rails-WITH-trails

New Jersey Teens Killed by Trains

Teens were Walking on Trestle Known as Neighborhood Shortcut

According to various news reports, two New Jersey   teens  were killed by a NJ Transit train on October 1,  Sixtteen-year-old Alan Mendez and 17-year-old Nicholas Sabina, were hit by a train as it  headed to a Transit repair station.  The train  hit the teens on a popular neighborhood cut through.

Less than 24 hours after Sabina and Mendez were pronounced dead, 13-year-old Michael Cabaj was killed by an NJ Transit train in Garfield while trying to cross the tracks near Outwater Lane, nearby.  Apparently he didn’t realize two trains were approaching from different directions.

According to the WalkBikeJersey Blog, there is no other reasonable way for the kids to walk or bike between the area neighborhoods and towns.

Once again, we see  rail corridors act as major barriers to citizens.   

Until we provide means for people to use these corridors for safe passage, this tragic story will be repeated again and again.

Two Teens Die Crossing Norfolk Southern Trestle

According to the article, others have died along the railroad tracks in eastern Montgomery County.

In October 2005, David Wayne Hale, 45, of Elliston was struck and killed along Old Roanoke Road. In September 1998, Jeffrey Thomas Williams, 17, of Shawsville was struck at Stoneskeep Road in Elliston. And in August 1994, 17-year-old Kenneth Johnson,was struck nearby. Johnson's legs were amputated and he suffered head injuries; he died several days later.

In another news account, a 2007 plan called for trail amenities for the corridor which would have included a path for crossing the river where the accident occurred but.  The plans were never implemented.

According to the RT article,

Advocates are not giving up on the vision for eased mobility in Elliston.

County officials cited the conditions under which trails could go in.

The plan is "our future guide for trails within the villages if and when we have developers willing to develop, grants or county dollars," county Planning Director Steve Sandy said by e-mail.

A newly hired Department of Conservation and Recreation steward, Wes Paulos, was by coincidence at Pedlar Hills on Friday "getting oriented and looking at signage and access points," Woodall said.

To develop the state property for public visitation would be "an awesome thing," said Mitchell Haugh, the county's director of parks and recreation.

"But it takes money."

In this section of track the major  Crescent and Heartland Corridors meet. 

If we were to take a small portion of the state and federal money going to upgrade these corridors to include safe and convenient trails,  perhaps this tragic story wouldn't need to be repeated  again and again.

Group Forges RWT Agreement on PA's Montour Trail

Photo Courtesy onyxlee

Pennsylvania's  Montour Trail Council announced that it has reached an agreement with MarkWest Energy Partners, of Denver, Colorado, to build a three-mile rail-with-trail along the former Westland Branch of the Montour Railroad in Cecil, Mt. Pleasant, and Chartiers townships, Washington County, Pennsylvania.

The Montour Trail is a multi-use non-motorized recreational rail-trail near Pittsburgh, PA that will ultimately extend 46 miles from Moon Township near Coraopolis to Clairton. Currently, multiple sections of the trail totaling over 40 miles are already completed.

According to a Pittsburgh Post Observer article, MarkWest will lease the corridor from the Montour Trail Council.

Ned Williams, president of the MTC, said that the 30-year lease agreement with MarkWest will bring major financial and recreational benefits.

“Not only will MarkWest’s participation develop this recreational branch trail sooner than we could have done,” Williams explained, “but the company’s lease payments will help us cover the trail’s ever-increasing operating and maintenance costs. Even more important to the region, we see the proposed rail development as a good thing for our neighboring communities, since rail transport is so much safer than having many extra tank trucks on our local roads.”

For more information, visit the MTC website: www.montourtrail.org

Burlington Waterfront Bike Path

The Burlington Waterfront Bike Path runs for 7.6 miles along the waterfront of Lake Champlain with spectacular views of the Adirondack mountains in New York and the lake itself.

View of Lake Champlain

The trail is used by an estimated 150,000 bikers, pedestrians, joggers, and in-line skaters each year.

Santa Cruz Gets Approval for RWT

California Transportation Commission Approves Branch Line Purchase 

After nearly ten years of negotiations and review of the property’s condition, the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission secured State approval to purchase the Branch Line for $14.2 million with a commitment to make $5 million in improvements.

