The parent company of an Oregon railroad operation that shut down the rail line from Eugene to Coquille has paid $24 million to help pop singer Michael Jackson keep his Neverland Ranch, The Associated Press reported Friday.

That’s $1 million more than the estimated cost of repairs to the Central Oregon & Pacific Railroad’s line — and $19 million more than the company has offered to pay to fix it.

The rail line is owned by RailAmerica, whose parent company, Fortress Investment Group LLC, signed a “confidential” agreement that allows Jackson to retain ownership of his property, AP reported.

Jackson had gone into default on the 2,500-acre ranch in Central California, and it was being put on the auction block until he signed the refinancing plan with Fortress.

In late September, RailAmerica closed the railroad that shuttled lumber, propane, steel and other materials on the tracks. Company officials initially blamed the decision on three unsafe tunnels. Within weeks, however, they said there wasn’t enough revenue to keep the line in good condition — and it was losing the company money annually.

By November, the company came up with a plan to fix and re-open the railroad. It asked for $4.66 million each from rail line users and public agencies in Oregon. Those payers would be CORP, the Union Pacific railroad, the Oregon Department of Transportation, the Oregon International Port of Coos Bay and the shippers.

Companies such as Southport Forest Products, American Bridge, Georgia-Pacific and Roseburg Forest Products would pay $204 more per carload with a guarantee they would send out at least 5,700 carloads annually. The company also asked the state to come up with operating money to run the railroad.

That proposal still is floating out there.

But the governor has flatly said no — unless CORP starts running trains again on the South Coast.

All the while, the Port of Coos Bay has filed an application with the U.S. Surface Transportation Board to try to force the CORP to sell.