Exemption: Acquisition and Operation; 900 Conshohocken Rail LLC, Rail Line of Cleveland-Cliffs Railways Inc. d/b/a Upper Merion and Plymouth Railroad

900 Conshohocken Rail LLC-Acquisition and Operation Exemption-Rail Line of Cleveland-Cliffs Railways Inc. d/b/a Upper Merion & Plymouth Railroad

900 Conshohocken Rail LLC (Conshohocken Rail), a noncarrier, has filed a verified notice of exemption under 49 CFR 1150.31 to acquire an approximately 11-mile rail line in Conshohocken, Pa. (the Line), from Cleveland-Cliffs Railways Inc. d/b/a Upper Merion & Plymouth Railroad (CCRI). ⁽¹⁾ The Line does not have assigned mileposts.

According to the verified notice, Conshohocken Rail is a new, noncarrier subsidiary of MLP Ventures, LLC (MLP), that was formed for the purpose of acquiring the Line. The verified notice states that Conshohocken Rail and CCRI have entered an agreement pursuant to which Conshohocken Rail will acquire the Line and provide rail service as needed, either itself or through a contract service provider. The verified notice further states that transaction will be undertaken in connection with MLP's acquisition of the property of an idled steel plate finishing facility owned by Cleveland-Cliffs Plate LLC, an affiliate of CCRI. Conshohocken Rail expects to become a Class III carrier upon consummation of the transaction.

Conshohocken Rail certifies that the proposed acquisition of the Line does not involve an interchange commitment. Conshohocken Rail further certifies that its projected annual revenues as a result of this transaction are not expected to exceed $5 million and that the proposed transaction will not result in Conshohocken Rail becoming a Class I or Class II rail carrier.

The earliest this transaction may be consummated is July 12, 2026, the effective date of the exemption (30 days after the verified notice was filed).

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 July 2, 2026 (at least seven days before the exemption becomes effective).

All pleadings, referring to Docket No. FD 36918, 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 Conshohocken Rail's representative, Thomas J. Litwiler, Fletcher & Sippel LLC, 29 North Wacker Drive, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60606-3208.

According to Conshohocken Rail, 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.

⁽¹⁾  Conshohocken Rail states that the verified notice uses the same description of the Line that has been used in prior transactions involving the Line, and that, as noted in those filings, the description of the Line encompasses certain yard or switching tracks for which Board acquisition approval may not be required. See, e.g., Upper Merion & Plymouth R.R. Co. LLC-Acquis. & Operation Exemption-Upper Merion & Plymouth R.R. Co., FD 34155, slip op. at 1 n.2 (STB served Jan. 10, 2002).