---
type: "LegalText"
title: "46 U.S.C. § 55117"
description: "Great Lakes rail route"
jurisdiction: "us"
corpus: "united_states_code"
kind: "code_section"
title_number: 46
title_name: "SHIPPING"
chapter_number: "551"
chapter_name: "COASTWISE TRADE"
section: "55117"
citation: "46 U.S.C. § 55117"
status: "current"
release_point: "119-100"
release_date: "2026-06-26"
source: "official"
source_url: "https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc46@119-100.zip"
source_identifier: "/us/usc/t46/s55117"
source_file: "data/legal/raw/us/code/title-46/usc46.xml"
source_hash: "2190a7791799ccc0e8b92f249afb4544ade6d16c5842383bcbfd9bc067b84d55"
raw_snapshot_hash: "eb1331aa3c08ed87231a3606d86b30d1b5942cdf8542f6a3df8ac1d66e86057f"
text_hash: "5863c6b8874d30cfe2efec333ac0913f4e1a8636101997aaa120ef7e9432f71d"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-04"
confidence: "official"
tags: ["legal", "us-code"]
---

# 46 U.S.C. § 55117 - Great Lakes rail route

## Text

Section 55102 of this title does not apply to the transportation of merchandise loaded on a railroad car or to a motor vehicle with or without a trailer, and with its passengers or contents when accompanied by the operator, when the railroad car or motor vehicle is transported in a railroad car ferry operated between fixed terminals on the Great Lakes as part of a rail route, if—

(1) the car ferry is owned by a common carrier by water and operated as part of a rail route with the approval of the Surface Transportation Board;

(2) the stock of the common carrier by water, or its predecessor, was owned or controlled by a common carrier by rail prior to June 5, 1920;

(3) the stock of the common carrier owning the car ferry is, with the approval of the Board, now owned or controlled by a common carrier by rail; and

(4) the car ferry is built in and documented under the laws of the United States.

(Pub. L. 109–304, § 8(c), Oct. 6, 2006, 120 Stat. 1640.)

## Notes

Historical and Revision Notes RevisedSectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 5511746 App.:883 (5th proviso).June 5, 1920, ch. 250, § 27, as added Apr. 11, 1935, ch. 58, 49 Stat. 154.