Regulation of Rail Line Abandonments: A Perspective of the Policies of the Interstate Commerce Commission and the Surface Transportation Board

This study provides an overview of the regulation of rail line abandonments and the polices of the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) and the Surface Transportation Board (STB). After a brief history of rail regulation, the authors present a discussion of the intrastate versus interstate regulation question. Next, the policies of the ICC are reviewed and analyzed, followed by a review and analysis of the more recent policies of the STB. Very little has been written on the subject of rail abandonment, therefore it is hoped that this study will provide some insight for those wanting a better understanding of government policy in this matter.