They're trying to get visibility in the economic recovery dollar pool:

https://support.railstotrails.org/recovery

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.

while I respect the desire to keep rail beds available for railroads, most of them have been abandoned years ago. There is an abandoned railway near me that is planned for a rails to trails conversion. The rails are long gone, I was looking for the roadbed in the woods and couldn't find it.

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.

No thanks. You're right, nobody wants a 1000+ ton vehicle that needs a mile to stop rolling through their neighborhood, in the same way that nobody wants unprotected electrical lines. In that case, it's not NIMBY because I fully support ripping the damned things out of *everyone's* backyard, not just mine.

Like has already been pointed out, the rails are generally being converted because the trains have been gone for decades in most cases. The real alternative to trails isn't new trains, it's chop-it-up-and-sell. And you'll *definitely* never get that ROW back.

Both reasons are why I donate to this organization, despite the fact that all the rails in my area have already been converted. I commute on a rail trail every day, and I think everyone should have the opportunity. I highly recommend others who like nice trails to donate as well.

Hmmm I wonder how the rest of the world feels about this point, Europe and Japan in particular... And as I understand it rail is a more efficient of fuel than other typical means for both goods and passengers.

Undoubtedly it is - but it's also more dangerous for people near it unless you can eliminate all at-grade crossings - something I think they tend to do in Europe and Japan quite well, but very poorly here.

There's also the issue with trains carrying toxic chemicals through neighborhoods and crowded cities that seems pretty stupid to me, as well.

That must've sucked when they put that railroad in behind your house after you bought the place...

I would rather have one 1000+ ton vehicle in my neighborhood then the numerous tractor trailers it would take to replace it clogging up my highway.

Often times, converting the tracks to trails ensures that the ROW will be maintained and the land can be used in the future if needed. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rail_trail#Railbanking

I think the problem with the at grade crossings here is the stupidity of the people who think they can outrun the train (and yes I know firsthand of this...). But then maybe the Darwin effect is at work here in this country...?

The company I work for has patents for reactor casks that are practically bombproof, it's curious why it seems that toxic materials don't require similar precautions during shipping.

https://www.bikeforums.net/advocacy-safety/495424-rails-trails-support.html


I keep trying to figure out what happened to the thread. I'm seeing double.

Never saw it, but I don't always go in the other forums, sorry It's all for a good cause tho!