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.

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. ( printed 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.