Thompson v. Boston & Maine Railroad

The Specific question transferred by the commission is whether it has authority “to authorize or permit abandonment of ... service ... rendered by a railroad.” It has no such authority. Its jurisdiction in the matter of service is defined by the statute, “Whenever the commission shall be of the opinion . . . that the . . . appliances or service of any railroad ... are ... inadequate, the commission shall determine the ... service thereafter to be .. . provided, and shall fix and prescribe the same by order . .. . ” P. L., c. 238, s. 21.

The jurisdiction thus conferred is clearly limited. The…