§ 14. Offices, assistants and employees. a. The board of transportation may rent such offices for a period not to exceed twenty-one years and employ such deputy commissioners, engineers, attorneys and other persons, from time to time, as, in its discretion, it may deem necessary to the proper performance by it of its duties as prescribed in this chapter.

b. The board of transportation is empowered to organize an operating division for the operation and maintenance of a publicly owned and operated railroad, separate and distinct from the organization engaged in planning and supervising the construction and equipment of railroads prior to operation, and is hereby authorized to establish and specify the duties and the regulations which shall govern the work and conduct of employees in such division and the penalties which may be imposed for disobedience of or violation of such regulations. Appointments and promotion to any position in any class of employment in such division shall be subject to the provisions of the civil service law. Employees holding positions in such operating division shall be notified in writing of any charge or accusation of dereliction of duty which is to be considered by the board of transportation, and shall be allowed at least five days for answering such charge in writing and be entitled to a hearing thereon, at which he shall be entitled to be represented by a person of his own choosing. If in the judgment of the board such charges of delinquency or misconduct are sustained, such employee may be suspended without pay for a period not to exceed thirty days, or may be dismissed from such employment as provided in section twenty-two of the civil service law. The board may temporarily suspend without pay any such employee charged with dereliction of duty pending hearing on any such charges, but if the board shall determine that such charges are not sustained by the evidence adduced at the hearing thereon, the employee so suspended shall be entitled to pay for the time of such temporary suspension.