Without a doubt, I would bring back the Santa Fe’s Fallbrook Branch. My hometown was served by the AT&SF until the late 70’s, when it was abandoned. The only part of the line that still exists today is Fallbrook Junction, located on the Surfline just south of Oceanside. Now its just a disused spur for storing some cars.
I would revive the Manhattan, IL to Strawn, IL stretch of the former Wabash/Norfolk Southern. Why? I don’t know. Gives another option.
That’s something that I’d like to see as well, having spent 17 years in the Lilac area. It would also be fun to see the line from Temecula to Oceanside rebuilt with the tracks well above the riverbed.
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Finish the rebuilding of the Lackawanna Cutoff, and extend the service through Pennsylvania to Scranton if that state approves. Put tilting trains on the route.
Rebuild the line from High Bridge through Easton (including the substantial tunneling under the I-78 grade). Somewhat restricted clearance on the part of the line further East, but by the time this gets dohe we’ll have Gateway open so more of these trains can be “Manhattan Direct”
BRING BACK THE CASO!
I didn’t consider the line thru Mobridge since it’s still existing. I am a fan of the historic PCE, but its recreation would only put a redundant strain on the surviving lines.
A line I would like to see restored is the recently dismantled Adirondack Scenic ex-NYC between Tupper Lake and Lake Placid, NY. An active tourist line converted to a trail.
The Morbridge line is intact between Terry and Morbridge, but the Milw line west of Terry has been almost entirely taken up. The line between the summit at Loweth (west of Harlow’) and the Missouri river goes through some very interesting scenery and I would imagine the line between St Paul pass and Avery was also quite spectacular. I did ride the Olympian Hiawatha from Seattle to Mile City, but didn’t remember much as I was 33 months old at the time.
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All of the rail lines that ran down the center of the streets in the city of Cleveland Ohio. I get to ride busses that look like streetcars sometimes but it’s just not the same.
The old streetcars they use to run all thru my city to years ago,I would of loved to ride on one.
Standard gauging of the first 20 miles of the D&RGW’s Chili line. One of top commodities from the San Luis valley is Perlite from mines about 20 miles south of Antonito. The line passes right next to the mines and the alignment (grades and curves) are fairly decent.
I drove Over St Paul Pass from Avery East into Montana in 1981 when track was OS but intact. The road followed the valley and you could look up at the high rr bridges. Eventually another rough road took a steep climb over the pass and came down by the east portal of the rr tunnel. I think the road came out by Saltese. I understand that now you can ride a bike shuttle up there and coast down the rail trail.
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I would bring back the old New Haven Maybrook Line over the Poughkeepsie Bridge, through New York. Not only would that make me happy as I’d be able to see trains running through my hometown, but also it would cut 100 miles off of the route of any train looking to cross the Hudson from southern New England, as they wouldn’t need to run all the way up to Albany!
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Eric, isn’t perlite/vermiculite a deadly hazard now, like talcum powder?
I was under the impression that perlite and vermiculite were different materials. Perlite is still available as a soil amendment and has been used to make lightweight concrete. If it was thought to be as bad as asbestos, I don’t think it would be so widely available.
I found these comments interesting because perlite and vermiculite are both used in gardening. So, I Googled and here is what AI has to say:
Perlite and vermiculite are both mined minerals that are used to improve soil structure and drainage. They are both approved for organic gardening and can be used in potting mixes.
Rich
I’d love to see the B&O Sandusky Ohio line restored. Excursions to downtown Sandusky then ferry to Cedar Point.
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Rebuild the Erie/Erie Lackawanna line through downtown Youngstown.
KJC
Welcome back thomas1954.
Welcome aboard Karolsr
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The Monon, of course.
Rich