Can someone please school me on some facts regarding what I think would be the ultimate trump card to play against the train haters? Let's say their evil plot somehow progresses and they get the CMRR off the property. Won't they then have to file a petition for abandonment with whom? Some state agency? The Surface Transportation Board? The FRA? Let me know so I can be specific in my arguments.
These folks seem very cocky playing a rigged game. They know nothing about how railroads are run or regulated. Let them know early and often that before they can pry up a spike, they'll have to deal with a RAILROAD regulatory agency that doesn't care about pro-trail studies commissioned by pro-trail groups, or how many Facebook "likes" you have. Public officials who block active railroad tracks with dump trucks won't make great witnesses. Highly paid railroad lawyers who know the system can petition for years and come away empty handed so how is some local ambulance chaser going to fare?
Let them know that they could "win" their spiteful game and still be stuck with years of litigation and a trainset that no one can play with. Maybe we'll see some compromise then.
These folks seem very cocky playing a rigged game. They know nothing about how railroads are run or regulated. Let them know early and often that before they can pry up a spike, they'll have to deal with a RAILROAD regulatory agency that doesn't care about pro-trail studies commissioned by pro-trail groups, or how many Facebook "likes" you have. Public officials who block active railroad tracks with dump trucks won't make great witnesses. Highly paid railroad lawyers who know the system can petition for years and come away empty handed so how is some local ambulance chaser going to fare?
Let them know that they could "win" their spiteful game and still be stuck with years of litigation and a trainset that no one can play with. Maybe we'll see some compromise then.