23 M.R.S. §7155: Conditions of sale, lease and operation

1. Financial conditions on sale, lease or operating contract. Any railroad line acquired pursuant to this chapter may be sold, leased or contracted to an operator, but only upon terms at least as favorable to the State as follows:

A. All of the costs of acquiring the railroad line and associated property shall be recovered by the State; and

B. The credit of the State shall not be pledged unless separately authorized as required by the Constitution of Maine, Article IX, Section 14.

2. State operation of railroad prohibited. In no event may the department or any other unit of State Government directly operate a railroad over a railroad line acquired under this chapter. The department may own the railroad line and lease or otherwise contract for its use by a private operator.