserve rail service on lines threatened with abandonment.

Instead, voluntary purchases of lines subject to abandonment are almost always consummated under

exemptions to the formal acquisition procedures. These exemptions are discussed below.

a. Section 10901 Acquisitions

Following the Staggers Act and deregulation of the railroads, large Class 1 carriers began to

sell or abandon unprofitable or marginally profitable lines. Requests to acquire and continue service

over these lines were usually unopposed and were almost always approved because they were in the

public interest. This led the ICC to promulgate broad class exemption procedures in 1986. The 5

current rules are found in 49 CFR 1150 Subpart D. Most non-carrier acquisitions and operations

are now exempt from formal regulation under Section 10901, as are all carrier acquisitions of

abandoned lines. When a Class II or Class III carrier acquires a line, it is governed by 49 U.S.C.

10902. 

To invoke the class exemption, the acquiring party must file a verified notice including

general information about the transaction, and a caption summary which will be used to provide

public notice of the transaction. The exemption procedures differ depending on the carrier's size (in

terms of gross revenue). If the transaction will create a Class III (smallest size) railroad, the
25

exemption will be effective 7 days after the notice is filed. 

b. Section 11323 Transactions

Class exemptions have also been established for seven kinds of transactions that would

otherwise require approval under 49 U.S.C. 11323 -- the statute applicable to carrier acquisitions of

active rail lines. The most important for our discussion here are (1) acquisition of a line which has

already been approved for abandonment and would not constitute a major market extension, 

(2) acquisition of nonconnecting lines, and (3) acquisition of trackage rights. (The last two

categories do have some qualifications not relevant here.) See 49 CFR 1180.2(d). 

To invoke these exemptions, the carrier must file a verified notice, at least one week before

the transaction is to be consummated, containing the information listed in the Board's regulations at

49 CFR 1180.4(g)(1). To qualify for an exemption for acquisition or renewal of trackage rights

agreements, a caption summary must be filed as well. See 49 CFR 1180.4(g)(2)(i).

2. Individual Exemptions

Where no class exemption applies, an individual exemption may be sought for almost any

small rail acquisition or operation, under the Board's general exemption authority at 49 U.S.C.

10502. Such requests for individual exemptions should be tailored to the particular situation

involved. 

The statute itself exempts some types of rail operations and transactions from STB

regulation. The acquisition or use of spur, industrial, team, switching or side tracks is exempt under

49 U.S.C. 10906. These statutory exemptions are defined narrowly and the facts of each situation

must be carefully examined to determine if the exemption applies.
26

 These conditions are set forth in Oregon Short Line R. Co.-- Abandonment -- Goshen, 360 ICC 91 (1979); 6

Mendocino Coast Ry., Inc. -- Lease and Operate, 354 ICC 732 (1978) and 360 ICC 653 (1980), as clarified in

Wilmington Terminal RR, Inc. -- Pur. and Lease -- CSX Transp., Inc., 6 ICC 2d 799 (1990), aff’d sub nom, Railway

Labor Executives' Ass'n v. ICC, 930 F2d 511 (6 Cir. 1991) (Wilmington Terminal); and New York Dock Ry. -- th

Control -- Brooklyn Eastern Dist., 360 ICC 60 (1979), as clarified in Wilmington Terminal, supra. They are all

variations of the original LPC agreement hammered out between labor and management in 1936, the Washington Job

Protection Agreement.

V. LABOR ISSUES

No discussion of the acquisition and abandonment of rail lines would be complete without

recognizing the increased importance rail labor plays in many of these cases. Labor witnesses often

take an active role in opposing abandonment applications and other proceedings. In addition, the

ICC Termination Act provides certain protection for employees of railroads engaging in some

major changes in operations. It requires railroads to protect their employees from financial loss for a

period of up to 6 years and to provide other protection relating to benefits and seniority.

Labor issues may arise in any rail transaction. The STB imposes labor protective conditions

(LPC's) in most abandonments.

