[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 242 (Friday, December 15, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78530-78531]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-31879]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board

[STB Finance Docket No. 33968]


Safe Handling Rail, Inc.--Operation Exemption--Maine Coast 
Railroad Corporation, Maine Central Railroad Company, Springfield 
Terminal Railway Company, and State of Maine Department of 
Transportation

    Safe Handling Rail, Inc. (SHR), a noncarrier, has filed a verified 
notice of exemption under 49 CFR 1150.31 to acquire, by assignment, the 
operating rights of Maine Coast Railroad Corporation (MECO) over 
approximately 5.76 route miles of rail line in Rockland, Sagadahoc 
County, ME (subject line), between milepost 28.03 (Church Road) and 
milepost 33.79 (Hardings).\1\ In addition, SHR also will acquire MECO's 
incidental overhead trackage rights on the rail line between milepost 
27.5 and milepost 33.79 (trackage rights).\2\ The State of Maine 
Department of

[[Page 78531]]

Transportation (MDOT) owns the subject line, and MEC and STR have 
residual common carrier obligations on the subject line.\3\ Certain 
traffic handled by SHR to and from the Bath Iron Works at Hardings, ME, 
will be handled in the account of MEC/STR, just as it has been handled 
by MECO.
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    \1\ MECO acquired the authority to operate the subject line in 
Maine Coast Railroad Corporation--Operation Exemption--Maine Central 
Railroad Company and Springfield Terminal Railway Company, Finance 
Docket No. 32272 (ICC served June 21, 1993).
    \2\ MECO was granted trackage rights by Maine Central Railroad 
Corporation (MEC) and Springfield Terminal Railway Company (STR) in 
Maine Coast Railroad Corporation--Trackage Rights Exemption--Maine 
Central Railroad Company and Springfield Terminal Railway Company, 
Finance Docket No. 31768 (ICC served Nov. 26, 1990).
    \3\ SHR will replace MECO as the operator of the subject line 
and trackage rights, and MECO will have no further rail carrier 
rights or obligations on the subject line or trackage rights line. 
In a related proceeding, SHR has filed a notice for a modified 
certificate of public convenience and necessity to operate MDOT's 
rail lines (i) between milepost 33.79, in Brunswick, ME, and 
milepost 85.55, in Rockland, ME, and (ii) between milepost 29.40, at 
Rock Junction, in Brunswick, and milepost 63.00, in Augusta, ME. See 
Safe Handling Rail, Inc.--Modified Rail Certificate, STB Finance 
Docket No. 33967.
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    The transaction is expected to be consummated on or soon after 
December 8, 2000, the effective date of the exemption (7 days after the 
exemption was filed).
    If the notice contains false or misleading information, the 
exemption is void ab initio. Petitions to reopen the proceeding to 
revoke the exemption under 49 U.S.C. 10502(d) may be filed at any time. 
The filing of a petition to reopen will not automatically stay the 
transaction.
    An original and 10 copies of all pleadings, referring to STB 
Finance Docket No. 33968, must be filed with the Surface Transportation 
Board, Office of the Secretary, Case Control Unit, 1925 K Street, N.W., 
Washington, DC 20423-0001. In addition, a copy of each pleading must be 
served on Bruce A. Coggeshall, Esq., Pierce Atwood, One Monument 
Square, Portland, ME 04101.
    Board decisions and notices are available on our website at 
``WWW.STB.DOT.GOV.''

    Decided: December 7, 2000.

    By the Board, David M. Konschnik, Director, Office of 
Proceedings.
Vernon A. Williams,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 00-31879 Filed 12-14-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-00-P