Norfolk Southern Abandons Unused Baltimore Rail Segment
Published Date: 12/23/2025
Notice
Summary
Norfolk Southern Railway is officially ending its freight service on a one-mile rail line in Baltimore, affecting local freight users but not passenger trains run by MTA. Since no freight has used this line for over two years and traffic can be rerouted, this change won’t disrupt deliveries. The move clears the way for Norfolk Southern to stop maintaining this track, with no plans for turning it into a trail or other public use.
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 3 costs, 0 mixed.
Rail employees get statutory protections
If you are a Norfolk Southern employee affected by the abandonment, you will be protected under the Oregon Short Line Railroad precedent (360 I.C.C. 91 (1979)), which provides employee protection rights when a rail line is abandoned. A petition for partial revocation under 49 U.S.C. 10502(d) may be filed to challenge whether the condition adequately protects affected employees.
Freight obligation ends on one-mile line
If you are a business that relied on freight service on the one-mile Norfolk Southern line in Baltimore (milepost UU 0.00 +/- to UU 1.00 +/-; ZIP codes 21201 and 21211), Norfolk Southern is abandoning its freight operating easement and the entire common carrier obligation for freight over that corridor will be extinguished. NSR says no local freight has used the line for at least two years and any overhead traffic can be rerouted, so it states deliveries will not be disrupted.
MTA passenger service will continue
If you ride MTA light rail in Baltimore, MTA's passenger services over the portion of the line (milepost UU 0.50 +/- to UU 1.00 +/-) will continue after Norfolk Southern abandons its freight easement. The Board states MTA's passenger services are not affected by NSR's abandonment of freight rights.
Corridor not available for trails or public use
If you were hoping the corridor would become a public trail or enter railbanking, Norfolk Southern states the corridor is not available for alternative public use(s) and it does not intend to negotiate for trail use or railbanking for this line.
Key deadlines to challenge or buy the line
If you intend to challenge the abandonment or submit an offer to buy the line, note these deadlines: the Board will issue a Draft Environmental Assessment by December 26, 2025 (comments due within 15 days after it becomes available); petitions to stay, formal expressions of intent to file an Offer of Financial Assistance (OFA), and interim trail use/railbanking requests must be filed by January 2, 2026; petitions to reopen and requests for public use conditions must be filed by January 12, 2026; the exemption is effective January 22, 2026 unless stayed; and NSR must file a notice of consummation by December 23, 2026 or the authority expires.
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