PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

You must get a certificate from the Board before you build an extension, add a new railroad line, run trains on a new or extended line, or—if you are not a rail carrier—buy or operate a railroad line. To start, you file an application and the Board must give public notice, including telling the Governor of any affected State. The Board will issue the certificate unless it finds the project is against the public interest or need. The Board can approve the application as is or change it and can add rules it thinks are needed, but it cannot impose labor-protection rules. If the Board allows construction or extension, another railroad cannot block a crossing of its tracks so long as the construction does not unreasonably interfere, the new operation does not significantly interfere, and the crossing owner pays the crossed-track owner. If the parties cannot agree on terms or payment, either can ask the Board to decide, and the Board must decide within 120 days.

Title 49, §10901

Transportation, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)A person may—

(1)construct an extension to any of its railroad lines;

(2)construct an additional railroad line;

(3)provide transportation over, or by means of, an extended or additional railroad line; or

(4)in the case of a person other than a rail carrier, acquire a railroad line or acquire or operate an extended or additional railroad line,

only if the Board issues a certificate authorizing such activity under subsection (c).

(b)A proceeding to grant authority under subsection (a) of this section begins when an application is filed. On receiving the application, the Board shall give reasonable public notice, including notice to the Governor of any affected State, of the beginning of such proceeding.

(c)The Board shall issue a certificate authorizing activities for which such authority is requested in an application filed under subsection (b) unless the Board finds that such activities are inconsistent with the public convenience and necessity. Such certificate may approve the application as filed, or with modifications, and may require compliance with conditions (other than labor protection conditions) the Board finds necessary in the public interest.

(d)(1)When a certificate has been issued by the Board under this section authorizing the construction or extension of a railroad line, no other rail carrier may block any construction or extension authorized by such certificate by refusing to permit the carrier to cross its property if—

(A)the construction does not unreasonably interfere with the operation of the crossed line;

(B)the operation does not materially interfere with the operation of the crossed line; and

(C)the owner of the crossing line compensates the owner of the crossed line.

(2)If the parties are unable to agree on the terms of operation or the amount of payment for purposes of paragraph (1) of this subsection, either party may submit the matters in dispute to the Board for determination. The Board shall make a determination under this paragraph within 120 days after the dispute is submitted for determination.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 10901, Pub. L. 95–473, Oct. 17, 1978, 92 Stat. 1402; Pub. L. 96–448, title II, § 221, Oct. 14, 1980, 94 Stat. 1928, related to authorizing

Construction

and operation of railroad lines, prior to the general amendment of this subtitle by Pub. L. 104–88, § 102(a).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective Jan. 1, 1996, except as otherwise provided in Pub. L. 104–88, see section 2 of Pub. L. 104–88, set out as a note under section 1301 of this title.

§10901 Authorizing Construction and Operation of Railroad Lines