§ 136-190 — Powers of railroad corporations

Every railroad corporation shall have power:
(1) To Survey and Enter on Land. - To cause such examination and surveys for its proposed railroad to be made as may be necessary to the selection of the most advantageous route; and for such purpose, by its officers or agents and servants, to enter upon the lands or waters of any person, but subject to responsibility for all damages which shall be done thereto.
(2) To Condemn Land under Eminent Domain. - To appropriate land and rights therein by condemnation, as provided in the Chapter Eminent Domain.
(3) To Take Property by Grant. - To take and hold such voluntary grants of real estate and other property as shall be made to it to aid in the construction, maintenance and accommodation of its railroad; but the real estate received by voluntary grant shall be held and used for the purposes of such grant only.
(4) To Purchase and Hold Property. - To purchase, hold and use all such real estate and other property as may be necessary for the construction and maintenance of its railroad, the stations and other accommodations necessary to accomplish the object of its incorporation.
(5) To Grade and Construct Road. - To lay out its road, not exceeding 100 feet in width, and to construct the same; to take, for the purpose of cuttings and embankments, as much more land as may be necessary for the proper construction and security of the road; and to cut down any standing trees that may be in danger of falling on the road, making compensation therefor as provided in the Chapter Eminent Domain.
(6) To Intersect with Highways and Waterways. - To construct its road across, along or upon any stream, watercourse, street, highway, turnpike, railroad or canal which the route of its road shall intersect or touch; but the company shall restore the stream, watercourse, street, highway or turnpike, thus intersected or touched, to its former state or to such state as not unnecessarily to impair its usefulness. Nothing in this Chapter shall be construed to authorize the erection of any bridge or any other construction across, in or over any stream or lake navigated by motor boats commensurate in size to sailboat, or sailboats or vessels, at the place where any bridge or other obstructions may be proposed to be placed, nor to authorize the construction of any railroad not already located in, upon or across any streets in any municipality without the assent of such municipality.
(7) To Intersect with Other Railroads. - To cross, intersect, join and unite its railroad with any other railroad at any point on its route and upon the grounds of such other railroad, with the necessary turnouts, sidings, switches and other conveniences in furtherance of the object of its connections. Every company whose railroad is or shall be hereafter intersected by any other railroad shall unite with the owners of such other railroad in forming such intersections and connections and grant the facilities aforesaid, and if the two corporations cannot agree upon the amount of compensation to be made therefor, or the points and manner of such crossings and connections, the same shall be ascertained and determined by the Commission.
(8) To Transport Persons and Property. - To take and convey persons and property on its railroad or by water by the power or force of steam, electricity, or by any other power, and to receive compensation therefor.
(9) To Erect Stations and Other Buildings. - To erect and maintain all necessary and convenient buildings, stations, fixtures and machinery for the accommodation and use of its passengers, freight and business.
(10) To Borrow Money, Issue Bonds and Execute Mortgages. - From time to time to borrow such sums of money as may be necessary for completing and finishing or operating its railroad, to issue and dispose of its bonds for any amount so borrowed, to mortgage its corporate property and franchises and to secure the payment of any debt contracted by the company for the purposes aforesaid; and the directors of the company may confer on any holder of any bond issued for money borrowed, as aforesaid, the right to convert the principal due or owing thereon into stock of such company at any time under such regulations as the directors may see fit to adopt.
(11) To Lease Rails. - To lease iron rails to any person for such time and upon such terms as may be agreed on by the contracting parties, and upon the termination of the lease by expiration, forfeiture or surrender, to take possession of and remove the rails so leased as if they had never been laid.
(12) To Establish Hotels and Eating Houses. - To purchase, lease, hold, operate or maintain eating houses, hotels and restaurants for the accommodation of the traveling public along the line of its road. (1871-2, c. 138, s. 29; Code, s. 1957; 1887, c. 341; 1889, c. 518; Rev., ss. 2567, 2575; C.S., s. 3444; 1953, c. 675, ss. 6, 7; 1963, c. 1165, s. 1; 1998-128, s. 14.)