Understanding the difficulty of "rails to trails"

Understanding the difficulty of "rails to trails", originally uploaded by rllayman.

Richard writes "existing railbed/tracks for the Catonsville Short Line railroad in Catonsville, Baltimore County, Maryland"

Comments

[Richard Layman]

Speaking of the efforts of many people over the years, looking at that railbed made me realize how difficult the process is, why it takes a long time, and how it requires perseverance. Creating trails in the Catonsville area started in the early 1990s.

[Froggie]

Is this the line that spurred off the NEC near Route 1 and went through Loudon Park Nat'l Cemetery?

[Richard Layman]

Absolutely.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rllayman/4426797773/

Although I suppose it might be a mile or a little more from this specific location to the undone trail.

In the area of the cemetery, the trail has been cut and is maintained, although it is not paved.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rllayman/4426801197/in/photostream/

[Contrarian]

I don't see any vegetation in the picture that couldn't be cleared with hand tools. On the other hand, the rails and ties need to come up, which at minimum would take a backhoe, and then the ground would need to be smoothed, which would take a bulldozer. The backhoe and bulldozer operators would drive right through most of that stuff.

[Richard Layman]

Those are trees. But yes. Backhoes and operators cost money though.