Title 33 — Navigation and Navigable WatersRelease 119-73
§493 Use of railroad bridges by other railroad companies
Title 33 › Chapter CHAPTER 11— - BRIDGES OVER NAVIGABLE WATERS › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - GENERAL PROVISIONS › § 493
Summary
Railroad companies that want to use any bridge built under sections 491 to 494 and 495 to 498 must be allowed the same rights to run trains or cars over the bridge and its approaches if they pay a reasonable fee. If they disagree about the terms or the amount to be paid, the Secretary of Transportation will decide after a hearing.
Full Legal Text
Title 33, §493
Navigation and Navigable Waters — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
All railroad companies desiring the use of any railroad bridge built in accordance with the provisions of sections 491 to 494 and 495 to 498 of this title, shall be entitled to equal rights and privileges relative to the passage of railway trains or cars over the same and over the approaches thereto upon payment of a reasonable compensation for such use; and in case of any disagreement between the parties in regard to the terms of such use or the sums to be paid all matters at issue shall be determined by the Secretary of Transportation upon hearing the allegations and proofs submitted to him.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1983—Pub. L. 97–449 substituted “Secretary of Transportation” for “Secretary of War”. See
Transfer of Functions
note below.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Transfer of Functions
Functions, powers, and duties of Secretary of the Army [formerly War] and other offices and officers of Department of the Army [formerly War] under this section to extent that they relate generally to location and clearances of bridges and causeways in navigable waters of United States transferred to and vested in Secretary of Transportation by Pub. L. 89–670, § 6(g)(6)(B), Oct. 15, 1966, 80 Stat. 941. Pub. L. 97–449 amended this section to reflect transfer made by section 6(g)(6)(B) of Pub. L. 89–670, and repealed section 6(g)(6)(B).
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
33 U.S.C. § 493
Title 33 — Navigation and Navigable Waters
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73