On March 10, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its decision in the case of Marvin M. Brandt Revocable Trust et al. v. United States. The issue in this case was whether the federal government retains an interest in railroad rights-of-way that were created by the federal General Railroad Right-of-Way Act of 1875, after the cessation of railroad activity on the corridor. The Supreme Court ruled 8 to 1 in favor of Marvin Brandt.
After examining the details of the decision's potential impact, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy believes that the vast majority of rail-trails and rail-trail projects are not directly affected. View this handy infographic to determine if your rail-trail will be impacted.
