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Yesterday, RailAmerica Inc. announced subsidiary Central Railroad Co. of Indianapolis has notified the Surface Transportation Board of its plan to lease a 276-mile line from CSX Transportation, pending negotiations and a definitive lease agreement.

Known as the Fort Wayne Corridor, the line runs west from Crestline, Ohio, to Tolleston, Ind., due east of Chicago. Central Railroad officials expect the 83-mile short line to move 42,000 carloads annually on the corridor.

RailAmerica's Indiana & Ohio Railway connects and interchanges with CSXT on the line. Norfolk Southern Railway, Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad Co., and all western & Chicago-based railroads also interchange on the corridor. CSXT currently serves Fort Wayne Corridor customers Central Soya, Steel Dynamics Inc., Procter & Gamble, Cargill, and National Lime & Stone, which ship agricultural products, chemicals, metals, paper and minerals.

RailAmerica owns and operates 47 regionals and short lines in the United States and Canada.