N.Y. Railroad Law Section 68
Unclaimed freight and baggage


Every railroad or other transportation corporation, doing business in this state, which shall have unclaimed freight or baggage, not live stock or perishable, in its possession for the period of sixty days, may deliver the same to any warehouse company, or person or persons engaged in the warehouse business, within this state, and take a warehouse receipt for the storage thereof. Upon such delivery and upon taking such warehouse receipt, every such railroad or other transportation corporation shall be discharged of all liability in respect to any such unclaimed freight or baggage from and after such delivery. At any time within two years after such delivery, such railroad or other transportation corporation shall surrender and transfer such warehouse receipt to the owner of any such unclaimed freight or baggage upon demand, and upon payment of all charges and expenses for transportation and storage then due, if any, to any such railroad or other transportation corporation. In case any such railroad or other transportation company shall have had unclaimed freight or baggage, not live stock or perishable, in its possession for a period of one year and shall not have delivered the same to a warehouse company or person or persons engaged in the warehouse business as above provided, then such railroad or other transportation company may proceed to sell the same at public auction, and out of the proceeds may retain the charges of transportation, handling and storage of such unclaimed freight or baggage, and the expenses of advertising and sale thereof; but no such sale shall be made until the expiration of four weeks from the first publication of notice of such sale, to be published weekly in a newspaper published in or nearest the town or city to which such unclaimed freight or baggage was consigned, or at which it was directed to be left, and also at the town or city where such sale is to take place; and said notice shall contain a general description of such unclaimed freight or baggage, the name of the shipper thereof, if known, and a statement of the consignment thereof, whether to a designated consignee or to order, if known, or the place at which the same was to be left, as near as may be; and the expenses incurred for advertising shall be a lien upon such unclaimed freight or baggage in a ratable proportion, according to the value of each article, package or parcel, if more than one. Such railroad or other transportation company shall make an entry of the balance of the proceeds of the sale, if any, of the unclaimed freight or baggage consigned to the same consignee or covered by each consignment, as near as can be ascertained, and at any time within five years thereafter, shall refund any surplus so retained to the owner of such unclaimed freight or baggage, his personal representatives or assigns, on satisfactory proof of such ownership. In case such balance shall not be claimed by the rightful owner within five years after the sale as above specified, then it shall be paid to the county treasurer, for the use of the county poor of the county where the sale is made. Unclaimed live stock and perishable freight or baggage may be sold by any such railroad or other transportation corporation without notice, as soon as it can be, upon the best terms that can be obtained. All moneys arising from the sale of any such unclaimed live stock, perishable freight or baggage, after deducting therefrom all charges and expenses for transportation, storage, keeping, commissions for selling the property, and any amount previously paid for its loss or non-delivery, shall be deposited by the corporation making such sale with a report thereof, and proof that the property was live stock or perishable freight, with the comptroller for the benefit of the general fund of the state, and shall be held by him in trust for reclamation by the person or persons entitled to receive the same.

Source: Section 68 — Unclaimed freight and baggage, https://www.­nysenate.­gov/legislation/laws/RRD/68 (updated Sep. 22, 2014; accessed Apr. 20, 2024).

50
Liability of corporation to employees of contractor
51
Weight of rail
51‑A
Clearances
52
Fences, farm crossings and cattle-guards
52‑A
Fences along road operated by electric third rail
52‑B
Fences along right of way
52‑C
Fences in Queens county
52‑D
Debris to be cleared
52‑E
Penalties for littering
53
Sign boards, flagmen and gates at crossings
53‑A
Warning signs
53‑B
Ringing bells and blowing whistles at crossings
53‑C
Obstructing farm and highway crossings
53‑D
Unlawful propulsion of a missile at railroad trains
53‑E
Unlawful interference with a railroad train
53‑F
Joint inspection of traffic-control signals interconnected with highway-rail at-grade crossing warning systems
54
Notice of starting trains
54‑A
Communication
55
Accommodation of connecting roads
56
Locomotives must stop at grade crossings
57
Rates of fare
57‑A
A steam or electric railroad corporation having a franchise from this state, operating to and from stations within a city of over a milli...
58
Excess charge when fare paid on cars
59
Penalty for excessive fare
60
Issue and use of mileage books
61
Passenger refusing to pay fare may be ejected
61‑A
Sounding of certain signals on railroad cars by unauthorized persons
62
Sleeping and parlor cars
63
Persons employed as drivers, conductors, motormen or gripmen
63‑A
Minimum crew size
64
Injuries to employees
65
Conductors and employees must wear badges
66
Checks for baggage
67
Penalties for injuries to baggage
68
Unclaimed freight and baggage
69
Minimum standards for track inspection and maintenance
70
Rights and liabilities as common carriers
71
Duties imposed
71‑A
Reflective whistle signs
72
Inspection of locomotives
73
Inspectors of locomotives
74
Care of steam locomotives
75
commissioner of transportation may approve other safeguards
76
Use of stoves or furnaces prohibited
76‑A
Motor cars and equipment
76‑B
Equipment required on motor vehicles transporting railroad employees
77
Equipment of engines
77‑A
First-aid equipment on locomotives
77‑B
Speedometers on certain locomotives
77‑C
Sanitary conditions
78
Coal jimmies and caboose cars
78‑A
Electric or battery-powered markers
79
Air-brakes
80
Couplers
81
Violation of sections seventy-seven, seventy-seven-c, seventy-eight, seventy-nine, and eighty
82
Canada thistles to be cut
83
Riding on platform
83‑A
Operation of motor vehicles, snowmobiles, recreational vehicles, and riding of animals on railroad property
83‑B
Trespass upon railroad premises
84
Corporations may establish ferries
85
Certain railroads may cease operation in winter
86
Certain railroads need not be operated beyond June, July, August and September
87
Mails
88
When railroads may designate police officers
89
New railroads across streets
90
New streets across railroads
91
Alteration or rehabilitation of existing crossing
92
Acquisition of land, right or easement in crossing
93
Repair of bridges and subways at crossings
93‑A
Maintenance and removal of highway-railroad crossing at grade
93‑B
Maintenance and removal of highway-railroad separation structures
94
Performance of work
95
Proceedings by commissioner of transportation for alteration of existing crossings
96
Proceedings to enforce orders of commissioner of transportation
97
Intercity rail passenger service
97‑A
Commuter rail service
98
Intersection of railroads
99
Application of foregoing section
100
Temporary leave granted by court to a street surface railroad
101
Consent of commissioner of transportation in certain cases
102
Ventilation of tunnels
103
Lighting of tunnels
104
Compliance with orders of commissioner of transportation
105
Enforcement
106
Penalty for violation
107
Judgment-roll
108
Approval of appliances in cities having a population of one million inhabitants or over

Accessed:
Apr. 20, 2024

Last modified:
Sep. 22, 2014

§ 68’s source at nysenate​.gov

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