Rail Companies Agree to End Trackage Rights in Oklahoma-Texas Line
Published Date: 6/4/2025
Notice
Summary
Grainbelt Corporation and BNSF Railway have agreed to let Grainbelt’s special permission to use BNSF’s tracks between Oklahoma and Texas expire on March 30, 2026. This means Grainbelt will stop running trains on that line after that date, with no harm to customers or extra costs. The Surface Transportation Board is set to approve this change, keeping things smooth and on schedule.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Rail Employees Get Protective Conditions
The Board will impose the employee protective conditions from Oregon Short Line (360 I.C.C. 91 (1979)) to provide statutorily mandated protections to any employee adversely affected by the discontinuance of the trackage rights. These protections apply to employees who lose work because the trackage rights expire on March 30, 2026.
Grainbelt Trackage Rights Will End
Grainbelt Corporation’s local trackage rights on BNSF-owned track between milepost 668.73 in Long, Oklahoma and milepost 723.30 in Quanah, Texas are permitted to expire on March 30, 2026. That means Grainbelt will stop operating trains on that Line after that date; the Surface Transportation Board granted the petition and the decision is effective July 4, 2025.
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