“A lateral railroad is nothing more nor less than an offshoot from the main line or stem. And this is the meaning attributed to it by the supreme court of Pennsylvania . . . And, indeed, some of the cases go further, and hold that under the branching power a branch road may be constructed from the terminus as well as from any other point on the main line of the road.” Blanton v. Richmond, F. & P.R. Co., 86 Va. 618 (1890).
“A lateral [railroad] is one proceeding from some point on the main trunk between its termini; when a charter authorizes a company to build lateral roads, they are but appendages of the main road, and all are parts of the same road.” Newhall v. Galena & C.U.R. Co., 14 Ill. 273 (1853).
“[A] ‘lateral road’ (which was treated as synonymous with a ‘branch line’) [is] nothing more or less than an off–shoot from the main line or stem . . . It denotes a road connected, indeed, with the main line, but not a mere incident of it, not constructed simply to facilitate the business of the chief railway, but designed to have a business of its own, for the transportation of persons or property to and from places not reached by the principal route.” Union Pac. R.R. Co. v. Anderson, 167 Or. 687 (1941).
“[A railroad] connected, indeed, with the main line, but not a mere incident of it, not constructed simply to facilitate the business of the chief railway, but designed to have a business of its own, for the transportation of persons or property to and from places not reached by the principal route.” Baltimore & O.R. Co. v. Waters, 105 Md. 396 (1907).