Pennsylvania Act 1965-432 — AUTHORIZING MUNICIPALITIES TO OPERATE RAILROAD STATIONS

Act text

AUTHORIZING MUNICIPALITIES TO OPERATE RAILROAD STATIONS
                 Act of Dec. 16, 1965, P.L. 1117, No. 432             Cl. 53
                                  AN ACT

     Authorizing municipalities, townships, counties and any duly
        constituted authorities to acquire, maintain, improve and
        operate railroad passenger stations and prohibiting them from
        compelling common carriers to operate in or out of the said
        stations.

        The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
     hereby enacts as follows:

        Section 1.  As used in this act:
        (1)  The term "railroad" means any common carrier by railroad
     providing passenger service within the Commonwealth;
        (2)  The term "railroad passenger station" includes all
     lands, platforms, structures and facilities related in whole or
     in part to, or associated with, a railroad station at which
     passengers are served; and
        (3)  "Station services" shall include, but not be limited to,
     the sale of tickets, provision for the handling of baggage and
     express, and any matters relating to the conduct of the
     railroad's business in serving the traveling public.
        Section 2.  Any municipality, township, county or any duly
     constituted authority is authorized in its discretion and when
     deemed by its governing body to be in the best interest of said
     municipality, township, county or any duly constituted
     authority:
        (1)  To purchase, lease, or by agreement with the owner,
     acquire any interest in any property, real or personal,
     necessary or desirable for the purpose of providing new railroad
     passenger stations, station facilities or station services, or
     in like manner to acquire any existing railroad passenger
     station or portion thereof.
        (2)  To construct, maintain and improve railroad passenger
     stations or any portion thereof, whether owned by the
     municipality, township, county, authority or by others:
     Provided, That when the station is not owned by the
     municipality, township, county or authority, such construction,
     maintenance or improvement shall be performed pursuant to an
     agreement between the owner of the station and the municipality,
     township, county or authority.
        (3)  To sell, lease or grant any other interest which it may
     have in any railroad passenger station, or part thereof, to any
     railroad or to any other person or corporation for the purpose
     of the latter's operating, in whole or in part, such station or
     rendering any station services;
        (4)  To provide by appropriate lease or contract for the
     conduct of other commercial activities for the use and
     convenience of the traveling public in any railroad passenger
     station acquired or owned by the municipality, township, county
     or authority under this act; and
        (5)  To sell or otherwise dispose of any railroad passenger
     station which it owns, or any portion thereof, when, in the
     opinion of the governing body of said municipality, township,
     county or authority it is no longer required in the public
     interest.
        Section 3.  No municipality, township, county or duly
     constituted authority shall have any power to compel by
     ordinance, resolution or otherwise, any common carrier of
     passengers, subject to the jurisdiction of the Pennsylvania
     Public Utility Commission, to operate into or out of any
     railroad passenger station, to use any railroad passenger
     station services or to contribute to the cost of acquisition,
     construction, or operation of any railroad passenger station or
     station services.
        Section 4.  This act shall take effect immediately.