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The Ohio Rail Development Commission (ORDC) plans to soon hold discussions with Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (GWI) about a long-term operating lease for the state-owned Panhandle Line.

GWI’s Ohio Central Railroad has operated the 161-mile line — which runs from Columbus to just south of Steubenville at Mingo Junction — since it was purchased by Ohio from Conrail in 1992 to save the route from partial abandonment and scrapping. Ohio Central currently operates the line under a five-year lease agreement.

Long-term lease talks were delayed when Ohio Central was acquired by GWI in 2008, but now will resume, ORDC officials said in a prepared statement. The Panhandle Lease Committee will meet on June 3.