On April 22, 2026 the Surface Transportation Board issued an exemption approving construction of the Green Eagle Railroad in Eagle Pass, TX. This proposed carrier, established in the wake of the 2023 immigration-related embargo of rail service through Eagle Pass, is part of a broader effort to offer fluid rail- and truck movement of cargo across the border region, and includes an additional 17.79 miles of trackage in the Mexican state of Coahuila.
Contrasting with the current line, which is owned by Union Pacific and also used by BNSF, the Green Eagle Railroad will have be completely double-tracked and have no grade crossings, removing impediments associated with the current route. However, Green Eagle indicated that it cannot succeed without agreements with UP and BNSF which have thus far not been achieved, with Union Pacific previously opposing the exemption process.
Read the full STB decision (via Progressive Railroading) here.