Whenever any company changes the location of the track of any railroad owned or leased by such company, for the purpose of improving the line of the railroad, and desires to abandon the former line and there is a railroad station upon the line which it is proposed to abandon, such company may apply in writing to the Commissioner of Transportation for authority to abandon the use of such station, after a new station has been provided at some convenient point upon the new line of such railroad. Whenever such application is made, the commissioner shall fix a time and place for a hearing and shall give notice of the same by causing to be posted at least thirty days before the time of such hearing, in the railroad station which it is proposed to abandon, a copy of such application and order of notice and may, upon such hearing, fix the location of a new station upon the new line. When such new station has been constructed and opened for the use of the public, such company may abandon the old station.