“Rails-to-trails…? As in, you’re against railroads?” I hear that question, or one like it, all too often. People assume that, because unused or abandoned rail lines get transformed into trails, we at Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) want to see rail lines fall into disuse so they can be converted to trails. Nothing could be further from the truth! Rail systems are absolutely vital to our nation’s transportation system. Rail travel is an efficient way to move people and goods while emitting a tiny fraction of the greenhouse gases than private automobiles. In fact, much of RTC’s work to promote transportation options for those who cannot or choose not to drive hinges on linking with public transportation. After all, the vast majority of those who access transit do so by walking or biking. Rail-trails preserve rail corridors. Only after a railroad has determined there to be no other feasible use do RTC and local groups work to ensure that the corridor is not lost forever. Additionally, a rail-with-trail (a trail sharing an active rail corridor, usually separated by a safety buffer) offers another unique transportation connection between transit and trail. The basic process of a rail-trail conversion goes something like this:(more...)