08/16/00

The Blacklands Railroad Company, a Class III rail carrier, has filed a verified notice of exemption under 49 CFR 1150.41 to acquire from Northeast Texas Rural Rail Transportation District (NETEX) the rights to operate over approximately 45 miles of rail line in the State of Texas as follows: (1) approximately 34.59 miles of rail line owned by NETEX beginning at milepost 524.0, located approximately 6.2 miles west of Sulphur Springs, and proceeding east to milepost 489.41, at the eastern county line of Franklin County; and (2) approximately 10.41 miles of rail line owned by the Union Pacific Railroad Company (UP) from milepost 489.41 to milepost 479.0 pursuant to trackage rights acquired by NETEX for the purpose of interchanging with UP. ⁽¹⁾

The transaction was scheduled to be consummated on or after July 17, 2000.