[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 201 (Wednesday, October 19, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Page 63570]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-22694]


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SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD

[Docket No. FD 36638]


Pioneer Industrial Railway Co.--Change in Operator Exemption--in 
Peoria County, Ill.

    Pioneer Industrial Railway Company (Pioneer), a Class III rail 
carrier, has filed a verified notice of exemption pursuant to 49 CFR 
1150.41 to assume operations over two interconnected railroad lines 
(collectively, the Lines) owned by, and located entirely within, the 
City of Peoria, Ill. (City). The first line, the Western Connection, is 
about 2.24 miles long and extends from a point of connection with the 
Peoria Subdivision of the Union Pacific Railroad Company at 
approximately milepost 71.5 to a point a short distance west of 
University Avenue in the City, then extends another 1,800 feet to a 
point of connection between the Western Connection and the Kellar 
Branch. The second line, the North Line, is an approximately 1.5-mile 
portion of the Kellar Branch between milepost 8.50 and milepost 10.0. 
The Lines total approximately 3.75 route miles.
    Pioneer certifies that it has entered into a lease agreement with 
the City to assume leasehold operations over the Lines in place of the 
prior lessee, the Central Illinois Railroad Company (CIRY), which 
obtained Board authority to operate the Lines in 2005.\1\ The verified 
notice, as supported by a verified statement by CIRY's former 
Controller, indicates Pioneer's understanding that in 2011 CIRY was 
involuntarily dissolved as a business and ceased providing rail service 
in 2010. CIRY's contract with the City to operate the Lines was 
terminated. Additionally, prior to its dissolution, CIRY reportedly 
intended to obtain authority to discontinue service over all of its 
lines but, through oversight or administrative error, failed to do so 
with respect to these Lines. Pioneer further states that it cannot 
locate CIRY's prior owners.
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    \1\ Cent. Ill. R.R.--Operation Exemption--Rail Lines of the City 
of Peoria, Ill., FD 34518, et al. (STB served Feb. 23, 2005).
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    Pioneer confirms, as required under 49 CFR 1150.43(h), that the 
proposed transaction does not involve a provision or agreement that may 
limit future interchange with a third-party connecting carrier. Pioneer 
also certifies that its projected annual revenues will not result in 
the creation of a Class I or II rail carrier or exceed $5 million as a 
result of this transaction.
    Under 49 CFR 1150.42(b), a change in operator requires that notice 
be given to shippers. Pioneer certifies that it has provided notice of 
the proposed change in operator to Carver Lumber, the only potential 
shipper on the Lines, and the verified notice includes a letter from 
Carver Lumber in support of this transaction.
    The transaction may be consummated on or after November 2, 2022, 
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 no later than October 26, 
2022 (at least seven days before the exemption becomes effective).
    All pleadings, referring to Docket No. FD 36638, 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 
Pioneer's representative, Robert A. Wimbish, Fletcher & Sippel LLC, 29 
North Wacker Drive, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60606-3208.
    According to Pioneer, 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 www.stb.gov.

    Decided: October 14, 2022.

    By the Board, Mai T. Dinh, Director, Office of Proceedings.
Jeffrey Herzig,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2022-22694 Filed 10-18-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-01-P