N.Y. Railroad Law § 192

§ 192. Center-bearing rails prohibited. No street surface railroad\ncorporation shall hereafter lay down in the streets of any incorporated\ncity or village of this state what are known as "center-bearing" rails;\nbut in all cases, whether in laying new track or in replacing old rails,\nshall lay down "grooved" or some other kind of rail not "center-bearing"\napproved by the local authorities. Such grooved or other rail shall be\nof such shape and so laid as to permit the paving-stones to come in\nclose contact with the projection which serves to guide the flange to\nthe car wheel. Where in any city, the duty of repairing and repaving\nstreets, as distinguished from the authorization of such paving,\nrepairing and repaving, is by law vested in any local authority other\nthan the common council of such city, such other local authority shall\nbe the local authority referred to in this section.\n