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Earlier this week, the Central Oregon & Pacific Railroad Co. (CORP) submitted a filing to the Surface Transportation Board (STB) seeking approval to abandon the Coos Bay Line between Coquille and Eugene, Ore.

Owned by RailAmerica Inc., the railroad plans to abandon a 94.3-mile portion of the line between Vaughn and Cordes, and discontinue service on segments CORP leases from Union Pacific Railroad and Longview, Portland & Northern Railway Co.

CORP closed the Coos Bay Line in September 2007 because officials determined three tunnels posed a safety risk to operations and were costly to repair, and the line's traffic had declined significantly.

In May, RailAmerica officials stated in a separate STB filing that they had "little choice but to abandon the line" because the state of Oregon, shippers and UP rejected proposed options to restore the route. For example, CORP officials had proposed establishing a railroad/state joint venture that would own, reopen and operate the line. However, Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski rejected the idea.