Notice2026-01834
Central of Georgia Railroad Company-Trackage Rights Exemption-Southern Electric Railroad Company
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
January 30, 2026
Issuing agencies
Surface Transportation Board
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 20 (Friday, January 30, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 20 (Friday, January 30, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Page 4161]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-01834]
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SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD
[Docket No. FD 36872]
Central of Georgia Railroad Company--Trackage Rights Exemption--
Southern Electric Railroad Company
Central of Georgia Railroad Company (CGA), a Class III rail
carrier,\1\ has filed a verified notice of exemption under 49 CFR
1180.2(d)(7) to acquire approximately 2.64 miles of trackage rights on
a line of railroad of Southern Electric Railroad Company (SERC) between
milepost SA18.2 at Blanford, Ga., and a connection with private
industry track in the vicinity of SERC's track crossing of the CSX
Transportation, Inc. (CSXT) main track in Rincon, Ga. CGA describes
four segments on this line: Trackage Segment A, extending from the NSR
main line to the centerline of State Highway 21; Trackage Segment B,
extending from the centerline of State Highway 21 to P.S. Prop. Lead
Track; Trackage Segment C, extending from P.S. Prop. Lead Track to Fort
Howard T/O; and Trackage Segment D, extending from Fort Howard T/O to
P.S. Plant McIntosh Loop Track. (Verified Notice, Ex. B.)
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\1\ CGA states that it is a wholly owned subsidiary of Norfolk
Southern Railway Company (NSR).
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According to the verified notice, CGA and SERC will enter into a
second amendment \2\ to their existing trackage rights agreement.\3\
CGA states that the trackage rights will allow CGA to operate trains in
line-haul service and/or switch and/or make or break up trains carrying
traffic (i) originating from or destined to points on Trackage Segment
A, (ii) destined to Plant McIntosh located on Trackage Segment D, (iii)
destined to Georgia-Pacific's facility located on Trackage Segment C,
and/or (iv) originating from or destined to the Georgia International
Rail Park, located on Trackage Segment A, or for emergency use where
provided.
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\2\ CGA states that the agreement is being finalized and that
CGA will submit an executed copy within 10 days of its execution
pursuant to 49 CFR 1180.6(a)(7)(ii).
\3\ CGA states that it, SERC, and CSXT created a Memo for
Operations on September 16, 1996, which was several months before
the trackage rights agreement dated December 3, 1996, was entered
into. According to CGA, based on available records, it appears
operations commenced in 1997. CGA states that it searched
extensively and could find no record that it ever sought authority
for the trackage rights, which have been in place for nearly 28
years. CGA further states that there was an initial amendment of the
original rights in June 2011, which was likewise inadvertently not
submitted for approval. The June 2011 amendment primarily expanded
the permissible purposes for which CGA could use the tracks. CGA
explains that while negotiating the second amendment, CGA discovered
its prior omissions, and CGA has filed its verified notice of
exemption to correct the mistake going forward. Copies of the 1996
trackage rights agreement and June 2011 amendment were filed under
seal with CGA's verified notice.
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The transaction may be consummated on or after February 14, 2026,
the effective date of the exemption (30 days after the verified notice
was filed).
As a condition to this exemption, any employees affected by the
acquisition of the trackage rights will be protected by the conditions
imposed in Norfolk & Western Railway--Trackage Rights--Burlington
Northern, Inc., 354 I.C.C. 605 (1978), as modified in Mendocino Coast
Railway--Lease & Operate--California Western Railroad, 360 I.C.C. 653
(1980).
If the verified notice contains false or misleading information,
the exemption is void ab initio. Petitions to revoke the exemption
under 49 U.S.C. 10502(d) may be filed at any time. The filing of a
petition to revoke will not automatically stay the effectiveness of the
exemption. Petitions for stay must be filed no later than February 6,
2026 (at least seven days before the exemption becomes effective).
All pleadings, referring to Docket No. FD 36872, must be filed with
the Surface Transportation Board either via e-filing on the Board's
website or in writing addressed to 395 E Street SW, Washington, DC
20423-0001. In addition, a copy of each pleading must be served on
CGA's representative, William A. Mullins, Mullins Law Group PLLC, 2001
L Street NW, Suite 720, Washington, DC 20036.
According to CGA, this action is categorically excluded from
environmental review under 49 CFR 1105.6(c) and from historic
preservation reporting requirements under 49 CFR 1105.8(b).
Board decisions and notices are available at <a href="http://www.stb.gov">www.stb.gov</a>.
Decided: January 27, 2026.
By the Board, Anika S. Cooper, Chief Counsel, Office of Chief
Counsel.
Regena Smith-Bernard,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2026-01834 Filed 1-29-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-01-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on January 30, 2026.
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