[SamAdams76]

One good thing about the railways in the U.S. is that eventually you can tear up the track and convert it to a "rail trail".

Now many here on Free Republic growl, spit, hiss and boo when rail trails are mentioned because they are associated with do-gooder liberals who wear the funny bicycle helmets and get $3200 carbon composite mountain bikes to ride between Starbucks - where they sip $6 lattes - to Ben & Jerry's, where they purchase $5 scoops of "fuzzy bear" ice cream named after dead rock stars.

However, I make use of the rail trails in my area to walk my dog. It's a nice way to take a 4 or 5 mile walk without having to cross intersections, navigate crowded and decrepit sidewalks, and deal with arm-crossed old ladies who are worried your dog might pee or defecate in the vicinity of their postage stamp sized yards that are littered with bottle caps, cigarette butts and empty drink containers.

The only annoyance are the aforementioned bicyclists who always find it necessary to holler "on your left" in their shrill Mike Dukakis voices as they breeze by you on their overpriced Treks and Cannondales - bristling with water bottles and wearing brightly colored spandex outfits. But so long as you keep to the right, you will be okay.

Willie Greene - We used to know him here as the "choo-choo" guy. He was always advocating for government built high-speed railways linking together such towns as Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Joplin, Missouri.

[Mears]

“———— and deal with arm-crossed old ladies who are worried your dog might pee or defecate in the vicinity of their postage stamp sized yards ——

—

Jerk! So old ladies with small yards annoy you? How kind.

.

[hoosierham]

I firmly believe “rail trails” are just another example of government violations of the laws.

That land was supposed to revert back to previous owners or title holders if the railroads stopped using it.

Nor does throwing millions of taxpayers dollars into a place where you can walk your dog or people ride bicycles thill me.

[Rides_A_Red_Horse]

As a kid growing up in the greater Detroit area, my friends and I would walk the tracks for “short cuts” to avoid areas that weren’t the safest to walk through.