Rail roads and their tracks.

[MossRoad]

That痴 what my neighbors that rejected rails to trails feared. One of my town elders explained it sort of like this: 途ails to trails sounds great, but what you have to realize, is rails to trails becomes open to the entire world, not just your neighbors along the tracks. Those trails are opened up to all sorts of activities, good and BAD (like the 澱ad part of town you mentioned)
Our community has literally ZERO crime. I believe that he had a point deserving of consideration. The é��rail is a trail open to anyone who wants to use it at any time, day night, Sunday, or when youæ±*e having a birthday or graduation in your back yard. Not sure I want noisy, inconsiderate outsiders vaping (or worse) and throwing their Mcdonalds trash around.
I kind of sympathize with him in that I don稚 need perverts and litterbugs walking behind my house 24/7, even if it does supposedly 妬ncrease real estate values? I do realize many nice people will be walking there, too.
I can稚 imagine anyone wanting to give up the privacy of their property to strangers passing through their property any time they feel like it versus a railroad, posted with private property signs and enforcement to go with it.

The situation here is that the trail currently goes through the campuses and are used heavily and daily. Just that they are used by no one from literally, the other side of the tracks.

 

[MossRoad]

Agree! Hey, there are some nice trails in Goshen if you get bored...

We've got a nice walking path from the airport to.... nowhere. There are no houses, no businesses, just a nice paved path from the airport to oak road. Nothing on either end. My wife and I are about the only ones we've ever seen on it. We do walk on all the abandoned roads around the airport. Lots of coyote poop. But easier to dodge than the goose poop down by the river.

 

[Agvg]

Not that I’m for socialism, but in Europe, I believe it’s much less likely to abandon RR tracks. I traveled extensively over Europe and they seem to subsidize/nationalize them?
I realize our rails are already somewhat subsidized.
I see more rails being revived in my area than abandoned, even new track being laid. Also think we may be moving back to a “made in USA” era, which may open more railroads.

Most of the RR in Europe is built by the government, here in Norway the government owns the tracks and other infrastructure and then companies compete to get contracts for running trains. In Europe a lot of important functions of society is considered a government responsibility, all this is much older than any classic socialism, think the oldest law on road quality is from the 1200 her I live, the king issued minimum with of roads and tracks and probably payed farmers to keep it so. So when railroads become the new for many states it was obviously a government task.

 

[Beeenvenue]

Most of the RR in Europe is built by the government, here in Norway the government owns the tracks and other infrastructure and then companies compete to get contracts for running trains. In Europe a lot of important functions of society is considered a government responsibility, all this is much older than any classic socialism, think the oldest law on road quality is from the 1200 her I live, the king issued minimum with of roads and tracks and probably payed farmers to keep it so. So when railroads become the new for many states it was obviously a government task.

Remember too that after WW2 much/most of the rail infrastructure in Europe had been destroyed. Under the Marshall plan we (US) rebuilt it. Starting from a blank slate, you will notice that we “did it right” (not having to preserve existing ROW from the 1800s). Long straight runs, multiple tracks next to autobahns as transportation corridors without having to worry about multiple at-grade crossings - things we can never duplicate in the US. And I don’t want to as I believe in maximizing private property rights.

 

[caver]

In 2008 I met up with my friend Rod and his buddy in Ouray CO. I took them up to the old narrow gauge RR turntable by Corkscrew Gulch.
The trains would come up to a point and be turned around to head down into the town of Ironton. There are still some metal wheels under it if they haven't
been stolen. I don't have the pictures on this laptop so a link will have to do.
Turntable

Sadly Rod passed away about a year and a half ago.

 

[MossRoad]

In 2008 I met up with my friend Rod and his buddy in Ouray CO. I took them up to the old narrow gauge RR turntable by Corkscrew Gulch.
The trains would come up to a point and be turned around to head down into the town of Ironton. There are still some metal wheels under it if they haven't
been stolen. I don't have the pictures on this laptop so a link will have to do.
Turntable

Sadly Rod passed away about a year and a half ago.

Neat pictures. Can you pinpoint the location on a map?

Sorry about your friend's passing. I've had a few go and I'm only 59.

 

[MossRoad]

In 2008 I met up with my friend Rod and his buddy in Ouray CO. I took them up to the old narrow gauge RR turntable by Corkscrew Gulch.
The trains would come up to a point and be turned around to head down into the town of Ironton. There are still some metal wheels under it if they haven't
been stolen. I don't have the pictures on this laptop so a link will have to do.
Turntable

Sadly Rod passed away about a year and a half ago.

Neat pictures. Can you pinpoint the location on a map?

Sorry about your friend's passing. I've had a few go and I'm only 59.

 

[MossRoad]

Found this... lots of pictures, a story, and maps.

Corkscrew Gulch Turntable

The turntable was enclosed in a snow shed. Neat stuff!!

 

[MossRoad]

Found a site with maps to it. Thanks

2010 Trek to the Corkscrew Gulch Turntable

 

[wheelbuilder]

That’s what my neighbors that rejected rails to trails feared. One of my town elders explained it sort of like this: “rails to trails sounds great, but what you have to realize, is rails to trails becomes open to the entire world, not just your neighbors along the tracks. Those trails are opened up to all sorts of activities, good and BAD” (like the “bad part of town” you mentioned)
Our community has literally ZERO crime. I believe that he had a point deserving of consideration. The “trail” is a trail open to anyone who wants to use it at any time, day night, Sunday, or when you’re having a birthday or graduation in your back yard. Not sure I want noisy, inconsiderate outsiders vaping (or worse) and throwing their Mcdonalds trash around.
I kind of sympathize with him in that I don’t need perverts and litterbugs walking behind my house 24/7, even if it does supposedly “increase real estate values”. I do realize many nice people will be walking there, too.
I can’t imagine anyone wanting to give up the privacy of their property to strangers passing through their property any time they feel like it versus a railroad, posted with private property signs and enforcement to go with it.

Yep, a Farm down the line from me has issues with everyone under the sun wandering off the part of the trolley line that is now rail trail and fishing, picnicking and wandering around their farm. Most leave when asked, but some are belligerent. Posted signs don't mean much anymore.