Notice2026-10255

Great Basin & Northern Railway, Inc.-Change in Operators Exemption-City of Ely and Nevada Northern Railway Foundation

Primary source

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Published
May 22, 2026

Issuing agencies

Surface Transportation Board

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 99 (Friday, May 22, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 99 (Friday, May 22, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30366-30367]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-10255]


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SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD

[Docket No. FD 36926]


Great Basin & Northern Railway, Inc.--Change in Operators 
Exemption--City of Ely and Nevada Northern Railway Foundation

    Great Basin & Northern Railway, Inc. (Great Basin & Northern 
Railway), has filed a verified notice of exemption under 49 CFR 1150.31 
to replace the Great Basin and Northern Railroad, Inc. (Great Basin and 
Northern Railroad), as the common carrier operator over approximately 
156.6 miles of rail line (the Lines) owned by the City of Ely, Nev., 
and the Nevada Northern Railway Foundation, Inc. (the Foundation).\1\ 
The Lines include a main line between milepost 0.0 at or near Cobre, 
Nev., and milepost 146.1 at or near Keystone, Nev.; a branch line 
between milepost 127.9 at McGill Junction and milepost MB 2.5 at 
McGill, Nev.; and a branch line between milepost 135.3 at Hiline, Nev., 
and milepost H-8 at Adverse, Nev., all in Elko and White Pine Counties, 
Nev.
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    \1\ Great Basin & Northern Railway filed a supplement to its 
verified notice on May 8, 2026. The date of its supplement, May 8, 
2026, is therefore considered the filing date of the verified 
notice.
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    Great Basin & Northern Railway states it expects to enter an 
agreement with the Lines' owners on or about when the notice becomes 
effective, giving it rights to provide common carrier service on the 
Lines. The current operator of the Lines, Great Basin and Northern 
Railroad, has authorized Great Basin & Northern Railway to represent 
that Great Basin and Northern Railroad does not object to the proposed 
change in operators.\2\
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    \2\ According to the verified notice, both the future operator 
(Great Basin & Northern Railway) and the current operator (Great 
Basin and Northern Railroad) are subsidiaries of the Foundation. 
Great Basin & Northern Railway states that the change in operators 
will not cause the Foundation to control multiple rail carriers 
concurrently, because Great Basin and Northern Railroad will stop 
providing all common carrier services, and its common carrier 
obligation concerning the Lines will terminate, upon consummation of 
the transaction.

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[[Page 30367]]

    Great Basin & Northern Railway certifies that its projected annual 
revenues as a result of this transaction will not result in the 
creation of a Class II or Class I rail carrier and will not exceed $5 
million. Great Basin & Northern Railway also certifies that the 
proposed transaction does not involve any provision or agreement that 
may limit future interchange of traffic with a third-party connecting 
carrier. Under 49 CFR 1150.32(b), a change in operators exemption 
requires that notice be given to shippers. Great Basin & Northern 
Railway states there are no shippers on the Lines.
    The transaction may be consummated on or after June 7, 2026, the 
effective date of the exemption (30 days after the verified notice was 
filed).
    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 by May 29, 2026 (at least 
seven days before the exemption becomes effective).
    All pleadings, referring to Docket No. FD 36926, 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 
Great Basin & Northern Railway's representative, Jason Tutrone, 
Thompson Hine LLP, 1919 M Street NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20036.
    According to Great Basin & Northern Railway, 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: May 19, 2026.

    By the Board, Anika S. Cooper, Chief Counsel, Office of Chief 
Counsel.
Kenyatta Clay,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2026-10255 Filed 5-21-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-01-P


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Indexed from Federal Register on May 22, 2026.

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