Short line holding company Regional Rail LLC plans to acquire the Massachusetts Central Railroad, according to a recent filing with the U.S. Surface Transportation Board. The transaction is expected to take effect on or around July 1.

The Massachusetts Central has operated 25 miles of former Boston & Albany trackage between Palmer and South Barre, Mass., since 1979. The railroad uses a fleet of EMDs painted in an attractive Boston & Maine-like livery.

Regional Rail was founded in 2007 and owns 14 short lines in Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Saskatchewan. Among its recent acquisitions is the Minnesota Commercial Railroad.

According to the STB filing, Regional Rail does not anticipate any major changes to Massachusetts Central’s day-to-day operations.

—Justin Franz