future for rail trails

We have the Indian Head branch line behind our house in Southern MD.  The tracks remain unused for a couple of decades, and an active effort was being made to transition it to a hike/bike trail.  The hold up of going to a bike trail was a group trying to start up an excursion train on the 13 mile line.  They even had several passenger cars ready to go, although many contested the term ready because the cars were in terrible shape.

NIMBY was strong against both uses because it was developed on both sides of the track, but locals said they could live with a bike trail better than a train.  The big issue was security for the houses next to the trail.  Additionally, many pro bike/walk/run trail groups pressed the Board of Directors for the trail.  The excursion group finally backed out because they could not get the financing, and it was soon turned into the bike trail.

Not sure how the exclusion train would have worked out, but the bike trail is busy all the time and large groups often use it on the weekends.  It has been a success for the county, but I would not have mind watching a train go by once in a while.

My house abuts an abandoned line converted to a trail. As such, I much preferred the tranquility of what was the occasional train as opposed to endless noise of pedestrians and the crap that comes with that. But, once it's a path, it will forever remain a path. 

Here in Mass., I think it depends.  Most are forever railtrails but I think a few kept ROW.  Not sure where I came up with that belief, 'though, so don't quote me.  Today I drove under this incredible monstrosity that is being constructed in Acton, MA. It used to be a nice grade road crossing for the Boston and Maine, and then Penn Central, I think.  Just simple crossing signs.  No big deal.  Now the crossing is 10's of feet in the air with this huge buttress/ramp on either side and special arches for wetlands drainage.  It's so long and so huge that it looks like it could support a train, not somebody's bike!  (Yuck. Hate 'em. :-)

TRRR 

The ROW that is now a rail trail near my home was totally abandoned by the railroad and was in private hands. If the county parks department had not purchased it, the ROW would likely have been fragmented by development and would have had zero chance of a future transition back to rail. At least now the ROW has been preserved and if the public good warranted it, the chance of a conversion might slightly more than zero. Certainly more likely than if retail and commercial development took up that space. 

In most cases, abandonment allows for a railroad to replace rails if needed.  Wasn't the case with the Montour Railroad, that cease in the early 1980's, all right-of-ways were deeded to the Montour trail group.  Rails were re-installed, recently, to accommodate a shale gas/liquid collection site, (Westland, PA).    Markwest Corp, the group that was developing the shale gas infrastructure, dealt with the trail group concerning right-of-way.   There are sections of the Montour, where the right-of-way, is shared /trail and railroad.   A lot of the wonderful improvements, and up keep, of the trail, is related to the income generated from the multiple use of the trail/railroad.   Here is a link to (12 pages) of picture of the rails being re-installed.  

A recent bike ride.   A new trail bridge had been installed over one of the worst road crossings, Rt 50/980.  There are three new bridges, and a lot of rework done on the lower Montour trail toward McKeesport.   Bridge pictured was removed shortly after the Montour declared bankruptcy, a low clearance issue.

Western Maryland Scenic RR shares right-of-way with the Great Allegheny Passage bike trail between Cumberland and Frostburg Md.  You can load your bike in the baggage car for the trip, up the mountain, to Frostburg, and ride your bike back to Cumberland.  No, still full price for the ticket, even though you ride 1/2 way.

2012 Photo near Cumberland.  My grandson Micah and I on the ride back.

Once the trail is established, it has to be maintained and secured.  The Montour has trail monitors, who ride the trail.  Local law enforcement also rides.   In Pennsylvania on different trails you see DCNR signs, which relates to the State Parks system.  Great Allegheny Passage/C&O Canal bike trail has sections that are also National Park maintained.     Enjoy the ride,   Mike CT

Actually "railbanking" allows for the railroad to restore service to the line in the future.  From the Rails to Trails Conservancy website: Railbanking, as defined by the National Trails System Act, 16 USC 1247 (d), is a voluntary agreement between a railroad company and a trail agency to use an out-of-service rail corridor as a trail until a railroad might need the corridor again for rail service. Because a railbanked corridor is not considered abandoned, it can be sold, leased or donated to a trail manager without reverting to adjacent landowners.

It was interesting to note that there was a large house built on or near the (inactive/abandon) Westland Spur of  Montour Right-of-way.   Pictured would become the new rail yard for the Westland Marcellous Gas collection site.   The House has been removed.

Drive way that lead to the home. late summer bike ride.

House was right about here.

Nj has a rail bank, although too late for the Bel Del. The m&e tried to revive the rahway valley but the rich  nimby's in Summit and Westfield put an end to that!