49 C.F.R. § 1152.28 – Public use procedures.

(a) (1) If the Board finds that the present or future public convenience and necessity require or permit abandonment or discontinuance, the Board will determine if the involved rail properties are appropriate for use for other public purposes.
(2) A request for a public use condition under 49 U.S.C. 10905 must be in writing and set forth:
1. (i) The condition sought;
2. (ii) The public importance of the condition;
3. (iii) The period of time for which the condition would be effective (up to the statutory maximum of 180 days); and
4. (iv) Justification for the imposition of the time period. A copy of the request shall be mailed to the applicant.
(3) For applications filed under part 1152, subpart C, a request for a public use condition must be filed not more than 45 days after the application is filed. A decision on the public use request will be issued by the Board or the Chief Counsel prior to the effective date of the abandonment. For abandonment exemptions under part 1152, subpart F or exemptions granted on the basis of an individual petition for exemption filed under 49 U.S.C. 10502, a request for a public use condition must be filed not more than 20 days from the date of publication of the notice of exemption in the Federal Register in the case of class exemptions under subpart F of this part, or not more than 20 days from the date of publication of notice of the filing of the petition for individual exemption in the Federal Register.
(b) If the Board finds that the rail properties are appropriate for use for other public purposes, the railroad may dispose of the rail properties only under the conditions described in the Board's decision. The conditions imposed by the Board may include a prohibition against the disposal of the rail assets for a period of not more than 180 days from the effective date of the decision authorizing the abandonment or discontinuance, unless the properties have first been offered, on reasonable terms, for sale for public purposes. This period will run concurrently with any other postponements. Jurisdiction to impose such conditions expires after 180 days from the effective date of the decision authorizing the abandonment or discontinuance.