Really now? That's the entire reason the US has problems with transit because some old rails are now bike paths? There really isn't any other reason you can think of?
I can think of two rails-to-trails projects in my area. The first is the old Georgetown Spur, running from about the Silver Spring Metro station to the old C&O Canal towpath. That right of way was never used for passenger trains, it served two trains per week taking coal to a power plant in Georgetown. It was unprofitable for the railroad which gladly stopped the service as soon as the power plant got permission for deliveries by truck.
The second is the Washington and Old Dominion trail in Arlington and Fairfax Counties, which runs from Rosslyn to I don't know where--I've never been on it past Falls Church. That commuter line was shut down for many years before the bike path opened.
In general, the old rail transit lines around here have been long disused, unless they share the tracks with Amtrak and freight.
That's NIMBY neighbourhoods firing a pre-emptive salvo, to prevent those lines, and the easements around them from being re-developed into new transit lines. Presumably to keep the poors and undesirables and people without cars out of their beautiful town.
How would transit solve the problem they are trying to solve - a fast efficient manner to deliver stuff without human intervention? Would a person hop on a train someone be a better alternative?
Maybe that's the plan. Lure everyone into a false sense of security with the premise of "deliveries". Then, once the tunnel network is in place - BAM - instant pivot to a subway company! Suddenly public transport everywhere! The communists will have won before anyone even knew what hit them.
GhostVII|2 years ago
WalterBright|2 years ago
creesch|2 years ago
cafard|2 years ago
The second is the Washington and Old Dominion trail in Arlington and Fairfax Counties, which runs from Rosslyn to I don't know where--I've never been on it past Falls Church. That commuter line was shut down for many years before the bike path opened.
In general, the old rail transit lines around here have been long disused, unless they share the tracks with Amtrak and freight.
vkou|2 years ago
/waves in the general direction of Kirkland, WA.
wil421|2 years ago
scarface_74|2 years ago
xg15|2 years ago