Examples of Bike Trail and Tourist Railroad corridors

J3a-614 · **Posted:** Sat Jun 01, 2013 10:08 pm

Randy Gustafson wrote:

. . . Astoria, OR. This one is really interesting, because they've got a couple miles of track that is on the waterfront and they have a waterfront trail and a trolley on the same surface. Seriously, they planked over the trestles and bridges and both occupy the same bridge, single track, with a 'look out for trolleys' sign. The trolleys go slow enough they could slam to a stop if they had to, but if you want to see evidence that the world doesn't end to do it this way, and to my knowledge nobody has ever been injured, you've got to see it to believe it. The non-bridge portions are a trail right beside the track with no barriers. It's a beautiful situation from a visitor standpoint. There are so many trail users that there may not be that many bikes, but the approach to plank over the bridges and trestles and put both on the same bridge may be unique.

This turned up on a pro-bike, pro-transit site. That "watch out for the trolley" sign is--amusing. . .

http://transitsleuth.com/2013/06/01/astoria/

http://adronhall.smugmug.com/Portland-A ... G_2766.jpg

(Actually, it's a "watch the flangeway" sign.)

J3a-614 · **Posted:** Sat Jun 15, 2013 11:34 pm

Alexander D. Mitchell IV wrote:

The Northern Central Rail Trail in York County, Pa. hasn't seen a train in quite a while, since the last of the Liberty Limited stuff left, but Steam Into History seems set to do something about that. The trail in question connects South York with New Freedom and the Mason-Dixon Line, where the trail continues under Maryland/Baltimore County jurisdiction, minus track, to the north side of Cockeysville, Md.

Here's what they did:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=p ... 8MQHjvyzh8

Doesn't look like any problems with bikers and hikers to me. . .

sbhunterca · **Joined:** Sun Aug 22, 2004 7:58 am **Posts:** 728

A short length of track and the Confederation Trail co-exist at Elmira, Prince Edward Island. It runs from end of track to just west of the wye in this image:

http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&ll=46.439195,-62.068409&spn=0.004473,0.010214&t=h&z=17

When CNR pulled out of PEI, most of the right of way was acquired for trail conversion. A little track was retained for the Elmira Railway Museum. More track would have been retained (original plan was to the next crossing, Munns Road) but the budget wasn't there.

Should this look like a great example of trail/ rail cooperation, it is absolutely crucial to note both the trails and museum are owned and operated by the provincial government.

No trains are running, but motorcar excursions are.

Steve Hunter

J3a-614 · **Posted:** Tue Jun 18, 2013 2:18 am

An interesting option in some cases might be to retain the tracks and still have a trail, even if the railroad isn't operational. Somehow a railroad without track just doesn't look right. . .

I've "discovered" an interesting variant of this, the Schoneberger Sudgelande Nature Park in Berlin, Germany. This former large railroad yard is now a nature park, and retains most of its railroad infrastructure. The overall look is "urban archeology" or something like that, but it still looks to be a very interesting place to visit:

http://www.gruen-berlin.de/parks-garden ... ture-park/

http://www.elephantinberlin.com/2013/03 ... eberg.html

Somebody tell me why everyone else seems smarter than we are in America these days, or at least why everyone else is more creative than we are.

railfan44 · **Posted:** Tue Jun 18, 2013 10:15 am

The Maine Narrow Gauge RR Museum:

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Dave · **Posted:** Tue Jun 18, 2013 11:07 am

Which brings up an interesting idea......standard gage roadbeds being converted to trails with narrow gage railroads beside them. I'm thinking of the Anacortes / Romney Hythe and Dymchurch sort of thing......rail tourism and trail tourism sharing for mutual benefit.

dave