The director shall have the following powers and duties in regard to the Division of Public Railways:

(1) the power of a body corporate, including the power to sue and be sued, to make contracts and to adopt and use a common seal and alter it as may be deemed expedient;

(2) to acquire by purchase or donation and to own, rent, lease, mortgage, and dispose of such property, real or personal, as he may deem proper to carry out the purposes and provisions of this article, all or any of them;

(3) to operate, maintain, and control the tracks and equipment transferred to the division by the South Carolina State Ports Authority, or any other person, and be governed by rules and regulations of the Interstate Commerce Commission by virtue of the Class 2 Certificate issued to the Ports Commission and the Port Terminal Railroad of South Carolina;

(4) to acquire, construct, maintain, equip and operate connecting, switching, terminal or other railroads. The term "railroad" as used in this article shall include, but not be limited to, tracks, spurs, switches, terminal, terminal facilities, road beds, rights-of-way, bridges, stations, railroad cars, locomotives, or other vehicles constructed for operation over railroad tracks, crossing signs, lights, signals, storage, administration and repair buildings, and all structures and equipment which are necessary for the operation of the railroad;

(5) to exercise the power of eminent domain by and in the name of the division. The division also may acquire the rights-of-way of abandoned railroads or railroads proposed for abandonment by gift or purchase;

(6) to employ and dismiss at pleasure the employees of the division and to fix and to pay the compensation thereof;

(7) to issue revenue bonds, including notes, bonds, refunding bonds and other obligations authorized to be issued by this article, to defray the cost of acquisition, by purchase, construction or condemnation, of connecting, switching, terminal or other railroads, and necessary equipment, payable both as to principal and interest from the revenues to be derived from the operation of such railroads; provided, that all revenue bonds issued by the division shall be issued in accordance with the provisions of Sections 13-1-1350 through 13-1-1460.

(8) to do all things necessary and required to accomplish the purposes of this article.

HISTORY: 1993 Act No. 181, Section 247, eff July 1, 1993.