A reader recently expressed concerns over the railroad line that serves the former steel mill at 900 Conshohocken Road in Conshohocken (Plymouth Township). The property is currently part of a controversial data center proposal that is going through the zoning hearing process.

Today, a federal document landed in our inbox via Google News Alerts, detailing the future of the rail line. The developer, Brian O’Neill’s MLP Ventures, through a subsidiary, Conshohocken Rail, plans to maintain the line and provide service on it if needed.

From a review in the Federal Register of “A Notice by the Surface Transportation Board”:

900 Conshohocken Rail LLC (Conshohocken Rail), a noncarrier, has filed a verified notice of exemption under 49 CFR 1150.31 to acquire an approximately 11-mile rail line in Conshohocken, Pa. (the Line), from Cleveland-Cliffs Railways Inc. d/b/a Upper Merion & Plymouth Railroad (CCRI).[1] The Line does not have assigned mileposts.

According to the verified notice, Conshohocken Rail is a new, noncarrier subsidiary of MLP Ventures, LLC (MLP), that was formed for the purpose of acquiring the Line. The verified notice states that Conshohocken Rail and CCRI have entered an agreement pursuant to which Conshohocken Rail will acquire the Line and provide rail service as needed, either itself or through a contract service provider. The verified notice further states that transaction will be undertaken in connection with MLP’s acquisition of the property of an idled steel plate finishing facility owned by Cleveland-Cliffs Plate LLC, an affiliate of CCRI. Conshohocken Rail expects to become a Class III carrier upon consummation of the transaction.

You can read the full review here.