In the past and present are or have there been places that the railroads have wanted to build a line or siding and the government has said no? I know Yellowstone park used to have rail service but it was removed years ago.
Modeling the "Fargo Area Rapid Transit" in O scale 3 rail.
Railroads generally own their own rights of way, and upon them can do as they please (more or less).
To acquire a new ROW is much more difficult. The railroad can buy property but they cannot seize property under eminent domain (state or municipal railroads are a different matter.)
A house was seized and torn down to build this subway entrance:
On the other hand the LIRR is having problems with the NIMBYS of adding a third track to its main line. That is a matter of politics: the serenity of older, established, (and wealthy) communities having to be disrupted by new services for outlying communities that do need the improved service, even though the LIRR is state owned and can seize the property it needs.
On the other side of the token, NYCT did a beautiful job on this 100+ year old land mark building on the Brighton Line.
More information on this building can be found here.
The links to "The Third Rail" have more details.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
Actually most railroads as well as pipeline companies and electric power transmission companies are classified as Common Carriers and generall have the power of eminent domain. More often than not they prefer to negotiate their purchases rather than have to deal with the judicial process.
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