wow trail opposed

[Mee-n-Mac]

Originally Posted by kjbathe

Why are we again trying to legislate personal responsibility? Create the template and paint a warning in reflective paint every 500 feet "DANGER - STAY CLEAR OF ACTIVE TRAIN TRACK" and call it good.

If folks want to get on the tracks, a fence won't stop them. And why incur the maintenance costs and headache of trying to keep the fence intact. Compliment the painted warning notices with a sign at the various entrances to the trail alerting them to the danger of the active track and problem solved.

I listen to these things and thank God we went to the moon in the 60's... Our perpetual hand-wringing today would never allow us to sign off on the idea of strapping three guys into a glorified trash can affixed to the five stories of high explosives needed to hurl them into the void of space. A fence to keep people off the tracks... If you need a fence to impose common sense, perhaps you should be on the tracks when the train comes.

Originally Posted by Woodsy

When does the lunacy end?? This is PRECISELY what is wrong with this country today! We have to account for every possible idiot! No personal responsibility allowed! We need to stop dumbing down to the lowest common denominator! I need to stop now before I go on a huge rant!

Should we build the trail YES! Do we need a fence? NO!

The rail traffic on this line is seasonal and very light/very slow moving. It's not like we are discussing mile long freight trains every few hours. People have coexisted with the railroad (no fence) for long, long time, and to the best of my knowledge there have been ZIP, ZERO, NADA injuries! I see people walking right down the middle of the tracks all the time. So why the big deal now? If anything, a nice trail beside the tracks would be much safer!

You need to look at how railroad tracks are constructed. Railroads operate best when the tracks are level. When a railroad is constructed, they use large quantities of gravel to raise the level of the tracks 2' to 3' above the surrounding terrain, depending on terrain conditions. This accomplishes two things, level track height so the train will roll easily and proper drainage. For most of the proposed WOW trail, the railbed will be somewhat higher (approximately 2') than the WOW trail. You would physically have to fall up to the tracks to get struck by the train.

Woodsy

Where's that "Thanks" button when you need it .....

I see a higher likelyhood of injury from mixing bicycles, skaters and pedestrians.

[SAMIAM]

Er...Woodsy...that's exactly what Bear Islander said.

[Resident 2B]

Personally, I would much rather have the trail than have the train. I do not want the fence either. It will be ugly and it will negatively impact too many good people.

We have lived without the train since the Weirs washout. I do not know of anyone that is inconvienced at all because the train is gone.

I would much rather see many people using a free trail instead of some people using a train that they have to pay a good amount of money to ride. In addition, the train makes a lot of noise with its loud whistle/horn, so those that do not like that noise will be better off without the train.

This is a case of the good of many being served with the trail vs. the good of a few being served with the train. When you add in the ugly fence required to build the trail close to the train, the case for the train being eliminated gets much stronger.

R2B

[jrc]

Originally Posted by Resident 2B

...

We have lived without the train since the Weirs washout. I do not know of anyone that is inconvienced at all because the train is gone.
....

Well the people that run the train have been inconvienced. They leased the tracks from the state and have a right to expect the state to live up to that lease. They invested time and money into their business with a good faith expectation of having their lease honored.

I don't think the trail should be built if a fence is required. I think the train and the trail can coexist without a fence. But the state could always take their business by eminent domain and use the rail bed for the trail.

I think the state may still have dreams of restoring passenger rail service to NH, having real trains on that line would change my opinion on coexistence.

[laketrout]

There are a # of logistal and enginnering issues that would have to be solved before this path can be utilized. Southdown is one issue, a 5' fence thats ridicolous; safety issues too and what of "shoreline protection act", a paved road next to the lake within 10-20' feet at points. This makes it more unpleasant looking. As another post put it what about;

Maiden Lady Cove?
Pickeral Cove & Moulton's Cove?

The land to be "used" on the above resides on a "narrow" causeway. Current standards for railroad tracks in the USA are 4' 8" for standard guage track (train track). There is only about 1 or 2 feet clearance on each side of the causeway which is about 200-300+ yards long. Where is this trail supposed to go now? Spends millions to widen the causeway and dredge the lake in that area. What is to be down with the widely used boat tunnel at Pickeral Cove, enlarge that at considerable expense? Beefing up the causeway would cost millions. I don not live in the above coves just go by them in my boat.

Logically for the trail to work in the above areas private property would have to be accessed. Comprimise will have to be sought. The WOW trail debate could go on for years with legal battles etc this can drag it on Ad infinitum.

[Skip]

Another article in this morning's on-line Citizen detailing the latest developments in the WOW trail proposal.

Story can be read HERE.