South Dakota rail lines can now be purchased
Written by RT&S Staff
Rail agencies express congratulations to President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris
State-owned rail lines are now up for sale in South Dakota.
The South Dakota Railroad Board cleared the way late last week by voting to proceed with Invitation for Proposals. Currently, there are 1,977 miles of operating rail lines in South Dakota, and the state with the help of private railroads has restored service on over 900 previously abandoned rail lines.
The South Dakota Department of Transportation, which includes the South Dakota Railroad Board, has performed major rehabilitation on the lines and there are operators on all of the tracks. According to Karla Engle, chief legal counsel and Special Assistant Attorney General for the South Dakota DOT, there is a growing interest on the acquisition of the lines. The board also will have the freedom to determine the process it is going to use to dispose of the state-owned lines.
The South Dakota DOT did confirm that it would not provide any estimates on future taxes to potential buyers.
The following lines are available for purchase:
- Mitchell to Rapid City;
- Aberdeen to Geneseo Junction Connection and Jarrett Junction to Britton;
- Napa Junction to Platte;
- Elk Point to Canton and Beresford to Hawarden;
- Huron to Yale;
- The Wolsey Interchange.
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