 The conditions have been crafted differently for each situation. Generally there are the

Oregon Short Line conditions imposed in abandonment cases, the Mendocino Coast conditions

imposed in lease transactions, and the New York Dock conditions imposed in line sales to existing

carriers . When imposed, these conditions obligate the selling or abandoning railroad and, in some 6

cases, can also be imposed on the acquiring railroad. When the acquiring entity is an established

railroad or is a wholly owned subsidiary that is not independent from its rail parent, conditions may

be imposed on both the acquiring and selling carriers. But where there is an acquisition of a line by

a non-carrier or a Class III carrier, the employees are not entitled to any labor protection. Moreover,

LPC's are not imposed for forced sales under the offer of financial assistance provisions of Section
27

 Feeder line purchasers are required to use the existing employees on the line to the extent possible. See 49 7

U.S.C. 10910 (e) and (j).

10904 and are imposed only on the seller when there is a forced sale under the Feeder Railroad

Development Program. 7

The Board is not allowed to use its exemption powers under 49 U.S.C. 10502 to excuse

carriers from providing employees with the LPC's they are due. 

It is important at the beginning of any abandonment or acquisition proceeding to determine

what position, if any, rail labor intends to take. There are some abandonments which will have

minimal or no effect on rail jobs. In those cases, rail labor often decides not to participate. There

are other situations in which labor witnesses play an active role, challenging railroad costing

testimony and providing conflicting data in such areas as labor costs, track maintenance, and the

current condition of the track and rolling stock. 
28

 Because real estate law and practice differs from state to state, we refer to landowners along the rail line as 8

“adjoining” property owners. Sometimes adjoining property owners may have what is commonly called a

“reversionary” interest in the land, meaning that upon the termination of the easement, the land is then available for

the full, unencumbered use of the landowner or fee holder. In some states, when a rail use terminates, the land on

which the rail line sits passes, as a matter of state law, to the adjoining landowners even when those landowners had

no title to the land prior to its use as rail property. In some cases, railroads do own the land on which the track sits in

fee simple and can dispose of it as they wish.

VI. ALTERNATIVE USES FOR RAIL RIGHTS-OF-WAY

The ICC Termination Act and the National Rails to Trails Act, along with the STB’s

regulations give interested parties the opportunity to negotiate voluntary agreements to use a

railroad right-of-way that otherwise would be abandoned for recreational or other public use, such as

a commuter rail service or a highway. These methods of preserving a railroad corridor are known as

“rail banking” meaning that the right-of-way is preserved for potential future use as a railroad. 

Many railroads do not own the land on which their tracks lie. Rather, they have easements over the

land of adjoining property owners. Unless those easements are “rail-banked” by converting them to

a trail or other public use, they are extinguished. Some rights-of-way which were “banked” have 8

been reactivated. The rules for filing a request for a public use condition are slightly different from

those which apply to the filing of a trails use request. The sample request which appears in this

bulletin as Appendix III is a request for both types of conditions. Proponents often ask for both

conditions in the same request in order to take advantage of the benefits of each type of condition. 

This disadvantage of this approach is that the request for a trails use condition has a filing fee, while

a request for public use condition does not.

Since filing fees for all types of cases change at least once a year, it is advisable to contact the

Board’s Office of Public Services at (202) 565-1592 to determine the current fee, if any, before

filing any pleading.
29

 Unlike trails use conditions, public use conditions cannot be extended beyond the statutorily imposed 180 day 9

limit, even if the parties’ consent.

A. Public Use Conditions

Under the terms of the ICC Termination Act at 49 U.S.C. 10905, when the Board approves

or exempts an abandonment it must determine whether the rail line is suitable for alternative public

use, such as highways, other forms of mass transit, conservation, energy production or transmission,

or recreation. If it is, the Board may prohibit the railroad from selling or otherwise disposing of the

rail corridor for up to 180 days after the effective date of the decision or notice authorizing

abandonment. During the 180 day period, interested persons may negotiate with the railroad to

acquire the property for public use. The railroad’s consent is unnecessary for the imposition of this

negotiating period. If the parties fail to reach an agreement within the 180 day period , the Board 9

must allow the railroad to fully abandon the line and dispose of its property. It cannot require the

railroad to sell its property for public use.

