CarterB wrote: ↑Sun Nov 14, 2021 8:44 am
Leave the rails in and let speeders use it!!!!
Sounds like fun, but, realistically? Tracks have to be maintained, and that costs money.
Every time a picture of even pedal-powered "railbiking" comes up the impossibility of passing others is pointed out as something that limits this to short novelty.
Though I do suddenly find my self tempted by the idea of a building a rail trail "handcar" - just need to figure out a subtle steering mechanism.
In principle, trails alongside active rail would be wonderful (especially if there were bike-friendly passenger service).
In practice, things that get converted were already not coming back. The Maybrook Trail didn't kill Metro North's Harlem-Hudson connection, actually the opposite as money was spent during trail construction to move the rails to a consistent position within the right of way. But somehow rather than repair the cuts made to protect the work site, instead they filed to abandon the not-economical-to-maintain line.