Title 25, IndiansRelease 119-102

§312 Rights-of-way for Railway, Telegraph, and Telephone Lines; Town-site Stations

Title 25 › CHAPTER 8 — RIGHTS-OF-WAY THROUGH INDIAN LANDS › § 312

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

Lets railroad companies formed under U.S., state, or territorial law get permission to run railroad tracks and telegraph and telephone lines across Indian reservations (but not in Oklahoma), lands held for Indian agencies, or individual Indian allotments that are not fully transferred to the owner. Companies must follow sections 312 to 318 and the rules there. The Secretary of the Interior must find the application honest and the company able to build, and must hear anyone who objects. No new parallel route is allowed within ten miles of an existing or under‑construction railroad unless the Secretary says it serves the public. Companies must also build and keep passenger and freight stations for every government‑established townsite along the route.

Full Legal Text

Title 25, §312

Indians, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

A right of way for a railway, telegraph, and telephone line through any Indian reservation in any State or Territory, except Oklahoma, or through any lands reserved for an Indian agency or for other purposes in connection with the Indian service, or through any lands which have been allotted in severalty to any individual Indian under any law or treaty, but which have not been conveyed to the allottee with full power of alienation, is granted to any railroad company organized under the laws of the United States, or of any State or Territory, which shall comply with the provisions of sections 312 to 318 of this title and such rules and regulations as may be prescribed thereunder: Provided, That no right of way shall be granted under said sections until the Secretary of the Interior is satisfied that the company applying has made said application in good faith and with intent and ability to construct said road, and in case objection to the granting of such right of way shall be made, said Secretary shall afford the parties so objecting a full opportunity to be heard: Provided further, That where a railroad has heretofore been constructed, or is in actual course of construction, no parallel right of way within ten miles on either side shall be granted by the Secretary of the Interior unless, in his opinion, public interest will be promoted thereby: Provided, also, That as a condition precedent to each and every grant of a right of way under authority of said sections, each and every railway company applying for such grant shall stipulate that it will construct and permanently maintain suitable passenger and freight stations for the convenience of each and every town site established by the Government along said right of way.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

25 U.S.C. § 312

Title 25, Indians

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102