§912 Disposition of Abandoned or Forfeited Railroad Grants

Summary

When public land given to a railroad for a right-of-way or for railroad buildings stops being used because the railroad abandons it or loses it by court order or by an Act of Congress, ownership of that land goes to whoever holds title to the land parcels the railroad crossed or occupied. The transfer happens by the land patent and no extra deed is needed. Land that becomes a public highway within one year after the date of the court order, forfeiture, or abandonment stays public. If the land is inside a town, ownership goes to that town. This does not change any railroad sale of parts of its right-of-way that were or may be approved by an Act of Congress after March 8, 1922 and before the abandonment or forfeiture. It also does not affect any public highway on the right-of-way on March 8, 1922. All transfers must keep United States rights to any oil, gas, or other minerals and the right to take them.