Advocacy & Safety - Rails To Trails

Saw this on another forum and thought I would pass it around. Check it out and sign the petition if you like.....

http://support.railstotrails.org/sit...Recovery_to_BP

Getting an Error Message, broken link...

I like the idea, but one thing about rails-to-trails strikes me: In this day and age, as fuel prices skyrocket, rail is looking like a better and better alternative to other forms of cargo and people transit. The new administration is expected to be interested in rebuilding and reinvigorating railroads.

Shouldn't we be supporting the continued use of rail routes as an alternative to cars?

Yes, freight and commuter rail is coming back in certain places — more of the former than the latter so far.

However, back when a lot of railroads were originally built, they had excess routes that didn't always work out in the long run. They ended up being shutdown because of this.

Most likely, they will double-track the rail routes as they get more rail traffic. Putting in rail trails is a good way to reuse the former rail corridors for alternative transportation uses.

I agree with you on that fact. But, in most cases, these are areas where the rails and most of the supporting ballast has already been removed. These are dead lines that haven't been in use for any rail purposes in many years.