1. The state tax commission shall assess, adjust and equalize the aggregate valuation of the distributable property of each one of the railroad companies in this state specified in section 151.020. For the purpose of estimating the true value in money of the distributable property of a railroad company, the state tax commission may take into consideration the reports filed under section 151.020, the reports, statements or returns of the company filed in the office of any board, office, or commission of this state, or any county thereof, and such other evidence of any kind that is obtainable bearing thereon. However, no report, statement or return shall be conclusive upon the state tax commission in estimating the true value in money of the operating property of a railroad company.

2. The state tax commission shall have power to summon witnesses by process issued to any officer authorized to serve subpoenas, and shall have the power of a circuit court to compel the attendance of such witnesses, and to compel them to testify; they shall have the power, upon their knowledge, or such information as they can obtain, to increase or reduce the aggregate valuation of the distributable property of any railroad company included in the reports and returns made by the railroad companies and the clerks of the county commissions, and shall assess, adjust and equalize any other distributable property owned, used, leased or otherwise controlled by such railroad companies, or any railroad company’s distributable property upon which no returns have been made, which may be otherwise known to them, as they deem just and right. In the event the state tax commission determines that certain distributable property has been omitted from the railroad’s report under section 151.020, the state tax commission shall describe the omitted distributable property in its records and shall assess the omitted distributable property at double its true value in money unless the state tax commission for good cause shown, waives this penalty.

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3. In assessing, adjusting and equalizing any distributable railroad property for any year or years the state tax commission may arrive at its finding, conclusion and judgment, upon its knowledge, or such information as may be before it, and shall not be governed in its findings, conclusions and judgment by the testimony which may be adduced, further than to give to it such weight as the state tax commission may think it is entitled to, except that when any railroad shall extend beyond the limits of this state and into another state in which a tax is levied and paid on any distributable property of such railroad, then the state tax commission shall assess, equalize and adjust only such proportion of the total value of all the distributable property of such railroad company as may be reasonably allocated to this state. To accomplish this end, the state tax commission may require information in its form reports under subsection 4 of section 151.020 which is necessary to properly assess and allocate such property.

4. The state tax commission shall assess the value of all bridges, approaches and appurtenances thereto acquired by any railroad company or its wholly owned subsidiary in this state by trade with a city not within a county at no greater value than the value of the distributable property traded, as established for the year immediately preceding the calendar year of the trade. Such assessment shall not increase, but may decrease, during ten years following the acquisition of such bridges, approaches and appurtenances thereto by the railroad or its wholly owned subsidiary from the city not within a county.