Any entry or construction activities on railroad right of way must be authorized by the railroad in writing. Written authorization is obtained through a Right of Entry Permit or Contractor Occupancy/Access Agreement. The application is accessible via the link provided below.

The applicant must submit the completed application to the Real Estate Department including a check or money order, to cover the non-refundable fee of $1,500 made payable to RailAmerica, Inc. The application must include railroad milepost, railroad subdivision, and scope of work. If any of these items on the application are incomplete, the application will be immediately rejected.

The standard term for a Right of Entry Permit or Contractor Occupancy/Access Agreement is sixty (60) days. Longer terms are reviewed on a case by case basis and may be assessed additional fees.

Upon approval of the application, the Real Estate Department will draft an agreement and forward to the applicant for signature. Application does not guarantee approval. The applicant must then return the signed document to the Real Estate Department along with the pertinent certificate of insurance outlined in the agreement. Once in receipt of these documents, the railroad will then execute the agreement.

For "standard processing", the entire process takes between 4-8 weeks.  "Expedited processing" will reduce the processing time to between 1-2 weeks and costs an additional $1,750.

Please contact Donna Killingsworth at 904-538-6365 or via email at donna.killingsworth@railamerica.com with any questions about Right of Entry permits.