Maine Revised Statutes

1. Establishment of service.  The authority is directed to take all actions that are reasonably necessary to initiate, establish or reinitiate regularly scheduled passenger rail service between points within this State and points within and outside this State. These actions may include, but are not limited to, the acquisition, holding, use, operation, repair, construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, modernization, rebuilding, relocation, maintenance and disposition of railroad lines, railway facilities, rolling stock, machinery and equipment, trackage rights, real and personal property of any kind and any rights in or related to that property.

2. Acquisition of properties; rights.  The authority may acquire any of the properties or rights listed in subsection 1 through purchase, lease, lease-purchase, gift, devise or otherwise. In making these acquisitions the authority may exercise the power of eminent domain following the same procedure set forth in section 7154, subsection 5; except that any notice of condemnation must be filed in the registry of deeds for the county or counties, or registry division or divisions, in which the property is located, in the case of real property, and with the office of the Secretary of State in the case of personal property.

3. Responsibilities of State.  Nothing in this chapter precludes the State from acquiring railroad lines for passenger rail service or precludes the Department of Transportation from taking actions to facilitate the operation of passenger rail service within the State or from contracting with 3rd parties for the operation of passenger rail service within the State. Nothing in this chapter affects the responsibilities of the department for transportation policy and planning as set forth in this Title.