Desposition of State-Owned rail lines

[MQT1223]

When the state took over the Ann Arbor or the old GR&I from Conrail (or something like that) and gave a contract to an operator such as the Michigan Northern or the Michigan Interstate, who would decide on whether the rails were to be abandoned due to low profits or lack of business? Many old rail lines, such as the GR&I (most of it) and much of the far northern portions of the Ann Arbor were abandoned after the state took ownership. After the rails are eventually lifted, who would own the ROW? The state, the last company to operate the line? Was the whole ROW auctioned off back to separate landowners to regain back as much profit as possible? Did the state flat out just keep the land for themselves regardless if rails existed or not?

[Saturnalia]

White Pine trail was made from the MIGN. Obviously a state park now.

[midland sub]

The state determines the fate of the line. If there's no business or not enough for anyone to make a profit then the state will decide what to do.

[Notch 8]

The state determines the fate of the line. If there's no business or not enough for anyone to make a profit then the state will decide what to do.

Generally when a line is lifted it goes back to adjacent landowners, Also depends on how the land was acquired to begin with.
How much trackage does the State of Michigan own ?

[Michael]

How much trackage does the State of Michigan own ?

Here is a map http://michigan.gov/documents/mdot/MDOT ... 0121_7.pdf

[jimnorthwood]

The goal was and still is, to divest to private ownership the lines the state acquired following the Conrail start up in 1976. ADBF bought the former LCRC state owned track, and I thought INE had purchased the former HCRC track, but the map tells us that is not the case. E&LS purchased the formerly state owned MILW track in the U.P. The state still owns the NYC TSBY cluster in the Thumb, the north section of the former AA, the NYC through the middle of the L.P., and some PRR to Petoskey and a bit of former C&O in and around Traverse City.

[JStryker722]

Can't count in the originial pretext of why the State bought all of that track in '76 the Amtrak/MDOT owned Michigan Line as that was bought to have exclusive rights to maintain and build an 110mph higher-speed mainline for Amtrak,rather than saving branch lines for a few customers.

[Standard Railfan]

Generally when a line is lifted it goes back to adjacent landowners, Also depends on how the land was acquired to begin with.
How much trackage does the State of Michigan own ?

Generally speaking, the land does not revert to the adjacent landowners. The Railroads most often owned the ROW outright.

In cases where easements were granted to the railroad, the property would revert to the previous owner upon abandonment. Rail banking was devised to protect abandoned ROW from development.

In some instances, the land adjacent to the ROW was previously owned by the railroad and then sold to whomever. Land grant railroads were built around this specific model. The railroad would build through an area and be "granted" real estate adjacent to their new line. The railroad could then sell the, suddenly more valuable, land to pay for the construction costs.

I have read real estate title searches for property adjacent to the GR&I/PRR/PC/State of Michigan. Most often the original transaction was the conveyance of land to the GR&I from the United States of America on a grant signed by Ulysses S. Grant. Interesting to read the searches. Almost like looking back in time.

[James Sofonia]

My own property can be traced back to Grand Rapids and Indiana RR ownership in the 1800's even though the nearest railroad to my location was the PM RR a mile and 1/2 from here. I think before that it was USA land, but it's been 37 years since I've seen those papers.

[TSB]

Can't count in the originial pretext of why the State bought all of that track in '76 the Amtrak/MDOT owned Michigan Line as that was bought to have exclusive rights to maintain and build an 110mph higher-speed mainline for Amtrak,rather than saving branch lines for a few customers.

My remembrance of my first-hand knowledge of the state's purpose at that time is at odds with that.

The state purchased 1700 miles to preserve needed rail service in the economic interest of the various regions.