Real Estate & Property Law

CSX Intermodal Plans and Freight Yard Expansions in Effect

By Alan Ackerman

As noted in the article for Worcester Telegram & Gazette, the proposed expansion of CSX can really hurt individual owners.  The question is how to protect businesses to allow them to survive when a larger user, which is a public use, arrives.  One might think that CSX is simply another private user.  However, so long as railroads are a regulated industry, and are open to use by the public in general for the transport of commerce, they will have the right to expand their yards.  The problem is the balancing act of how to protect the individual businesses.
 

Telegram.com

L&R, he noted, 'has been a successful, locally owned wholesale distributor since its origin. For the last 15 years, their office and warehouse has been at 310 Franklin St., an ideal spot for their business.

'In the recent months, the billion-dollar railroad (and transportation) corporation CSX has expressed strong interest in acquiring my father's land to turn into a freight yard. This interest has evolved into an outright takeover attempt by CSX to acquire the land through eminent domain. L& R Sales is the epitome of a locally-owned and operated business.

'My father, as well as all the current employees — several of whom have been there for over 20 years — has worked extremely hard to bring the business to where it is today. As a big-time corporation, CSX has little concern for the repercussions of its actions on local individuals.
 

Full post as published by National Eminent Domain Blog on September 30, 2010 (boomark / email).