Mendocino Railway - Surface Transportation Board Decision
- Friends of Smart
- Oct 5
- 1 min read
SEPTEMBER 26, 2025
SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD
DECISION
Docket No. FD 36868
MENDOCINO RAILWAY—PETITION FOR DECLARATORY ORDER
Digest:1 This decision confirms that Mendocino Railway is a Class III rail carrier
subject to the jurisdiction of the Board.
Decided: September 26, 2025
On July 2, 2025, Mendocino Railway (MRY) filed a petition for declaratory order requesting that the Board confirm its status as a Class III rail carrier subject to the Board’s jurisdiction and therefore entitled to the protections afforded by applicable federal preemption. MRY states that it seeks confirmation of its status due to recent legal challenges by local municipalities and state agencies. Two responses to MRY’s petition were submitted by the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) and the California Coastal Commission (Commission). As discussed below, the Board confirms that MRY is a Class III rail carrier subject to the jurisdiction of the Board and therefore entitled to any applicable benefits of federal preemption.
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