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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Mark:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">I looked at those cases and they support the notion that you can’t adversely possess against a railroad.
<span style="color:#001D35">Northern Pacific Railway Co. v. Ely was a US Supreme Court case in 1905 that reversed the Supreme Court of Washington. The other two cases were circuit court cases applying the t<span style="background:white">he Interstate Commerce
Commission Termination Act of 1995 (ICCTA), which inter alia abolished the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) and established the Surface Transportation Board (STB) as its successor agency. I did not read closely enough to determine whether that statute
applied if the railroad was not interstate. So I would say your AI did a good job.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">Rod Harmon</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"> </span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">RODNEY T. HARMON</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"> Attorney at Law</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"> P.O. Box 1066</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"> Bothell, WA 98041</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"> Tel: (425) 402-7800</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"> Fax: (425) 458-9096</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"> <a href="http://www.rodharmon.com/"><span style="color:#0563C1">www.rodharmon.com</span></a></span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"> <a href="mailto:rodharmon@msn.com"><span style="color:#0563C1">rodharmon@msn.com</span></a></span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Mark McClure<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, January 7, 2025 12:18 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Real Property Listserv <wsbarp@lists.wsbarppt.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [WSBARP] Adverse possession against Railroad<br>
<b>Importance:</b> High<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">This is what Google’s AI says (I’d double check the cites):</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#001D35">Federal law preempts adverse possession claims against railroad rights of way. This is because Congress intends to maintain the national railway network,
and allowing adverse possession claims could put rail carriers at risk of losing land they need to operate. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#001D35"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#001D35">Some cases that support this conclusion include:</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt;background:white"><b><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#001D35">Norfolk S. Ry. Co. v. Dille Rd. Recycling, LLC</span></b><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#001D35">: This
case determined that federal law preempts adverse possession claims. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt;background:white"><b><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#001D35">Skidmore v. Norfolk S. Ry. Co.</span></b><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#001D35"> This case determined
that the Termination Act preempts adverse possession claims against railroad rights of way. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><b><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#001D35">Northern Pacific Railway Co. v. Ely</span></b><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#001D35">: This case determined that individuals
cannot acquire land by adverse possession for private purposes. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#001D35">A railroad right of way is a physical right-of-way that includes the routes taken by a railroad. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><b><span style="font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#4C76A2">Mark C. McClure</span></b><b><span style="font-size:24.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#4C76A2">
</span></b><b><span style="font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#4C76A2">| </span>
</b><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#4C76A2">Managing Attorney <br>
</span></i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:navy">Law Office of Mark McClure, PS<b> <br>
</b><i>"Why Retire With Debt?"<br>
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Web: <a href="http://www.mcclurelawgroup.com/">www.McClureLawGroup.com</a> </span>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif">
<a href="mailto:wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a> [mailto:<a href="mailto:wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Rod Harmon<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, January 7, 2025 12:12 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Real Property Listserv<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [WSBARP] Adverse possession against Railroad</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">“State-owned land is statutorily protected from claims of
<span style="border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in;background:white">adverse</span>
<span style="border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in;background:white">possession</span>. Under
<span style="border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in;background:white">RCW 4.16.160</span>, the statute of limitations for
<span style="border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in;background:white">adverse</span>
<span style="border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in;background:white">possession</span> will not run against the State or city acting in its
<span style="border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in;background:white">governmental</span> capacity.</span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#212121">”
<i><span style="border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in">Gorman v. City of Woodinville</span></i></span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">, 175 Wn.2d 68, ¶ 6 (2012). I don’t see similar protection for a railroad.
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">Rod Harmon</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">RODNEY T. HARMON</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"> Attorney at Law</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"> P.O. Box 1066</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"> Bothell, WA 98041</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"> Tel: (425) 402-7800</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"> Fax: (425) 458-9096</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"> <a href="http://www.rodharmon.com/"><span style="color:#0563C1">www.rodharmon.com</span></a></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"> <a href="mailto:rodharmon@msn.com"><span style="color:#0563C1">rodharmon@msn.com</span></a></span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">
<a href="mailto:wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a> <<a href="mailto:wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Craig Gourley<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, January 6, 2025 9:18 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Real Property Listserv <<a href="mailto:wsbarp@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbarp@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [WSBARP] Adverse possession against Railroad</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Listmates. I fat fingered and accidentally hit send. <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">My gut feeling is that one cannot adversely possess against a railroad. Anyone have authority confirming or overriding my substantial gut?⁵ thanks!<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone<br>
Get <a href="https://aka.ms/AAb9ysg">Outlook for Android</a><o:p></o:p></p>
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