Dayton City Commissioner Chris Shaw said Norfolk Southern also is responsible for the bridges along the rail line that are in bad condition and likely need to be repaired or replaced.
Shaw emphasized that Norfolk Southern could avoid those potentially expensive costs by selling the rail line to the city. Overall, Shaw said he feels “cautiously optimistic” about where talks stand with the company.
“The negotiation with Norfolk Southern overall has turned a corner,” he said. “I view this as a reset.”
Nearly a decade of talks
Since 2016, the city has tried to buy a 6.5-mile unused track that it wants to turn into a new multiuse recreational trail with park-like amenities called the “Flight Line.” The rail line goes through or touches about eight city neighborhoods, before it ends in Kettering.
The line would connect more neighborhoods to the regional trail network, and the track has an elevated section at its western end near the Oregon District that provides great views of downtown and other areas.
The city and Norfolk Southern have been unable to reach a deal for the rail line despite years of negotiations. The city offered $1.7 million for the property in March 2023. Norfolk Southern increased its asking price to $7.3 million in early 2024.
The city has documented some of the blighted conditions along the rail line that have a negative impact on the surrounding areas, including vegetative overgrowth, trash and graffiti, said Tony Kroeger, Dayton’s planning division manager.
“We are asking Norfolk Southern to better maintain their property, in the same way the city would like everyone to keep their property free of overgrowth, trash and graffiti,” Kroeger said.
The city estimates that it has spent more than $100,000 to maintain Norfolk Southern’s property since 2015. Most of the costs have been for mowing and trash removal.
Parts of the vacated track stick up at grade crossings in the city, creating a safety hazard for motorists and other community members, Shaw said. He said sections of the unused rail line in Kettering have been removed from the roadway, and the same thing should happen in Dayton.
Shaw said he and other city officials and elected leaders met with members of Norfolk Southern’s senior leadership team in mid-August. He said the company committed to cleaning up the vacated rail line.
The city’s 2025 report says that two of the four bridges along the rail line are in “poor” or “serious” condition. The city says removing, repairing and replacing the bridges could cost more than $2.5 million.
Shaw, however, said Norfolk Southern no longer would be on the hook for removal, repair and replacement costs if the company sells the rail line to the city. City officials say they want the bridge repair and replacement costs to be reflected in the asking price.
Shaw also said Norfolk Southern has indicated that it is willing to pay for a third-party company to conduct an appraisal of the rail line to try to determine its market value. He said hopefully that will help purchase negotiations.
Norfolk Southern did not return a request for comment.
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