Back in the 1800s to early 1900s were Railroad developers allowed to buy up wide ROW in areas where it was not flat and easy for another line to be built close by? And do this in order to keep another RR from building a competing RR line?
Get to your library and get hold of railroad history books…the CP built alongside the UP for miles east and west of Promentory Point…the New York Central folks dug tunnels and layed track through the hills of PA to dig into PRR traffic so the PRR folks built north along the Hudson River and across the Empire State within sight of the mighty NYC&HR. Sante Fe and Denver & Rio Grand had pitched battles over who was going to succeed in building through the likes of the Royal Gorge. Pick up a history of any railroad or regional histories of railroads and learn about the shenanigans, wars, battles, sabotage, stock manipulations, the buying and selling of judges, legislators and legislatures, governors and mayors. It happened to keep others out and away, to do it then sell it at an inflated price to the competitor, with so many contradictions and stories to pursue if interested, you’ll be glad of snowstorms so you can read all there is about the subject.
DiningCar should have plenty of stories.
In Colorado, look up the 1905 Gore Canyon War. (Moffat Road + CB&Q vs UP with a little help from Teddy Roosevelt.)
Crossing frogs laid under cover of darkness.
Deschutes River Railroad War (get the book)
and don’t think those games still don’t happen!
I would think that if a RR bought up excess land that they were not using for active ROW, another RR may try to acquire ROW over the unused land thru eminent domain.
Those RR’s who were acquiring ROW by means other than Land Grants had no extra money. Their funds were usually barely enough to construct the track to their destination objective. In fact ties and rail were laid on earthen top soil that was inadequate to support an ongoing operation. They just wanted to establish their line and then rebuild it to standards which would permit a continuing and growing operation. By the way that process remains today as evidenced by the continuing investment that major RR’s are spending each year.
More to the point about competition, after their main line(s) were established the RR’s began building branch lines to preempt their competitors. These were overbuilt as evidenced by the many abandonments. So my response to the initial question is NO!
Well the Prr was formed in 1847 and started from then to its final size by buying regional railroads. The first being the Camden and Amboy in New Jersey. At that time and through the late 1800s a railroad assured survival and growth for a town. In addition people welcomed them with open arms as they were a marvel of transportation. I suspect that with the blessings of local and state governments and landholders able to brag they leased land to the railroad that the costs were not excessive. In addition open land was available throughout the country. The state of Pennsylvania helped finance the PRR expansion over the Allegheny mountains to open up the western part of the state. Once one state had proof of the economic benefits it wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to emulate the results in another state.