The Untapped Potential of Abandoned Railroads
Exploring the opportunities presented by abandoned railroads in the United States.
American capitalism is destined to cause excessive waste.
In the free market of the United States, individuals are free to make predictions about the future economy and gamble resources in order to capitalize on opportunity. This results in competition between companies, which in turn brings about innovation and a drive for the most effective product. However, an overload of supply is created as a result where there is not necessarily a high enough demand to supplement it. In the case of the American railroad system, over-speculation resulted in thousands of miles of abandoned railroad across America that now serve no purpose. This presentation will highlight the many advantages and possibilities for the adaptive reuse of abandoned railroad.
The slideshow below details the lengths of railroad that have been abandoned and the associated company they were built under. Thousands of miles of rail were abandoned as railroad companies over-expanded and over-speculated at the advent of the Great Depression.
Southern Pacific
Santa Fe
Union Pacific
Illinois Central
Chicago & North Western
Erie Lackawanna
Pennsylvania Railroad
Baltimore & Ohio
Southern Railway
Seaboard Air Line
Seaboard Coast Line
Two possible subjects of adaptive reuse:
These railroad systems can be "recycled" and reused to serve a greater purpose.
Subject 1: Light-rail System
As it stands now, abandoned rails serve only to congest traffic that crosses over tracks, while deterring land development and "blighting" the area along the track. These issues could be corrected by transforming the existing corridor into light-rail tracks that support high-speed transport trains. The existing infrastructure is already in place, so there would be little cost to transform the surrounding land to implement the rails. It would eliminate the redundancy of these railroad tracks while simultaneously providing an alternative form of transportation that is arguably more sustainable, and perhaps even more convenient than owning a car. One instance of a light-rail system that would serve as a good example is the proposed Atlanta-Charlotte high-speed system.
The Atlanta-Charlotte Rail
While this proposed system would not utilize existing abandoned railroad tracks, it is a great example of the opportunity presented by integrating high-speed rails into the American transportation system. This proposed rail would connect Atlanta and Charlotte and would cut travel times to get to and from any destination along the system. Traffic congestion would decrease along I-85 and carbon emissions would be slashed. Total coverage of major cities with high-speed rails is possible, and many larger cities have abandoned rails extending outwards from themselves, making this a no-brainer for the integration of high-speed rail on existing railroad track.
Subject 2: Walkable Trails
Another method of reuse that would fit nicely alongside light-rail tracks- literally- is walkable trails. The creation of trails designed for walking, biking, and other recreation increases sustainability by providing a place for biodiversity, or greenery. These defunct railroad tracks can be converted into "green corridors" that promote healthy recreation while preserving the natural environment. Another bonus that would be of particular interest to cities is the business it would attract. The presence of trails in a city would not only attract citizens but also businesses looking to capitalize on the influx of these citizens. Trailside businesses would also form as a result, as dilapidated and unused buildings along the railroad corridor (such as train stations) could be renovated and repurposed.
Atlanta Beltline
The Atlanta Beltline is a great example of railroad tracks transformed into walkable trails. 33 miles of railroad in Atlanta have been repurposed into trails open to the public for walking and biking. In addition, Atlanta is on schedule to add a high-speed rail alongside parts of the beltline by 2027 and connect neighborhoods in the area via "improved pedestrian facilities": i.e. updated sidewalks and bike lanes. The trails, in addition to the light-rail tram system, will make a large impact on carbon emission in the city, and will also reduce the "heat island" effect by increasing the amount of greenery in the area, therefore reducing the amount of asphalt and concrete on the ground.
Cons of Adaptive Reuse of Railroads
There are a few roadblocks to face when considering these opportunities. The main problem is cost, as it is usually very expensive to transform miles and miles of railroad track into something usable. For instance, the Capital Trails Network in Washington D.C. is estimated to cost $1.1 billion to complete the remaining length of walkable trails. At 408 miles, that's $2.7 million per mile. As for the high-speed rail expansion to the Atlanta Beltline, it is expected to cost $1.2 billion. These costs are very steep for cities when the economic return isn't immediately noticeable. Another problem is the possibility of gentrification around the renovated tracks. Typically, neighborhoods along defunct railroad corridors are low-income, so the revitalization could cause displacement in these areas as the surrounding area becomes valuable for real estate.
Conclusion
Abandoned railroad corridors provide boundless potential: the revitalization of a stagnant town, the change to a cleaner method of transportation, and the preservation of biodiversity in a large city to name a few. While the adaptive reuse of abandoned railroad tracks seems obvious, it is important to consider the problems that could result from revitalizing the tracks and the areas around them. If cities handle these projects carefully, on a case-by-case basis, they could go far in reducing the carbon footprint of the area while also increasing the happiness and healthiness of its citizens.
Cited Sources
https://abandonedrails.com
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40864-020-00127-2
https://www.railstotrails.org/greatamericanrailtrail/
https://beltline.org/the-project/project-goals/project-goal-transit/
https://www.railstotrails.org/resource-library/resources/capital-trails-network-cost-estimate/
https://www.transit.dot.gov/sites/fta.dot.gov/files/docs/PublicTransportationsRoleInRespondingToClimateChange2010.pdf