Just got of the phone with Norfolk Southern Real Estate office .
The Norfolk Southern Real Estate office has decided they will no longer provide Surveyors or public with the Railroad VAL maps showing the property they acquired. They are now calling the maps proprietary information . What?
If anyone has contacts can you verify what I been told .
I just met with a railroad down in Ft. Myers (florida) and they were more than happy to share thier maps and deeds of the takings. must be a company thing.
I'm not sure about other railroads, but I have all of our Val Maps scanned and give them to people that have a legitimate need for them or whoever the boss tells me to send them to. We own and operate 4 short-lines, so it's just a small office, no red tape, etc... Do you know what map you need? Page number, line name, etc... I'll try to see if I can get you in contact with someone or get the map for you if you would like.
When a company decides their records are private property, there is no reason to consider their personal surveys to be of public record.
That would practically render them useless for retracing a boundary.
I know we use other sources at times to do this.
The actual by the book method is to to restore boundaries from public record that is notice of the event.
My understanding is that it takes exchange of money for title to transfer and public notice to establish a boundary.
0.02
All of the Val Maps, field notes, and MANY other documents are available through the National Archives in MD. You cannot do the research yourself but We paid a company that has access (and experience with surveyors and the railroads) around $500 bucks to get all of the records for the RR in our town. Worth every penny!!
Tom
That would be a good deal. I wonder if it included the scans/copies
or just the fee for research?
just thinking..
If the term "constructive notice" has any relevance here?
When real property conveyances (and surveys, easements, etc.) are recorded at the County level the courts consider that a "constructive notice" to the public. If a surveyor makes a decision concerning boundary locations using only publicly recorded information, how could we even know where the R.R. Co. thought their property was?
just sayin....
I was working on a court case in AL that bounded their property, formerly Illinois Central RR. We got the same thing that you did from Norfolk Southern, been about 4-5 years ago. The railway has been abandoned for years. The attorney subpoenaed them and got us a copy of the sheet adjoining the land in question.
edit: I have seen a law somewhere that requires the railroads to provide valuation maps, maybe to the county, but I don't remember the specifics, and the subject only vaguely.
I have always gotten what I needed , this is a new to me . Not good .
Last time I checked CSX will still make copies of their valuation maps ($75 per Val Map sheet, $50 each for additional copies, plus shipping).
If they are true "Valuation Maps" prepared between 1915 and the mid 1960s then they were made pursuant to the Valuation Act of 1913 and filed with the Interstate Commerce Commission (that's the reason the National Archive has something like 11,000 cubic feet of old val maps stored in a facility in College Park, Maryland). Proprietary would be a stretch.
> If they are true "Valuation Maps" prepared between 1915 and the mid 1960s then they were made pursuant to the Valuation Act of 1913 and filed with the Interstate Commerce Commission (that's the reason the National Archive has something like 11,000 cubic feet of old val maps stored in a facility in College Park, Maryland). Proprietary would be a stretch.
Have they got them all scanned and internet searchable yet?
Depends on the railroad - but originates from Warren Buffet's purchase of the Burlington Northern & Santa Fe. It is my understanding that his underlying intention was to use it to install a personal transcontinental fiber optic communication line. The Federal Government stepped in and said "Sorry, that's an easement for railroad purposes, can't do that." All they will tell me is that they have been ordered by their legal department not to release any information whatsoever. They shot themselves in the foot by doing so, as they are now estopped from future legal actions regarding boundary location issues. There is apparently a major storm brewing, in spite of the fact that it was settled by the U.S. Supreme Court in favor of the USA. BLM attorneys are gearing up for battle...
> All of the Val Maps, field notes, and MANY other documents are available through the National Archives in MD. You cannot do the research yourself but We paid a company that has access (and experience with surveyors and the railroads) around $500 bucks to get all of the records for the RR in our town. Worth every penny!!
>
> Tom
Tom
Would you mind mailing me contact information for the company?
Thanks
Hack
They told me the same thing. They claim it prevents terrorist attacks. (As if they need the ROW plans to bomb tracks).
