Originally Posted by
Galls
I hate rails to trail, absolutely hate it. Keep in mind that if there is one mode of transportation I consider equal to cycling it is locomotive power. With NIMBY-ism once those ROW are converted they will never be used again, and their will never be a new rail line constructed in this country again, at least without a interstate highway like buildup.
On the flip side, it is a certainty that a defunct railroad ROW that has been parceled out and sold off will never become a ROW again. At least a rail trail keeps that former ROW intact and there is the possibility, albeit slim, that it could be converted back to a railroad ROW. It stands to reason that converting a rail trail back to a railroad ROW would be far and away an easier method of constructing a rail line than starting from scratch.