Minn. Stat. § 398A.02: PURPOSE.

The purpose of the Regional Railroad Authorities Act is to provide a means whereby one or more municipalities, with state and federal aids as may be available, may provide for the preservation and improvement of local rail service for agriculture, industry, or passenger traffic and provide for the preservation of abandoned rail right-of-way for future transportation uses, when determined to be practicable and necessary for the public welfare, particularly in the case of abandonment of local rail lines.