§ 57. Rates of fare. Subject to the provisions of the transportation
law, every railroad corporation may fix and collect the following rates
of fare as compensation to be paid for transporting any passenger and
his baggage, not exceeding one hundred and fifty pounds in weight, for
each mile or fraction of a mile:

1. Where the motive power is rope or cable, propelled by stationary
power, five cents, with right to a minimum fare of ten cents; but if the
railroad is less than two miles in length, and overcomes an elevation of
five hundred feet or more to the mile, five cents for each one hundred
feet of elevation so overcome, and the same rates of fare if the motive
power is locomotives, furnished with cogs working into cogs on the
railroad, and the length of road does not exceed four miles.

2. If a road not incorporated prior to May fifteenth, eighteen hundred
and seventy-nine, and not located in the counties of New York and Kings,
or within the limits of any incorporated city, and not more than
twenty-five miles in length, five cents; if over twenty-five and not
more than forty miles, four cents; and if over forty miles, three cents.
Where by the laying down of a third rail upon a railroad of the ordinary
gauge, a narrow-gauge track is created and used for the transportation
of passengers, and the length of road does not exceed six miles,
including any connecting road of the same gauge, such railroad, for the
purpose of fare, shall be deemed a narrow-gauge road.

3. If its railroad overcomes an elevation of two hundred feet to the
mile, for at least two consecutive miles, and does not exceed twenty
miles in length, ten cents; if it overcomes an elevation exceeding three
hundred feet to the mile, within a distance of two miles, five cents for
each one hundred feet of elevation; and where it overcomes an elevation
of more than one thousand feet, within a distance of two miles, seven
cents for each one hundred feet of elevation in a mile.

4. If the line of its road does not exceed fifteen miles in length,
and does not enter or traverse the limits of any incorporated city, and
the distance traveled thereon by the passenger does not exceed one mile,
five cents.

5. In all other cases, three cents for every such mile or fraction
thereof, with a right to a minimum single fare of not less than five
cents.

This chapter shall not be construed to allow any rate of fare for way
passengers greater than two cents per mile to be charged or taken over
the track or tracks of the railroad known as the New York Central
Railroad Company, and the rate of fare for way passengers over the track
or tracks of such company shall continue to be two cents per mile and no
more, wherever it is restricted to that rate of fare, nor shall any
consolidated railroad corporation charge a higher rate of fare per
passenger per mile upon any part or portion of the consolidated line
than was allowed by law to be charged by each existing corporation
thereon previous to such consolidation.