In the United States, most petroleum is consumed in transportation

[Absalom]

I provided a link from the Library of Congress that said the land was given to them.  Do you have something different to show me?
http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/presentations/timeline/riseind/railroad/grants.html

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A Right of Way is a legal permission established by grant to an entity such as:
* Oil and Gas companies to construct pipelines on public land.
* Utilities to construct electric power lines and towers,
* Cargo and container vessels to use canals and inland waterways, such as the St.Lawrence,
* Railroads to lay trackage, build stations and storage facilities.
The route is specified by the grant which does NOT annex the property.
When the project ends or is abandoned, the property reverts to the owner.
Nothing further!!!

[thackney]

-----------------------------------
A Right of Way is a legal permission established by grant to an entity such as:
* Oil and Gas companies to construct pipelines on public land.
* Utilities to construct electric power lines and towers,
* Cargo and container vessels to use canals and inland waterways, such as the St.Lawrence,
* Railroads to lay trackage, build stations and storage facilities.
The route is specified by the grant which does NOT annex the property.
When the project ends or is abandoned, the property reverts to the owner.
Nothing further!!!

Yes, but they were granted far more than a right-of-way.  They were granted Land.  See the links I provided.  I understand the difference.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

-----------------------------------
A Right of Way is a legal permission established by grant to an entity such as:
* Oil and Gas companies to construct pipelines on public land.
* Utilities to construct electric power lines and towers,
* Cargo and container vessels to use canals and inland waterways, such as the St.Lawrence,
* Railroads to lay trackage, build stations and storage facilities.
The route is specified by the grant which does NOT annex the property.
When the project ends or is abandoned, the property reverts to the owner.
Nothing further!!!

Here's an example from a previous posting here regarding what railroads got.

They are major mineral interest owners as they owned the surface. 3.5 million acres on just this single RR that did not make it.

And notice when the railroad went belly-up that land still was owned by them.  It did not end 'when the project was finished'.

http://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php/topic,362986.msg1978584.html#msg1978584

[thackney]

Here's an example from a previous posting here regarding what railroads got.

They are major mineral interest owners as they owned the surface. 3.5 million acres

http://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php/topic,362986.msg1978584.html#msg1978584

Good example on the topic.  They were awarded FAR more than a right of way.

TEXAS PACIFIC LAND TRUST
http://www.tpltrust.com/

Texas Pacific Land Trust was created in 1888 as a result of a reorganization of the Texas and Pacific Railway Company following receivership. Holders of Texas and Pacific Railway Company bonds received 3.5 million acres of land in Texas which had been earned by the railroad and pledged as security against bonds. The bondholders created the Trust and converted bonds to shares of proprietary interest in the Trust. The Trust was created to manage and sell the land. Today the Trust is one of the largest landowners in Texas with around 888,333 acres located in eighteen different counties. Texas Pacific Land Trust derives revenue from all avenues of managing the land, i.e. oil and gas royalties, grazing leases, easements, sundry and specialty leases, and land sales. The Trust has a perpetual oil and gas royalty interest in some 459,200 acres.