[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 9 (Thursday, January 13, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2446-2447]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-639]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board

[Docket No. FD 35446]


City of Temple, Tex.--Acquisition Exemption--Georgetown Railroad 
Company

AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board.

ACTION: Notice instituting proceeding; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: On December 15, 2010, the City of Temple, Tex. (Temple), a 
noncarrier, filed a petition under 49 U.S.C. 10502 for exemption from 
the provisions of 49 U.S.C. 10901 to acquire from the Georgetown 
Railroad Company (Georgetown) an approximately 6.277-mile line of 
railroad, between milepost 0.0, near Belton, and milepost 6.277, at 
Smith, in Bell County, Tex. (the line), and the trackage rights granted 
to Georgetown to operate over the line.\1\ In a related transaction, 
Temple & Central Texas Railway, Inc. (TCTR), a Class III carrier, filed 
a verified notice of exemption under 49 CFR 1150.41 to operate over the 
line. That notice was served and published in the Federal Register on 
December 10, 2010 (75 FR 77,044). Temple & Central Tex. Ry.--Operation 
Exemption--City of Temple, Tex., FD 35447 (STB served Dec. 10, 2010). 
The Board seeks comments from interested persons on Temple's request to 
acquire the line.
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    \1\ Temple has also concurrently filed a motion for protective 
order pursuant to 49 CFR 1104.14(b) to allow Temple to file the 
unredacted Purchase and Sale Agreement under seal. That motion will 
be addressed in a separate decision.

DATES: Written comments must be filed with the Board by February 2, 
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2011. Replies must be filed by February 9, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted either via the Board's e-filing 
format or in the traditional paper format. Any person using e-filing 
should attach a document and otherwise comply with the instructions at 
the E-FILING link on the Board's Web site, at http://www.stb.dot.gov. 
Any person submitting a filing in the traditional paper format should 
send an original and 10 copies to: Surface Transportation Board, Attn: 
Docket No. FD 35446, 395 E Street, SW., Washington, DC 20423-0001.
    In addition, send one copy of any comments to Louis E. Gitomer, Law 
Offices of Louis E. Gitomer, 600 Baltimore Avenue, Suite 301, Towson, 
MD 21204.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julia Farr at 202-245-0359. Assistance 
for the hearing impaired is available through the Federal Information 
Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 15, 2010, Temple filed a 
petition under 49 U.S.C. 10502 for exemption from the provisions of 49 
U.S.C. 10901 to acquire the line. Previously Temple had filed a notice 
of exemption to acquire and operate over the line.\2\ Temple stated in 
that notice that the purpose of the acquisition was to construct a 
pipeline underneath the right-of-way and subsequently convert the line 
into a trail under the National Trails System Act, 16 U.S.C. 1247(d). 
The Director of the Office of Proceedings stated in the April 23 notice 
that the Board has found that acquiring a line for the purpose of 
abandoning rather than operating over it constitutes a misuse of Board 
procedures. Accordingly, Temple's notice was rejected without 
prejudice. Subsequently, Temple entered into an agreement with TCTR, 
which operates

[[Page 2447]]

other railroad lines owned by Temple, to operate over the line. Temple 
states that its agreement with TCTR requires that TCTR solicit business 
over the line and to provide common carrier service for remunerative 
business. Temple states that in the event TCTR is unable to provide 
service over the line, Temple will assume the residual common carrier 
obligation to provide service. Temple requests expedited action on its 
petition.
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    \2\ City of Temple, Tex.--Acquisition and Operation Exemption--
Georgetown R.R. Co., FD 35369 (STB served Apr. 23, 2010) (April 23 
notice).
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    By issuance of this notice, the Board is instituting an exemption 
proceeding pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 10502(b).

    Decided: January 10, 2011.

    By the Board, Rachel D. Campbell, Director, Office of 
Proceedings.
Andrea Pope-Matheson,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2011-639 Filed 1-12-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-01-P