All persons owning or controlling by lease or purchase any copper, lead, zinc, iron, marble, stone, rock, granite, slate, coal, or other mineral lands in this state shall have the same right to incorporate, own, construct, and operate short lines of railway or tramway as necessary to the successful mining, quarrying, and marketing of coal, […]
All incorporations provided for shall: (1) Be governed by the laws governing railway incorporations in this state; and (2) Have the same right to acquire rights-of-way over, under, or through any private or public lands; have and exercise the same right of eminent domain in acquiring the right-of-way; and have the same authority to construct, […]
When so incorporated and constructed, short lines of railway and tramway shall be and are entitled to all the rights, powers, and privileges of a common carrier.
All such short lines of railway or tramway shall have the same rights and privileges of connections, crossings, sidings, switches, and transfer, without prejudice or discrimination, as are extended by custom or granted by law to railroad corporations in this state.
All short lines of railway or tramway not exceeding six (6) miles in length shall not be required to maintain passenger equipment. However, if at their option they carry passengers, they shall be subject to the laws governing passenger traffic on railroads in this state.