In a letter urging the CTC to approve the project, Congressman Sam Farr noted, “The acquisition of this 32-mile coastal rail corridor is a vital element of the Central California Coast’s efforts to provide multi-modal solutions to its significant transportation problems.”

By preserving the rail line as a continuous transportation corridor, the RTC will be able to provide transportation options for residents and visitors that may be feasible in the future. This could include passenger rail, transit, bicycle and pedestrian uses. In the near term, the RTC will continue existing freight and recreational rail service and plans to establish new recreational rail service along the scenic north coast between the main beach area in Santa Cruz and the historic town of Davenport eleven miles north.

According to reports,  many sections of the coastal rail line is beautifully forested and offers a very accessible, flat place to walk or cycle. 

For more details, visit the Friends of the Rail Trail website.

 The Santa Cruz trail is a key component in creating a larger, Monterey Bay Sanctuary Scenic Trail Network.

Cycling Along the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad

The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad is an excursion railroad based in Cumberland, Maryland. It operates over ex-Western Maryland Railway tracks and travels to Frostburg. 

The Allegheny Highlands Trail of Maryland runs along the rail line.  This trail is part of the very popular  Great Allegheny Passage trail which connects Cumberland to Pittsburgh and attracts over 750,000 visitors per year.

The Western Maryland uses both steam and diesel locomotives.

Though some might argue that cycling next to a steam locomotive would be far more dangerous than riding next to a diesel or electric train, this fact seems  lost on the cyclist in the video. 

Note, too, there isn't a fence or barrier separating the train from the trail.

More scenes from the Great Alleheny Passage:

Man Killed On Same Tracks As Teen

Two Have Died in a Month Along Tracks in Chesterfield, Virginia

A 25 year old verteran was killed walking on the same stretch of tracks as the high school student who died on October 8. 

Chesterfield County Police identified the man who was killed by a train on September 6 as Aubrey A. Weese, 25, of the 3700 block of Luckylee Crescent in Richmond. Police said the victim was wearing headphones and had his back to the Amtrak train as he walked near the Defense Supply Center in Richmond. 

People will walk along train tracks if they don't have alternatives.  Rails-With-Trails provide safe options.... and may have saved both these lives.

High School Student Killed Walking on Tracks

Would a Rail-With-Trail Have Avoided This Tragedy?

An 18 year old high school student from Chesterfield, VA was trying to make his 10 pm curfew and decided to take a shortcut by walking home along active  railroad tracks.  It appears he didn't hear the train coming and was tragically killed.

If there had been a trail along this track, would he have been walking on active tracks or instead, walking home  along a safe walking path? 

According to the news story, many children in this neighborhood use this same shortcut each day. 

In this neighborhood - and many other neighborhoods across the nation - this same, tragic story need not play out again and again if citizens had safe corridors to use rather than taking shortcuts and walking on active railroad tracks. 

The railroads all cry danger, but once again, common sense tells us that if there had been a rail-with-trail along this track in Chesterfield County, this tragedy could have been avoided.

Let’s build safe cycling and walking paths beside the tracks so we don’t see this scenario play out yet again.

RWT's Work in the Mid-West

Here are some geat photos of rails-with-trails in Madison, Wisconsin.

Family Adventures on Rails-With-Trails?

Railroad officials love to shout, “Danger! Danger!” whenever anyone has the nerve to even suggest that bike and pedestrian trails can be located next to active rail lines. 

I couldn’t help but chuckle when I came across the Portland Family Adventures  website showing  a family of three, (Dad leading the charge on his bike, Mom looking a bit unsteady on her roller-blades and a little girl of three or four on tiny little pink bike in between)) riding on the Springwater Trail  in Portland, Oregon, perhaps fifteen feet from a railroad track. 

Shouldn't someone call Portland’s Social Service Department and report these irresponsible parents? 

According to the website, the Spring water Corridor Trail is, “one of the best and most accessible bike paths within a short distance from downtown Portland.”

Don't we, in fact,  need more corridors like the Springwater Trail for families to get some exercise and fresh air  as they enjoy their time together?  Perhaps we shousuggest more families go out for a ride, roll or walk along a trail, bike path or heaven-forbid, one of those crazy, scary rails-with-trails.