Join the discussion on the following article:
New York seeks public comment on Remsen-Lake Placid corridor
Great! I hope it makes it.
Interesting that the wording of this would indicate NY state is not willing to even consider retaining the rails to Lake Placid, only whether it should be a trail. Let’s hope such short-sightedness is rectified. God forbid they would ever host the Winter Olympics again.
Pretty much what I was thinking, Harold.
When rail expansion looks promising why even entertain a trail?
Where’s the option to have both the rail corridor and snowmobile trails between Tupper Lake and Lake Placid, there’s plenty of places across the US where both a rail and trail are side by side.
I suppose the granola munchers don’t want those “ugly” trains next to their bike trail. Well I say: “Too bad”!
I guess its up to the folks in NY to decide. Snow mobiling is huge business in an otherwise quite dead winter place. Hopefully find a compromise, let both co exist. Trains and walkers in the summer,snow mobilers in the winter.
The first issue is that on this line there is no possibility for a parallel trail despite the 100-foot right- of-way. There are numerous and lengthy wetlands and rocks cuts so that a trail parallel to this line would essentially be building a new road bed. Even by the lack on environmental regulations by which the original line was constructed, a separate roadbed would be a very expensive proposition. The second issue is that the operator has been totally dependent on government support for all capital improvements and for routine annual track maintenance. Yes, their ticket sales pay for their current rail operations, but any expansion into the area where the trail has been proposed would require at least $15 million taxpayer dollars and an increase in the annual track maintenance subsidy.
Thanks to Mr. Goodwin for the “detail vs. drama” assessment. Much as we oldies like to recall doubleheaded NYC K-11 4-6-2’s up there, the hard news has more to do with dollars, line encroachments, beaver dams, etc. In a state where the schools are stripping down for lack of funding, first things first, I guess.