Notice2026-05941
Buckingham Branch Railroad Company-Discontinuance Exemption-in the City of Virginia Beach and the City of Norfolk, Va.
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
March 27, 2026
Issuing agencies
Surface Transportation Board
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 59 (Friday, March 27, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 59 (Friday, March 27, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14903-14904]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-05941]
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SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD
[Docket No. AB 1349 (Sub-No. 1X)]
Buckingham Branch Railroad Company--Discontinuance Exemption--in
the City of Virginia Beach and the City of Norfolk, Va.
On March 9, 2026, Buckingham Branch Railroad Company (Buckingham
Branch), a Class III rail carrier, filed a petition under 49 U.S.C.
10502 for exemption from the prior approval requirements of 49 U.S.C.
10903 to discontinue service over approximately 4.2 miles of rail line
in the City of Virginia Beach and the City of Norfolk, Va. (the Line).
The Line extends between milepost SN 6.7 at Diamond Springs (Virginia
Beach), Va., to milepost SN 2.5 at Coleman Place (Norfolk), Va. Two
stations exist on the Line: Coleman Place (milepost SN 2.4) and Diamond
Springs (milepost SN 5.2). The Line traverses U.S. Postal Service Zip
Codes 23455 and 23502.
According to Buckingham Branch, the Line is owned by Norfolk
Southern Railway Company (NSR), and it has operated the Line under a
lease with NSR since 2018.\1\ (Pet. 1-2.) Buckingham Branch states that
the Line is stub-ended but handles overhead traffic originating or
terminating on a connecting line segment (CAC Line), which Buckingham
Branch leases from the Canonie Atlantic Co. (CAC). (Id. at 2.)
Buckingham Branch further states that the Line's local traffic derives
from a single shipper, Gordon Paper. (Id.)
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\1\ See Buckingham Branch R.R.--Change in Operators Exemption--
Cassatt Mgmt., LLC, FD 36202 (STB served July 18, 2018).
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According to Buckingham Branch, it operates the Line as part of its
Norfolk Division, together with the CAC Line, and the vast majority of
Norfolk Division traffic derives from shippers on the CAC Line. (Id. at
2-3.) According to Buckingham Branch, the U.S. Navy (Navy) desires to
acquire a portion of the CAC Line and related yard property (Parcel 4B)
for national security purposes and to extend the Navy's control of the
waterfront.\2\ (Pet 3.) Buckingham Branch contends that once the
abandonment and discontinuance authority sought in Docket No. AB 1266
(Sub-No. 2X) et al. is authorized and Parcel 4B is sold to the Navy,
its continued operation of the Line will not be operationally or
economically feasible. (Id. at 3-4.)
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\2\ Concurrent with the petition in this proceeding, CAC and
Buckingham Branch filed a joint petition, in Docket No. AB 1266
(Sub-No. 2X) et al., for CAC to abandon and for Buckingham Branch to
discontinue service over the CAC Line.
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Buckingham Branch states that, based on the information in its
possession, it does not believe that the Line contains federally
granted rights-of-way. (Id. at 2.) Buckingham Branch further states
that any documentation in its possession related to federally granted
rights-of-way will be made available to those requesting it. (Id.)
As a condition to this exemption, any employee adversely affected
by the discontinuance in service will be protected by the conditions
set forth in Oregon Short Line Railroad--Abandonment Portion Goshen
Branch Between Firth & Ammon, in Bingham & Bonneville Counties, Idaho,
360 I.C.C. 91 (1979).
By issuance of this notice, the Board is instituting an exemption
proceeding pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 10502(b). A final decision will be
issued no later than June 26, 2026.\3\
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\3\ Buckingham Branch states that it will consummate the
discontinuance of service on the Line and on the CAC Line
simultaneously. (Pet. 10.) In light of the Navy's ``expressed
urgency to acquire Parcel 4B,'' and CAC and Buckingham Branch's
request for expedited consideration of the joint petition in Docket
No. AB 1266 (Sub-No. 2X) et al., Buckingham Branch requests prompt
consideration of its petition. (Id.)
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Because this is a discontinuance proceeding and not an abandonment,
interim trail use/railbanking and public use conditions are not
appropriate. Because there will be an environmental review during any
subsequent abandonment, this discontinuance does not require an
environmental review. See 49 CFR 1105.6(c)(5), 1105.8(b).
Any offer of financial assistance (OFA) for subsidy under 49 CFR
1152.27(b)(2) will be due no later than 120 days after the filing of
the petition for exemption, or 10 days after service of a decision
granting the petition for
[[Page 14904]]
exemption, whichever occurs sooner.\4\ Persons interested in submitting
an OFA must first file a formal expression of intent to file an offer
by April 6, 2026, indicating the intent to file an OFA for subsidy and
demonstrating that they are preliminarily financially responsible. See
49 CFR 1152.27(c)(1)(i).
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\4\ The filing fee for OFAs can be found at 49 CFR
1002.2(f)(25).
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All pleadings, referring to Docket No. AB 1349 (Sub-No. 1X), 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 Buckingham Branch's representative, Robert A. Wimbish,
Fletcher & Sippel LLC, 29 N Wacker Drive, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60606.
Replies to the petition are due on or before April 16, 2026.
Persons seeking further information concerning discontinuance
procedures may contact the Board's Office of Public Assistance,
Governmental Affairs, and Compliance at (202) 245-0238 or refer to the
full abandonment and discontinuance regulations at 49 CFR part 1152.
Questions concerning environmental issues may be directed to the
Board's Office of Environmental Analysis at (202) 245-0294. If you
require an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act,
please call (202) 245-0245.
Board decisions and notices are available at <a href="http://www.stb.gov">www.stb.gov</a>.
By the Board, Anika S. Cooper, Chief Counsel, Office of Chief
Counsel.
Decided: March 24, 2026.
Regena Smith-Bernard,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2026-05941 Filed 3-26-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-01-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on March 27, 2026.
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