Movable point frogs, and track work on the UP

[mudchicken]

I have always assumed a western road, like the UP, got to the present right of way boundary from the original 400 feet because it sold what it deemed unneeded width very early after construction. Staying with the UP example, you see towns on the plains today with structures (and railroad customers, think grain elevators) that seem uncomfortably close to the right of way. I’ve wondered if the railroads wish they had some of that property back when it comes time to tripple track, for example.

However, the sense of Mudchicken’s comment is that it is in fact the other way around; the railroad allowed an easement on their property for one purpose or another. Is that the more common case?

Railroads frequently will execute license contracts with grain elevators, etc. (not an easement, easement is a dirty word to railroads as they lose control of their R/W) in areas where they have grant and fee R/W. Used to do the same with highways on grant R/W, but are now starting to Quit Claim or grant easements on some grant R/W’s where they can now legally do so by little used congessional act. But there is still a while lot of highway ot there that is built on railroad R/W.

[videomaker]

Selector,

Well,now that youve explained it and I know that the rail moves and not just a point that would make sense and I understand it better …Thanks for the explaination…