The buildings at 110 Maple Street in Laurel are in such bad shape that the city wants Norfolk Southern Railway Company to pay for cleaning the property up.

The railroad says there’s one big problem — it doesn’t own the buildings.

Norfolk Southern Railway has filed a federal lawsuit against the city, seeking clarification of who owns the buildings and what obligations the parties have to pay for cleaning it up.

Norfolk said in court records that the buildings were owned by other companies, including a feed company and a farm supply company, but the state took them over when those business didn’t pay taxes.

Laurel city officials had no comment.