From: ahk@chinet.com   
      
   Sam Wilson  wrote:   
      
   >Excuse me while I delurk.  In the US is there a general understanding of   
   >whether the roadway over a grade crossing is a public roadway or part of   
   >the railroad's private property, or does change by state or case-by-case?   
      
   Typically, highways began as paths or something else primitive. In other   
   cases, the railroad was there first and the grade crossing is their property.   
      
   Either way, it doesn't matter. The grade crossing is a public highway,   
   period, no matter which entity was there first, and it's also part of   
   the railroad. At any time in a railroad's existence, it is subject to   
   the state public utility commission, which can declare a grade crossing   
   if petitioned by the appropriate highway agency. On rare occassion, the   
   state PUC has ordered a grade crossing closed.   
      
   Unfortunately for the railroad, in the event of a grade separation, the   
   closed grade crossing can be re-opened later if the grade separation was   
   built elsewhere. A long-closed grade crossing I remember as a kid was   
   re-opened some time back, as the grade separation was built 1/4 mile away.   
      
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