49 CFR § 1152.2 - Definitions.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t49/s1152.2"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "49 CFR § 1152.2 - Definitions."
title_number: 49
title_name: "Transportation"
section_number: "1152.2"
section_name: "Definitions."
chapter_name: "SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD"
subchapter_number: "B"
subchapter_name: "RULES OF PRACTICE"
part_number: "1152"
part_name: "ABANDONMENT AND DISCONTINUANCE OF RAIL LINES AND RAIL TRANSPORTATION UNDER 49 U.S.C. 10903"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-24"
last_updated: "2026-03-24"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "11 U.S.C. 1170; 16 U.S.C. 1247(d) and 1248; 45 U.S.C. 744; and 49 U.S.C. 1301, 1321(a), 10502, 10903-10905, and 11161."
regulatory_source: "61 FR 67883, Dec. 24, 1996, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "1152"
---


# 1152.2 Definitions.

Unless otherwise provided in the text of the regulations, the following definitions apply in this part:

(a) *Account* means an account in the Board's Uniform System of Accounts for Railroad Companies (49 CFR part 1201).

(b) *Act* means the ICC Termination Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-88, 109 Stat. 803), as amended.

(c) *Base year* means the latest 12-month period, ending no earlier than 6 months prior to the filing of the abandonment or discontinuance application, for which data have been collected at the branch level as prescribed in § 1152.30(b).

(d) *Board* means the Surface Transportation Board.

(e) *Branch* means a segment of line for which an application for abandonment or discontinuance, pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 10903, has been filed.

(f) *Carrier* means a railroad company or the trustee or trustees of a railroad company subject to regulation under 49 U.S.C., Subtitle IV, chapter 105.

(g) *Designated state agency* means the instrumentality created by a state or designated by appropriate authority to administer or coordinate its state rail plan.

(h) *Forecast Year* means the 12-month period, beginning with the first day of the month in which the application is filed with the Board, for which future revenues and costs are estimated.

(i) *Form R-1* means the railroad's annual report filed with the Board in accordance with the requirements of 49 U.S.C. 11145.

(j) *Offeror* means a shipper, a state, the United States, a local or regional transportation authority, or any financially responsible person offering rail service continuation assistance under 49 U.S.C. 10904.

(k) *URCS* means the Uniform Railroad Costing System.

(l) *Significant user* means:

(1) Each of the 10 rail patrons which originated and/or received the largest number of carloads (or each patron if there are less than 10); and

(2) Any other rail patron which originated and/or received 50 or more carloads, on the line proposed for abandonment or discontinuance, during the 12-month period preceding the month in which notice is given of the abandonment or discontinuance application.

(m) *Subsidy year* means any 12-month period for which a subsidy agreement has been negotiated and is in operation.