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members network
We’d like to hear from you.Write to “Members
Network,” Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, 2121Ward
Ct., NW, 5th Floor,Washington, DC 20037.
Or e-mail:
magazine@railstotrails.org.
Letters may be edited for publication.
Positive Renewal
I’ve been a supporter of Rails-to-Trails
Conservancy and a reader of the magazine
for a number of years. But something
struck me as I was enjoying the Spring/
Summer 2014 issue: what a pleasure it is
to dive into a publication filled with so
much that is positive. It seems like every
time I open a newspaper or turn on the
radio or TV news, I’m hit with so much
that’s not working. But then I open
Rails
to Trails
and read about local trails being
developed or improved, about the poten-
tial for rails-with-trails, about the great
things that are forthcoming for the Burke-
Gilman Trail in Seattle and about beauti-
fully restored transportation stations, and
my enthusiasm for the future is renewed.
Thank you for so much
POSITIVITY.
John Wasco
Lawrence, Pa.
We’ve Got One!
I just read Therese Cox’s article in the
Spring/Summer 2014 issue, re: James
Porterfield and his efforts to promote
railway heritage. Here in Dunedin, Fla.,
our little history museum is not only
housed in the old Dunedin railroad
station in the middle of town, it is also
dedicated in part to the preservation
of our rail heritage. Trains on the Gulf
Coast used to bring tourists south to St.
Petersburg and also shipped citrus prod-
ucts all over the country. Now, some
of our tourists come by bike and skates
along the Pinellas Trail directly adjacent
to the museum, one of the longest rail-
trails in Florida.
Margie Sigman
Dunedin, Fla.
Thanks for sending us this great example of
a project preserving our country’s railway
heritage!
“
Dream Team” with Steam
I enjoyed the Spring/Summer 2014
issue immensely, but I do have to make
one comment concerning the Western
Maryland Scenic Railroad portion.
Editor’s
note: In the
All Aboard
section of “Dream
Team,” the article refers to a restored 1916
Baldwin 2-8-0 diesel engine and carriages.
I have ridden on, and beside, this
railroad numerous times. On any of
these occasions, the motive power was
a restored 1916 Baldwin 2-8-0 STEAM
locomotive. The only diesel locomotive
I have ever seen is one that pulled the
train from their yard in West Virginia
to the station. For dedicated steam buffs
(
such as me), the diesel will deter a visit.
I also liked the “Steam Into History”
portion. The locomotive pictures are
great. The locomotive is new and is a
steam-powered, oil-fired work of art. I
feel the trip is worth it just to see the
locomotive. It even has an additive to the
exhaust, which makes it smell like coal
(
although the original was wood fired).
WilliamWilson
Hydes, Md.
Travel Connections
Thanks for the great issue on “rail-with-
trail,” particularly the article on restoring
old train stations. Kudos for your sup-
port of these efforts. What a wonderful
idea to connect rail and bicycle travel!
Richard Ward
Oak Ridge, Tenn.
Smart Development
I really enjoyed the Spring/Summer
2014
issue with the emphasis on rails-
with-trails. I had no idea there were so
many miles of co-located tracks with
trail systems.
Here in northern California, we are
eagerly awaiting the completion of the
SMART commuter line from the north-
ern edge of Sonoma County extending
south to Larkspur in Marin County. At
that point, commuters will arrive at the
ferry landing and take their bikes and
themselves on the ferry to San Francisco.
Both the SMART trains and the ferry
will have racks for safe transport of bikes.
Sonoma and Marin counties are
well known as biking havens with great
weather, beautiful scenery, happy cows,
giant redwoods and, of course, great
wine, and the 70-mile trail will connect a
dozen or more cities. We’ll have to come
up with a catchy name for our new trail
and invite bikers to vacation along the
length of the trail. Who could resist?
Deanna Statler
Petaluma, Calif.
Interested individuals can learn more
about this project in RTC’s
Trail of
the Month
story “California’s SMART
Pathway” at:
http://rtc.li/ca-smart-path
.
Utah Gold
Thanks for sharing the postcard for
Utah in the
Greetings From
pages in your
magazine. Riding along the old railroad
grade is a lot of fun, and visiting the
Golden Spike National Historic Site
is exciting, especially when the replica
engines,
No. 119
and the
Jupiter
,
chug
their way to face each other—recreating
the historic meeting of the rails in 1869.
If you are really adventurous, you can
ride or drive 15.5 miles (dirt) south on
Promontory Point to the Great Salt Lake
to see Robert Smithson’s Spiral Jetty art
installation (1970).
Our grandchildren liked stopping on
the road toward Golden Spike to see the
ATK outdoor missile museum, where
they could see early to current engines,
and space launch missiles. ATK test fires
the rocket engines nearby. We are happy
to support Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
here in Utah!
Pam Carson
Salt Lake City, Utah