Alameda Belt Line-Operation Exemption-Board of Harbor Commissioners of the Port of Los Angeles, Board of Harbor Commissioners (Long Beach), Alameda Corridor Transportation Authority, and Union Pacific Railroad Company

• Citation: 91 FR 62804
• Published date: 02 October 2026
• FR Document: 2026-20203
• Pages: 62804-62805
• Section: Notices
• Issuer: Surface Transportation Board

Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 190 (Friday, October 2, 2026)

[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 190 (Friday, October 2, 2026)]
                [Notices]
                [Pages 62804-62805]
                From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
                [FR Doc No: 2026-20203]
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                SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD
                [Docket No. FD 36946]
                Alameda Belt Line--Operation Exemption--Board of Harbor
                Commissioners of the Port of Los Angeles, Board of Harbor Commissioners
                (Long Beach), Alameda Corridor Transportation Authority, and Union
                Pacific Railroad Company
                 Alameda Belt Line (ABL), a Class III railroad, has filed a verified
                notice of exemption pursuant to 49 CFR 1150.41 to assume common carrier
                operations over various tracks and terminal facilities in the Los
                Angeles Basin area (the Lines).\1\ The Lines are owned in part by the
                City of Los Angeles (LA), a municipal corporation, acting through its
                Board of Harbor Commissioners; in part by the City of Long Beach (LB),
                a municipal corporation, acting through its Board of Harbor
                Commissioners; and in part by UP. The Lines are within and proximate to
                the terminal facilities of POLA and POLB and are composed of: (1) track
                owned by LA, within and proximate to POLA; (2) track owned or leased by
                LB, within and adjacent to POLB; (3) track jointly owned by POLA and
                POLB constituting the south end of the Alameda Corridor between
                milepost 16.1 at CP West Thenard, Cal., and milepost 18.2 at CP Badger
                Bridge, Cal., including a connecting segment extending between milepost
                16.8 at CP Long Beach Junction, Cal., and milepost 17.7 at CP Gaspur,
                Cal.; \2\ (4) the portion of the Alameda Corridor extending from
                milepost 0.0 at CP East Redondo, Cal., to milepost 16.1 at CP West
                Thenard, a triple-tracked main line corridor owned jointly by POLA and
                POLB; \3\ and (5) the UP-owned Northerly Drill Track, also known as the
                Patata Industrial Lead, extending from milepost 15.9 at CP Firestone
                Park, Cal., to milepost 21.7 at CP Compton, Cal.; and the UP owned
                Southerly Drill Track, also known as the Carson Industrial Lead,
                extending from milepost 12.8 at CP Tyler, Cal., to milepost 16.1 at CP
                West Thenard.
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                 \1\ ABL states that it is a privately-held railroad company
                granted common carrier dispatching authority pursuant to Alameda
                Belt Line--Operation Exemption--Board of Harbor Commissioners of the
                Port of Los Angeles, FD 36787 (STB served July 22, 2024). ABL
                further states that it provides dispatching over the trackage known
                as the Alameda Corridor, which functions as a conduit for BNSF
                Railway Company and Union Pacific Railroad Company (UP) traffic
                flowing to and from the Port of Los Angeles (POLA) and the Port of
                Long Beach (POLB).
                 \2\ ABL states that it will acquire non-exclusive rights over
                this track.
                 \3\ ABL states that it will acquire non-exclusive rights over
                this track. According to the verified notice, asset administration
                for the Alameda Corridor has been delegated to the Alameda Corridor
                Transportation Authority (ACTA).
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                 According to the verified notice, Pacific Harbor Line, Inc. (PHL),
                currently operates the Lines, providing terminal service to POLA and
                POLB. ABL states that it is currently negotiating separate agreements
                with LA, LB, ACTA, UP, and, as needed, jointly with POLA and POLB.
                According to the verified notice, ABL anticipates that all agreements
                essential to the transaction will be finalized in October 2026. ABL
                further states that pursuant to those agreements, it will replace PHL
                as the provider of terminal switching service to POLA and POLB. The
                verified notice does not indicate that PHL has consented to the
                discontinuance of its operating authority. PHL therefore will retain
                all existing common carrier authority to operate over the Lines.
                However, PHL may seek Board authority to discontinue operations over
                the Lines, or a third party may request that the Board authorize an
                ``adverse'' discontinuance of PHL's operating authority.
                 The verified notice states that none of the agreements governing
                the transaction involves any provision barring or limiting ABL's future
                interchange with any third-party connecting carrier. ABL further
                certifies its status as a terminal switching carrier will qualify ABL
                to be a Class III railroad pursuant to 49 CFR part 1201, General
                Instruction 1-1(d). Pursuant to 49 CFR 1150.42(e), if a carrier's
                projected annual revenues will exceed $5 million, it must, at least 60
                days before the exemption is to become effective, post a notice of its
                intent to undertake the proposed transaction at the workplace of the
                employees on the affected lines, serve a copy of the notice on the
                national offices of the labor unions with employees on the affected
                lines, and certify to the Board that it has done so. On July 13, 2026,
                ABL certified that it posted the required 60-day notice at the
                workplaces of current PHL employees who work on the Lines and served a
                copy of the notice on the national offices of the labor union with
                employees on the Lines.
                 The earliest this transaction may be consummated is October 16,
                2026, the effective date of the exemption. 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 9, 2026.
                [[Page 62805]]
                 All pleadings, referring to Docket No. FD 36946, 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
                ABL's representative, Robert A. Wimbish, Fletcher & Sippel LLC, 29
                North Wacker Drive, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60606.
                 According to ABL, 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: September 29, 2026.
                 By the Board, Anika S. Cooper, Chief Counsel, Office of Chief
                Counsel.
                Aretha Laws-Byrum,
                Clearence Clerk.
                [FR Doc. 2026-20203 Filed 10-1-26; 8:45 am]
                BILLING CODE 4915-01-P