§ 11-70 — Assessment of railroad companies; definitions

These words and phrases, for the assessment of the property of railroad companies, and unless otherwise required by the context shall be defined as follows: (a) "Railroad company," "railroad," or "company" means any person, company, corporation or association owning, operating or constructing a railroad, a suburban or interurban railroad, a switching or terminal railroad, a railroad station, or a railroad bridge in this State. (b) "Operating property" means all tracks and right of way, all structures and improvements on that right of way, all rights and franchises, all rolling stock and car equipment, and all other property, real or personal, tangible or intangible connected with or used in the operation of the railroad including real estate contiguous to railroad right of way or station grounds held for reasonable expansion or future development. (c) "Non-operating personalty" means all personal property, tangible and intangible, held by any railroad company and not included in the definition of "operating property". (d) "Non-carrier real estate" means all land, and improvements on that land, not situated on the right of way of the railroad and not used as operating property within the meaning of the definition in paragraph (b). Improvements owned by others and situated on the right of way not used in the operations of the railroad shall be deemed to be "non-carrier real estate." The Department shall adopt proper rules and regulations to determine whether any property is "non-carrier real estate." (e) "Trackage rights" or "trackage right agreement" means the right by which one railroad company operates trains in scheduled service over tracks owned and used by another railroad company and the valuation of trackage rights shall include the value of all rolling stock, and all tangible or intangible personal property used or connected therewith.

Legislative History

(Source: P.A. 81-1stSS-1; 88-455 .)