Any railroad company owning or operating a railroad, or any part thereof, in this State, under authority of the laws of this State, may reconstruct its lines, tracks or any part of them, relocate or straighten any line or lines or portion of a line or lines, build embankments for the purpose of avoiding trestles, bridges or other openings upon which such railroad may be constructed, change the grade of a track or tracks, widen cuts or embankments when necessary for proper construction or maintenance, build such additional main line or lines, track or tracks, turnouts, switches, spur tracks, sidetracks, depots, depot facilities, yards, terminal facilities, water facilities, storage facilities and other such additional tracks, buildings, facilities, ways and appliances as may be necessary for the proper accommodation of the public business of such railroad company and build cutoff lines, branch lines and other lines for the purpose of the better and more expeditious handling of the public business.
S.C. Code § 58-17-1190