Whenever the roads of any railroad companies shall intersect or cross or approach each other within a distance of one mile, either company may construct and operate a branch connecting such roads and acquire land and property necessary for that purpose, on filing a map and description of the survey of the route of the branch in the office of the secretary of state and making the deposit required by section 48:12-25 of this title with the state treasurer.
N.J.S. § 48:12-33