Do the adjacent land owners own the property if the railroad abandons it?
Norfolk Southern claims it owns almost the entire corridor in fee simple. It may hold easements on some of the parcels, and in some cases the ownership is not clear. However, it is certain that Norfolk Southern owns the rights to operate rail service on the line. It is also clear the National Trail Systems Act of 1968 provides a legal means to transfer those rights for use as a trail, regardless of whether the title is in fee or by easement and it preserves the corridor for possible future rail service while providing for interim use as a trail.
Related Questions
- Well, just don take the offer. However, Id check with the adjacent property owners first to see what they plan to do. This could be an important issue as you could form an association.
- Would property owners be required to donate land for the construction of noise barriers?
- What are the impacts to adjacent property owners?
