From: hall@vice.ICO.TEK.COM (Hal Lillywhite)
Newsgroups: rec.backcountry
Subject: Re: Abandoned places
Date: 8 Apr 92 14:45:30 GMT
Organization: Tektronix Inc., Beaverton, Or.

In article <1992Apr7.225512.5510@cheshire.oxy.edu> tamada@cheshire.oxy.edu (Michael K. Tamada) writes:

>     I can't resist putting in a plug for a non-profit organization called
>the Rails-to-Trails Confederacy (I think that's the name, although 
>it sounds like some Civil War group).  They encourage governments to
>buy up old railroad rights of way for use as walking paths, or biking
>or horse trails.

>     This turns out to be harder than it sounds, and not just because gov'ts.
>are short of cash.  One of the biggest problems is the adjoining landowners,
>who sometimes think that the rights of way should revert to them, and who
>have fought (often to the Supreme Court) against turning these railroads
>into trails.

Well, trying to look at this from the landowner's viewpoint I doubt
the value of the land is really that important.  Most of these
landowners are farmers and a railroad right of way is not the best
farmland - too many rocks etc. from the fill used to stablize the
roadbed.  The problem is that a trail brings in people, even "city
slickers!"  A certain percentage of these people are the type of
jerks who not only leave their trash behind but build fires in the
wrong places using the wrong fuel - they are likely to burn up the
farmer's crops or outbuildings.  Some think it is great fun to watch
Rover chase the livestock (or to chase and tease farm animals
themselves).  Many see nothing wrong with helping themselves to the
farmer's crops or otherwise just trashing the area.  Of course the
landowner generally has no chance to recover his losses, he's the
one who has to fix the fence, pay the vet bill for the injuried
livestock, and loose income from damaged crops.

Think of how you would feel if inner city street gangs were legally 
allowed to wander through your home or place of work and you may get 
an understanding of how the farmers view these trails.

I don't know any perfect solution to this problem.  Responsible
trail users will probably always pay the price for the rascals.
There are some things we can do, however which may make us a bit
more welcome:

1.  Report  violations to legal authorities.  Try to give enough 
information to allow for the arrest and conviction of the
offenders.  If we can weed out the bad apples we will be a bit 
more welcome.  This may also require that you be willing to 
return to the area to testify in court.

2.  Try to clean up not only your own mess but a bit more also.  If
you can you might even offer to help repair the fence or building
someone else damaged.

3.  Remember, your rights end with the trail right of way.  Stay off
adjacent property unless invited to enter it.  Keep dogs on the
right of way also, and do not allow them to bark at or otherwise
threaten livestock, even if the dog does not leave the right of way.

4.  If you enter adjacent property remember that the crops are the
owners living.  Stepping on them can ruin them or at least make them
harder to harvest.  Try to avoid walking through any crop.  Never
pick any crop except with specific permission.  (And you may be
surprised how often such permission is offered spontaneously if you
are a good guest - most farmers are proud of their produce and may
want you to taste it.)

5.  Generally be friendly and considerate toward landowners.  Be a
good neighbor, after all the problem is that the landowner thinks of
the trail as the worst possible neighbor, show him he is wrong.