Too many rail trails?

[wyrickj]

Who thinks the state has way too many rail trails? I think we have way too many myself and with gas going to $5/gal I think we should retain non used lines for future use.

[AARR]

It is my understanding railtrails can be returned to railroad service again and it has happened in other states on a few occasions.

In the vast majority of cases railtrails came about because there was not enough rail business to make a profit. So I'd rather see the ROW's kept open for the people than disappear as parking lots.

[atrainguy60]

Plus, rail trails can be a good place to exercise.

[hoborich]

One can never have too many rail trails. I really don't see any of the abandoned lines being returned to service in my lifetime.

[SD80MAC]

Once scientists figure out the whole worm-hole thing, rails and every other form of transportation will be obsolete anyway. Don't laugh.

[J T]

One can never have too many rail trails. I really don't see any of the abandoned lines being returned to service in my lifetime.

This. I'd rather see a ROW kept alive with a trail that I can ride my bike on than be overgrown and lost, houses built on it, etc.

And with higher gas prices, I wouldn't doubt that some people use rail trails to ride their bikes to work.

[Jetlink]

I love rail trails. I ride them several times weekly. Full of history. Lots of evidence and pieces of the infrastructure along the way to keep it interesting. I love to cycle. I love biking way more than being interested in trains. I have been hit by cars twice while cycling on the roads. So I really like the rail trails. You can throw down the miles while not having to worry about being stuck by overtaking vehicle traffic. I say bring more online. There are still lots of old ROWS in the state that could be developed.

[hobojim]

I love to bike almost as much as I like to watch trains. It is many times safer to bike on a rail trail than on a road. Even though the law gives the same rights to cycles as it does cars, there are a lot of a..h.... who will purposely run you off the road. It is impossible to over state how much antagonism there is towards cyclers by supposedly law abiding drivers.
The most notable reclamation of a rail trail was the Stampede pass trail in Washington back in 97. I think it has since been banked with the rail traffic downturn in 2008. The point is that this can happen without having to buy and sell land.
Here in Michigan, if they ever abandon the Cadillac to Petosky segment, we will then be able to bike From Grand Rapids or Midland to the Straits without having to deal with road traffic.

[Raildudes dad]

It's very doable to put a trail next to rail but the Class 1's and RA will not allow it. Kent County Parks is building a trail in an easement in the C&M ROW from Marne to 3 Mile Road. The DNR has purchased additional easement from Marne to the west side of Coopersville so there will eventually be about 12 miles of trails w/ rails in West MI. It's not your flat, straight RR grade but I prefer the varying terrain myself. This was after the route was rejected as "unfeasible" by an engineer for a trail about 10 years ago.

[AveryRdhouse]

In about 10 years, the line from Baldwin to GR will be a great trail for the hardy work out. Up hill, down hill, up hill and down hill at the same time. Make sure you have good brakes for Kopje, Newaygo and Comstock Park.

[Ypsi]

gallop park in ann arbor follows the michigan line for 2 plus miles. I have gone there in the summe walked and then filmed amtrak trains... it follows the tracks from about mp32 to mp35, maybe farther

[GreatLakesRailfan]

Considering how many railroad routes were removed because they duplicated other routes nearby, or within a short drive, I'd say that most of the trackage that was removed following those years when the peak amount of track-miles existed in this country probably should not be relaid. While there may be routes that may have strategic importance in the future that should be put back in, as long as the right-of-ways are maintained and the legalities needed to make sure the rails can be relaid if necessary without NIMBY or trail-user interference are maintained, I see nothing wrong with the current number of rail trails in place. In fact, I can think of at least one or two former grades I'd like to see added to the trail system...

[Robert MacDowell]

It is my understanding railtrails can be returned to railroad service again and it has happened in other states on a few occasions.

Yes. Some railroad lines (NOT ALL) don't own their land, but are built on an easement. Many easements have a reversion clause: when the rails are removed, the land goes back to the farmer. That made a lot of sense in 1872.

If you ever follow a former rail grade in Google Earth, you know the problem with that. Every street intersection will have a 7-11 or office building built on the RoW. Houses and apartments will be developed on the track.

Then you come along and want to build a rail trail or light-rail project or high-speed-rail or freight return, and you must either
1. Spend BILLIONS destroying perfectly good buildings - see Interstate-696 or BART.
2. Twist the route into a crazy zig-zag to avoid the expensive real estate, leaving a slow line to the low-rent districts. E.g. the light-rail line in Mountain View, CA.

An intact corridor is worth its weight in gold. The idea of the rail-trail and landbanking is to declare the corridor itself a state/national asset, and disable all those reversion clauses.

Considering how many railroad routes were removed because they duplicated other routes nearby, or within a short drive, I'd say that most of the trackage that was removed following those years when the peak amount of track-miles existed in this country probably should not be relaid.

I cannot tell what the future is going to hold on that one, because I cannot predict the price of gasoline. Well, I can, but I don't think you don't want to hear it

anyway I foresee that once America figures out how high-speed rail needs to work in America (which is nothing like Europe), several abandoned or vastly underused rail corridors will be reused as HSR lines.

[J T]

In about 10 years, the line from Baldwin to GR will be a great trail for the hardy work out.

[i995impalass]

In about 10 years, the line from Baldwin to GR will be a great trail for the hardy work out. Up hill, down hill, up hill and down hill at the same time. Make sure you have good brakes for Kopje, Newaygo and Comstock Park.

So in 10 years I can be a "Bikemaster" and you and MuskgonRR rip up 2 miles of bike path when your chains fall off at Kopje?

[GR Ron]

And with higher gas prices, I wouldn't doubt that some people use rail trails to ride their bikes to work.

$3.99 + ??- thats me on two wheels on the old GR&I!

In about 10 years, the line from Baldwin to GR will be a great trail for the hardy work out. Up hill, down hill, up hill and down hill at the same time. Make sure you have good brakes for Kopje, Newaygo and Comstock Park.

I normally like to hear what you have to say Mr. AveryRdhouse

[Norm]

When there is no longer a need to an area shouldn't the railroads be allowed to abandon trackage that is no longer profitable?














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