The state of Connecticut hereby agrees with the state of New York, upon enactment by New York of legislation having the same effect as this section, to this compact for the purpose of providing for the continuation and improvement of essential interstate railroad passenger service:

ARTICLE I

For the purpose of continuing and improving the railroad passenger service of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad (and its successors) between the city of New Haven in the state of Connecticut and the city of New York in the state of New York, including branch lines which are tributary to the main line of that railroad; Metropolitan Transportation Authority, a governmental corporation of the state of New York, and Connecticut Department of Transportation, an agency of the state of Connecticut, acting individually, but in cooperation with each other, or as coventurers where they deem it advisable and practical, are hereby authorized to do the following where permissible under the enabling laws of their respective states:

(a) To acquire through eminent domain proceedings, or by gift, purchase, lease or otherwise, the ownership interest in or the right to the use of all those assets of the said railroad (or of any successor in interest to such assets), be they real property, personal property or a combination of the two (including rights arising out of contract, franchise or otherwise), which are or may reasonably be expected to become necessary, convenient or desirable for the continuation or improvement of such service;

(b) To repair and rehabilitate such assets, or to acquire by gift, purchase, lease or otherwise, such new or additional assets and rights as they deem necessary, convenient or desirable for such continuation or improvement;

(c) To dispose of any such assets, new and additional assets and rights, or of the right to the use of the same, by conveyance, lease or otherwise (including, without limitation, the grant of trackage rights) when and to the extent that they are not needed for such service by the said agencies; and to abandon or discontinue portions of such service when advisable; and/or

(d) To operate such service, or to contract for the operation of the whole or any part of such service by others.

To accomplish the foregoing objectives, the said agencies are authorized, individually and jointly, to apply for aid, federal, state or local, to supplement those funds appropriated or otherwise made available to them under the laws of the party states.

ARTICLE II

The provisions of this compact shall be construed liberally to effectuate the purposes thereof. Amendments and supplements to this compact to implement the purposes thereof may be adopted by concurrent legislation of the party states.

ARTICLE III

This compact shall be of no force and effect unless and until the Congress of the United States of America, on or before December thirty-first, nineteen hundred sixty-nine, has consented thereto.