The Board will only impose a public use condition when it has received a request to do so

pursuant to 49 CFR 1152.28. The request must:

1. state the condition sought;

2. explain the public importance of the condition;

3. state the period of time for the condition (which cannot exceed 180 days); and

4. provide justification for the requested period of time.

5. A “Certificate of Service” indicating that a copy of the public use request has been 

served on the carrier seeking abandonment at its address of record. 

A sample request for Public Use Condition is provided in Appendix III. An original and 10 copies

must be submitted to the Board. 

Timing is important. In an application for abandonment, the public use proponent must file

the request within 45 days of the filing of the application, i.e. 25 days after the notice of the

application appears in the Federal Register. In exemption cases, whether the exemption is a class

exemption (notice) or an individually sought exemption (petition), the public use condition request

must be filed within 20 days after the Federal Register publication appears.
30

B. Request for Trail Use Conditions

To begin the trail use process, a trail proponent must file a trail use request in the proceeding

initiated by the railroad to abandon the line. A trail use request has no effect on the Board’s decision

whether to give a railroad permission to abandon. It is considered only after the Board has decided to

permit the abandonment. 

Under 49 CFR 1152.29, the trail use request must include:

1. A map which clearly identifies the rail corridor (including mileposts) which is

proposed for trail use, 

2. A statement of willingness to accept financial responsibility which indicates the 

proponent’s willingness to manage the trail, pay property taxes on the trail and

accept responsibility for any liability arising from the use of the rail corridor as a

trail, and.

3. An acknowledgment that trail use is subject to the user’s continuing to meet the

above obligations, and the possibility of future reactivation of rail service on the

corridor.

4. A “Certificate of Service” indicating that a copy of the trails use request has been

served on the carrier seeking abandonment at its address of record. 

A sample public use condition/trails use request appears at Appendix III. An original and 10

copies of the request must be filed with the Board and a copy served on the railroad.

Unlike the public use condition, the trail use condition will only be imposed if the railroad

consents. If the railroad does agree, then a condition is imposed which prohibits the rail carrier from

otherwise disposing of the rail corridor for 180 days while the parties negotiate an agreement. The

Board has granted an extension of that 180 day period in cases where the parties jointly request it

indicating that they are close to agreement.

As with the public use condition request, timing in very important. In an abandonment

application, trail use requests must be filed within 45 days of the filing of the application i.e., 25

days after the publication of the application in the Federal Register. The rail carrier seeking

abandonment authority then has 15 days to notify the Board whether and with whom (if more than

one proponent has submitted a request) it intends to negotiate a trail use agreement. In class
31

exemption cases, a trails use request must be filed within 10 days of the appearance of the notice in

the Federal Register. Note that this is 10 days earlier than a public use condition request is due. In

an individual exemption case (petition), a trails use request must be filed with 20 days of the

appearance of the Federal Register notice. In both types of exemption cases the carrier has 10 after

the trails use request is received to notify the Board whether and with whom if intends to negotiate a

trails use agreement.
Appendix I

SYNOPSIS OF NEW ABANDONMENT REGULATIONS

1. Effective Date: Regulations effective on 1/23/97

2. New Uniform Schedule:

Day -60 Deadline for identifying line as category 1 on SDM.

Day -30

 To Opportunity to file Notice of Intent.

Day -15

Day -20 Due date for railroad to file environmental and/or historic reports on

required agencies

Day 0 Application filed, including applicant’s case in chief.

Day +10 Due date for oral hearing requests.

Day +15 Due date for Board decision on oral hearing requests.

Day +20 Due date for Notice of Application to be published in the Federal Register.

Day +45 Due date for protests and comments, including opposition case in chief,

and for public use and trail use requests.

Day +60 Due date for applicant’s reply to opposition case and for applicant’s

response to trail use requests.

Day +110 Due date for service of decision on the merits.

Day +120 Due date for offers of financial assistance, except that if an application has

been granted by decision issued sooner than Day 110, the offer of

financial assistance shall be due 10 days after service of the decision

granting the application.

3. Important Changes from the Old Regulations:

a. The Board will publish a notice of an abandonment application or a petition for an

individual exemption in the Federal Register 20 days after the application or petition is filed.

