Rails To Trails Question

[TraintrackGal]

Have any of you heard of a conversion of a ROW from Rails To Trails back to an active railroad anywhere in the country? Also, any thoughts in general about Rails To Trails are welcome. Thanks,
Linda Terentiak

[sd70accsxt700]

Only one I know of was up in Minn, I believe, could have been Wisc. Cant rember the specifics, just reading about it in Trains Mag.

[AARR]

My understanding is any trail could be reverted to rail but as sd70 noted there's only one known case where it happened.

[CSX_CO]

Going from foggy memory, but I believe a former CNW branch in North Central Wisconsin was converted back from a rail trail into an active spur from a WC line, to a new power plant that was built. So, former CNW line that got used by the WC for a new power plant.

Practice Safe CSX

[M.D.Bentley]

Think of it this way. Leave the old right of way to fall into disrepair/abandonment. Let the locals take it over thinking that they are doing something that makes them feel all tingly inside. LET them get the grants / funds. AND if and when, the RR's swoop back in with the backing of the Gov't stating thats it's good for the economy and take it all back. Alot less legal crap dealing with a local group vs individual land owners. Just a thought.................

[AARR]

Think of it this way. Leave the old right of way to fall into disrepair/abandonment. Let the locals take it over thinking that they are doing something that makes them feel all tingly inside. LET them get the grants / funds. AND if and when, the RR's swoop back in with the backing of the Gov't stating thats it's good for the economy and take it all back. Alot less legal crap dealing with a local group vs individual land owners. Just a thought.................

Touche'...

[MSchwiebert]

Or to look at it another way, there's reasons why those routes became available for trails in the first place - and having viable customers wasn't one of them. Using the "local" to me trails as an example it's pretty easy to see why they became available. The Slippery Elm Trail - using the former B&O branch between North Baltimore and BG (with the line continuing to Tontogany) became redundant after it was made possible for a train out of Willard to turn at Fostoria to head to Toledo - which was it's sole purpose for existance.
The University Trail in Toledo - using the former Toledo Angola & Western Right of way - when the quarry decided to ship via truck the TAW's reason for existence disappeared.
The Wabash Cannonball Trail system (north fork using the former WAB from Maumee to Montpeilier, the South Fork using the former Wabash from Maumee to Liberty Center). The north fork became available once interchange ended at Delta - as fate would have it the NS would end up getting the former CR main which served most of the same towns (Delta, Wauseon etc.) The south branch became available once the N&W/NS realized that they did not need 3 routes west out of Toledo - Liberty Center westward remained in service (although eventually sold to Indiana Hi-Rail) and the portion east of LC - devoid of customers was torn up.
As mentioned in a previous post the rails to trails is useful in preserving a right of way intact, but one would question if the "right" right of ways are being preserved. In any event, if one wants to see how to eradicate a right of way - portions of the former EL main across Indiana (especially the portions where LB Foster was 'thourough' in reclaiming materials for the EL estate to sell) are a textbook example.

[Raildudes dad]

My understanding is any trail could be reverted to rail but as sd70 noted there's only one known case where it happened.

I believe it has to do with how the "title" is transferred. If it goes into DNR ownership it's "rallbanked" for future rail use. The way I understand it, railbanking keeps the reversionary clause back to the adjacent property owners from kicking in. Most ROW in MI doesn't have reversionary clauses but they do it that way to "quiet the title" (Insure there are no claims). So, theoretically rail could go back in, but there would need to be a big customer(s) to justify it

[AveryRdhouse]

I just read that the State of Wisconsin is rebuilding the former Milwaukee Road line from Plymouth to Sheboygan Falls. The 15 mile branch has not been used in decades and is planned to be completed by October 2010. The operator will be the Wisconsin and Southern. Wisconsin is a very pro rail state. Michigan on the other hand is a very pro, rip up the rails state. I bet it will come back and bite them in the ass in in the years to come. Can't attract any new businesses? Wonder why!

[amtrak1007]

Michigan on the other hand is a very pro, rip up the rails state. I bet it will come back and bite them in the ass in in the years to come. Can't attract any new businesses? Wonder why!

Can't get new businesses now...

[sd70accsxt700]

That is the line Avery is talking about. It is the only one I have ever heard of.

[AveryRdhouse]

Not to drag this out, but the State of Wisconsin has also looked into rebuilding a line from Mineral Point to Monroe and a short branch to Schullsburg in the southern part of the state. Some of this line hasn't seen a train since the early 60's. Most was ripped out in the early 80's after the collapes of the Milwaukee road. The idea is to revive the rails for the ethanol push. I have not heard anything as of late about it.
On a closer to home note. Now that Marquette is moving potash, mined in Hersey, that's trucked to Baldwin, it would be nice to have the tracks put back in to Evart. Much business still out that way. Do you think the state would help out. No. The snowmobile trail is a good "seasonal" source of tourism dollars. Jobs? Go somewhere else for that.

[CSX_CO]

Not to drag this out, but the State of Wisconsin has also looked into rebuilding a line from Mineral Point to Monroe and a short branch to Schullsburg in the southern part of the state. Some of this line hasn't seen a train since the early 60's. Most was ripped out in the early 80's after the collapes of the Milwaukee road. The idea is to revive the rails for the ethanol push. I have not heard anything as of late about it.

Not to hijack this, but the "Cheese Country Trail" between Mineral Point and Monroe is a great trail to ride. Rode a portion about 15 years ago (holy crap has it been that long?) between Darlington and S. Wayne, Wi. Plenty of nice bridges, and a scenic ride. Did 45 miles in one day. Yes, my butt felt every pebble by the end. Small branch off the 'main' near Calamine, WI towards Belmont, WI (WI's first state capital in the 'lead mining' region) of about 10 miles which is a good ride also.

As Avery said, I believe the rails came up in the early-mid 80's on the portion between Monroe and Mineral Point. Operated for a short time by a short line after the MILW pulled out, then pulled up when traffic didn't warrant rail service anymore. Wisconsin and Calumet operated between Monroe and Madison, before pulling up the rails, and focusing on Monroe and Janesville. Rails are owned by the Wisconsin and Southern now. I have a book written in the mid 80's by a 13yr old at the time (quite amazing in itself) that details the railroad history of the area.

Sorry, waxing nostalgic as my Mom's side is from SW Wisconsin, calling Platteville, WI home for the last 80+ years.

Practice Safe CSX

[tango]

Or to look at it another way, there's reasons why those routes became available for trails in the first place - and having viable customers wasn't one of them.

Prairie Path in the west 'burbs of Chicago - former CAE interurban, replaced by automobiles and virtually all communities are serviced by METRA anyway.

CGW Trail - purchase by parallel CNW made most of those tracks redundant, especially when online shippers either folded or went to trucks IIRC. I doubt UP would want to reactivate any of that trackage.