The Authority shall have power to acquire by purchase, condemnation, lease, gift or otherwise all or any part of the plant, equipment, property, rights in property, reserve funds, employees’ pension or retirement funds, special funds, franchises, licenses, patents, permits and papers, documents and records belonging to any public utility operating a transportation system within the metropolitan area of Cook County, together with all or any part of the right of way, equipment, fixed facilities and other property of any kind of any such utility extending beyond the boundaries of the metropolitan area of Cook County and forming part of an integrated suburban rapid transit, rail transportation facility or motor bus operation connecting with rapid transit or electric railway lines in super highways of the Authority or leading to the unification and integration of a unified rapid transit, rail, and motor bus operation in and about the metropolitan area of Cook County. Such properties upon acquisition by or lease to the Authority shall become and be operated as part of the transportation system of the Authority and the Authority shall have all powers in connection with such properties and such operations as are conferred by this Act with respect to the transportation system of the Authority located within the metropolitan area of Cook County. The Authority shall also have the power to enter into agreements to operate any such lines extending beyond the boundaries of the metropolitan area; such agreements to be subject to all other provisions of this Act. The Authority shall have power to contract for or lease for operation and maintenance by the Authority, any municipally owned local transportation subways or other municipally owned local transportation facilities or the facilities of any common carrier or the facilities of any local Mass Transit District, organized under the “Local Mass Transit Act”, approved July 21, 1959, as heretofore and hereafter amended, whether such subways or facilities are within or without the metropolitan area of Cook County. The Authority shall have the power to contract with any local Mass Transit District, organized under the “Local Mass Transit Act”, approved July 21, 1959, as heretofore and hereafter amended, or with any common carrier for the construction and operation of a transportation system, whether such transportation system is within or without the metropolitan area of Cook County. However, the Authority shall not have power to operate a motor bus facility, the major part of which is used for local transportation of passengers in any city, village or incorporated town, unless and until the Authority shall have secured the right to operate motor buses in such municipality for local transportation of passengers in the manner stated in Section 11 of this Act.