The notice will: 1) Describe the proposal; and 2) Advise the public regarding due dates

for OFAs and requests for public use and trail use conditions, and explain how to participate in

the proceeding.

The railroad must file a draft notice on a disk.
Appendix II

STB TIMETABLE FOR CLASS EXEMPTION PROCEEDINGS

Abandonments and Discontinuances of Service and Trackage Rights

F-10 days Notice of exemption procedure filed with State and other agencies.

F Notice of exemption filed with STB. (Filing Date + F)

P (F+20 days Notice of exemption proceeding published in Federal Register.

 or fewer)

P+10 days Petition to stay effective date of exemption due.

Request for Trails Use Condition Due

P+20 days Petitions for reconsideration due.

Comments due.

Requests for Public Use Condition Due.

P+30 days Exemption effective/abandonment or discontinuance may occur (unless

stayed for reconsideration).

SOURCE: 49 CFR, Section 1152.50
APPENDIX III

1. Sample Public Use Condition and 

Trail Use Request 

Below is a sample of a request for both a Public Use Condition and a Trail Use Condition. The

blank spaces and items in italics are to be completed by the prospective trail agency or group to

reflect the specific circumstances. Remember that the requests should be mailed to both the STB

and the railroad simultaneously.

[Date]

Secretary

Surface Transportation Board

Washington, DC 20423-0001

Re: [Name of Railroad Company] Abandonment in [Name of County and State], [STB Docket

Number]

Dear Secretary:

This request is filed on behalf of [Agency Name], which is a [political subdivision or government

agency interested in transportation and/or natural resources, private/public interest

organization interested in conservation and/or recreation, etc.], hereinafter referred to as

"proponent."

Proponent requests issuance of a Public Use Condition as well as an Interim Trail Use Condition

rather than an outright abandonment authorization between [endpoint a] and [endpoint b].

A. Request For Public Use Condition

Proponent asks the STB to find that this property is suitable for other public use, specifically trail

use, and to place the following conditions on the abandonment:

1. An order prohibiting the carrier from disposing of the corridor, other than the tracks, ties and

signal equipment, except for public use on reasonable terms. Justification for this condition is:

[example: the rail corridor in question is along a scenic river and will connect a public park to a

major residential area. The corridor would make an excellent recreational trail and conversion

of the property to trail use is in accordance with local plans. In addition, the corridor provides

important wildlife habitat and open space and its preservation as a recreational trail is

consistent with those purposes]. The time period sought is 180 days from the effective date of the

abandonment authorization. Proponent needs this much time: [example: to assemble or to review
title information, complete a trail plan, or begin negotiations with the carrier].

2. An order barring removal or destruction of potential trail-related structures such as bridges,

trestles, culverts and tunnels. The justification for this condition is that these structures have

considerable value for recreational trail purposes. The time period requested is 180 days from the

effective date of the abandonment authorization for the same reason as indicated above.

B. Request For Interim Trail Use

The railroad right-of-way in this proceeding is suitable for railbanking. In addition to the public

use conditions sought above, proponent also makes the following request:

STATEMENT OF WILLINGNESS TO ASSUME

FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

In order to establish interim trail use and railbanking under section 8(d) of the National Trails

System Act, 16 U.S.C.

§1247(d), and 49 CFR §1152.29, is willing to assume full responsibility for management of, for

any legal liability arising out of the transfer or use of (unless the user is immune from liability, in

which case it need only indemnify the railroad against any potential liability], and for the

payment of any and all taxes that may be levied or assessed against the right-of-way owned by

and operated by .

The property, known as the , extends from railroad milepost near to railroad milepost near , a

distance of miles in County, . The right-of-way is part of a line of railroad proposed for

abandonment in STB Docket No. AB- (Sub-No. ).

A map depicting the right-of-way is attached.

acknowledges that use of the right-of-way is subject to the user's continuing to meet its

responsibilities described above and subject to possible future reconstruction and reactivation of

the right-of-way for rail service.

By my signature below, I certify service upon [Railroad Company and address], by U.S. Mail,

postage pre-paid, first class, this day of , 20 .

Respectfully submitted,

Name

on behalf of: