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Re: Supreme Court Deals Massive Blow To Rails-to-Trails Programs
Author: BOB2
Date: 03-11-2014 - 12:04
George,
Many "easements" do revert to the owners, if the railroad row was granted through such "easements" for a "railroad" or a "transportation use" that is no longer being provided.
I have heard, but cannot confirm, that this is one reason SP was so eager to sell the lower end of C yard to Metrolink. The story is that the original "Taylor Yard", was built on land owned by the Taylor Mill with an "easement" to provide better access to the mill, back at the turn of the century. Later, Taylor Yard was expanded all the way up San Fernando, then to where the A yard ended under todays 2 Fwy, on land the SP purchased. Metrolink is a railroad/transportation use, on the portion of the lower C yard, across from the old Taylor mill, though the mill is long gone.
Many of these easement were very open ended, however, and/or specified a utility and/or transportation use combination. So often a bike way or trail can count as that use. And, many old abandoned RR easements, are used by utilities to this day, long after the choo-choo was a dim memory.
BOB2
Many "easements" do revert to the owners, if the railroad row was granted through such "easements" for a "railroad" or a "transportation use" that is no longer being provided.
I have heard, but cannot confirm, that this is one reason SP was so eager to sell the lower end of C yard to Metrolink. The story is that the original "Taylor Yard", was built on land owned by the Taylor Mill with an "easement" to provide better access to the mill, back at the turn of the century. Later, Taylor Yard was expanded all the way up San Fernando, then to where the A yard ended under todays 2 Fwy, on land the SP purchased. Metrolink is a railroad/transportation use, on the portion of the lower C yard, across from the old Taylor mill, though the mill is long gone.
Many of these easement were very open ended, however, and/or specified a utility and/or transportation use combination. So often a bike way or trail can count as that use. And, many old abandoned RR easements, are used by utilities to this day, long after the choo-choo was a dim memory.
BOB2
