Florida Railroad Finally Abandons Ghost Line Unused Since 2008
Published Date: 6/26/2026
Notice
Summary
Seminole Gulf Railway is planning to stop using a railroad line running through parts of Lee and Collier Counties, Florida, because no trains have run there since 2008. This change affects local freight stations and could free up the land for other uses. If no one steps up with financial help or special requests by early to mid-July 2026, the railroad will officially close the line by July 26.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Rail Line Closure in Lee & Collier
Seminole Gulf Railway will abandon the railroad line between Milepost AX 979.39 and AX 990.80 through parts of Lee and Collier Counties, Fla., which includes three freight stations and traverses ZIP Codes 33928, 34134, 34135, and 34110. The abandonment is set to be effective on July 26, 2026 unless a formal expression of intent to file an offer of financial assistance is received by July 6, 2026, and the authority to abandon will expire automatically if no notice of consummation is filed by June 26, 2027.
Worker Protections for Affected Employees
Any employee adversely affected by the abandonment will be protected under the Oregon Short Line Railroad decision (360 I.C.C. 91 (1979)). Parties may file a petition for partial revocation under 49 U.S.C. 10502(d) to challenge whether that protection adequately covers affected employees.
Deadlines for Offers, Trail Use, and Comments
Formal expressions of intent to file an offer of financial assistance (OFA) and interim trail use/railbanking requests must be filed by July 6, 2026; petitions to reopen and requests for public use conditions must be filed by July 16, 2026. The Board's Office of Environmental Analysis will issue a Draft Environmental Assessment by July 2, 2026, and comments on environmental or historic matters are due within 15 days after the Draft EA is made available.
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