Central of Georgia Railroad Company (CGA), a Class III rail carrier,^[1] has filed a verified notice of exemption under 49 CFR 1180.2(d)(7) to acquire approximately 2.64 miles of trackage rights on a line of railroad of Southern Electric Railroad Company (SERC) between milepost SA18.2 at Blanford, Ga., and a connection with private industry track in the vicinity of SERC's track crossing of the CSX Transportation, Inc. (CSXT) main track in Rincon, Ga. CGA describes four segments on this line: Trackage Segment A, extending from the NSR main line to the centerline of State Highway 21; Trackage Segment B, extending from the centerline of State Highway 21 to P.S. Prop. Lead Track; Trackage Segment C, extending from P.S. Prop. Lead Track to Fort Howard T/O; and Trackage Segment D, extending from Fort Howard T/O to P.S. Plant McIntosh Loop Track. (Verified Notice, Ex. B.)

According to the verified notice, CGA and SERC will enter into a second amendment ^[2] to their existing trackage rights agreement.^[3] CGA states that the trackage rights will allow CGA to operate trains in line-haul service and/or switch and/or make or break up trains carrying traffic (i) originating from or destined to points on Trackage Segment A, (ii) destined to Plant McIntosh located on Trackage Segment D, (iii) destined to Georgia-Pacific's facility located on Trackage Segment C, and/or (iv) originating from or destined to the Georgia International Rail Park, located on Trackage Segment A, or for emergency use where provided.

The transaction may be consummated on or after February 14, 2026, the effective date of the exemption (30 days after the verified notice was filed).

As a condition to this exemption, any employees affected by the acquisition of the trackage rights will be protected by the conditions imposed in Norfolk & Western Railway—Trackage Rights—Burlington Northern, Inc., 354 I.C.C. 605 (1978), as modified in Mendocino Coast Railway—Lease & Operate—California Western Railroad, 360 I.C.C. 653 (1980).

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 February 6, 2026 (at least seven days before the exemption becomes effective).

All pleadings, referring to Docket No. FD 36872, 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 CGA's representative, William A. Mullins, Mullins Law Group PLLC, 2001 L Street NW, Suite 720, Washington, DC 20036.

According to CGA, 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.