Abandoned Railroads Of America

[SCL1306]

The track @ 1:30 is just east of Whiteville, NC and belongs to Carolina Southern. The end of track is a 1/8 ahead. From there the track once continued on to Leland, NC where the tracks pick back up and continue into Davis Yard as CSX. Though the tracks were pulled in 1977 you can still make out a lot of the old ROW between Hallsboro and Leland.

[StickmanStudoes]

I like railroads! But I don't like the abandoned ones. But I heard in the future, they will be use more offten than today.

[conrailforever1999]

great video

[whatihave2do]

I like that they left some of the signals and signs on some on the abandoned lines. It's rare to find tracks still in place must less them.

[judahrice]

@Train2590

There is one where i live in Austin Texas

[pawpawnorth]

1. Can you send me this audio

2.Are any tracks being redeveloped? cause were gonna need em later

[TrainGuy18]

I dont hav the audio file, Its on the audio swap on utbe, as far as the tracks go a few have become lite rail

[WPRR1]

@pawpawnorth I think one of them showed the Northwestern Pacific. It is going to start light rail by mid-July, 2011.

[sclm046]

At 1:53; "10 Miles Of Track, Laid In One Day...".  I believe this record may still exist to this day. This occurred just west of Promontory, UT, accomplished by the Central Pacific.

[thezmanization]

I don't know why but, I truly enjoy walking along these abandoned railroad tracts if I find them. Thank's for the show.

[LossAngeles]

These is just something fascinating and sad about these old lines.

[paintballsniper5]

notice a feeling of sadness that comes off abandoned railroad tracks

[TrainGuy18]

do you remeber what city it was in? I do find this intresting.

[TrainGuy18]

can you tell me which video?

[TrainGuy18]

those are rare because in a downtown of a huge city the tend to redevelope land that isnt used. But in smaller towns your chances are higher! i can think of about 6 towns that i will be visiting this summer that have some remains of their trolley network

[smncutler414]

whatever you do, DON"T let the rails-to-trails people get their lotion-covered little hands on it. they'll sit there and watch it all BURN as they drink their Slimfast and eat their granola bars.

[TrainGuy18]

amen

[Rifou812]

@TrainGuy18

Better them then the farmers - they put fences up and harass you for trespassing if you want to see the old train lines - but I don't argue with letting anyone get their greasy hands on it overall

[likitty20]

@TrainGuy18 are you able to walk inside abandoned passenger cars? can you?

[TrainGuy18]

you can if you want too. But there is difference between storage and abandoned. I wouldnt tamper with storage.

[lotwyo]

Railroads operate under different scales and logistic paradigms. Some small branches cannot attract any freight. You need volume, and for short distances the loading/unloading process takes too much time. We live in a just-in-time society, industries do not stockpiles materials for a month as they did before, but usually only for a few days. If you are hauling fresh frozen good for California to Ohio, you need them shipped ASAP, can't wait a whole week to fill 10 wagons.

[charlieb640]

@lotwyo Actually frozen food from California to Ohio is a big move by rail. The cars are loaded in consolidated warehouses designed to do just that.

Shortline railroads are thriving in North America running small branch lines and attracting new freight to the rails.

However, with that said much of what you have written is generally accurate

[BigUnitBeef]

HEY, OBAMA! HEREYOU GO! REBUILD OUR INFRASTRUCTURE!

[partspoor]

Again, these would all make perfect Rails-to-Trails projects if the lines get scrapped. Even if they are a short one mile spur! And BTW, I would like to have some of them free signals you have! :)

[DouglasP201]

Would someone buy the abandoned railroad if they had the money?

[TrainGuy18]

Yes its happened lots of times. Thats how alot of Small Railroads got started

[viewstuff36]

just think of all the trucks that could be taken off the road today if all of these lines were utilized! It's mind boggling!

[TrainGuy18]

Most are branch lines but a few lines had no buisness being put out of service

[Boss302fan]

@viewstuff36 Probably few or no trucks would be off the road. The fact remains that the lines would be used if the freight was still there. But there wasn't enough freight moving to justify the expense of keeping these lines going. That's why they were abandoned.

[pianomanmaestro]

Whats sad is you have all these branches of RR Tracks that just sit there! in some cases you have short lines that use them! like there is a tone of Abandon Rock Island RR Tracks that are not in use where i live they just took them all up or cut out section of them! Why dont they make good use of them!

[TrainGuy18]

Thats what we all think! but I got to know alot of the Railroads. Thats why i get alot of freee old signals from the railroads. and they need the scrap money on these ild spurs and lines. If they dont metter a certain car load # then they cut the line from service

[Boss302fan]

@pianomanmaestro Who is "they". How does "they" make use of them? If there was a way to run them profitably "they" probably would. But the fact remains is that when customers no longer support a line....it becomes unused.

What it boils down to is that railroads are a business. ANd running them at a loss does not make sense.

[southparkline1]

Wheres the photo at 0:42?

[TrainGuy18]

Georgia

[FreightBrute]

controversial

[salemcripple]

Reminds me of a park my Mom use to take me to when i was kid. Had abandoned tracks running through it. And a tressel that went across the small river in the park. All that was left of the tressel was the columns though. Me being the train nut that i am would think how cool it would have been if the trains still ran through there.

[debal73]

What is the name of the midi file you used for the background music? Catchy little tune. Works great with the video. Nice job.

[TrainGuy18]

it was on audio swap on utube/ but its changed so much I cant remeber what it was called. use to say under the description but its not there anymore. I will tell you if find out

[Conrail6718]

its sad to see those rails just sitting there waiting for a train that will never come.

[WinchesterRanger]

There's just something really sad about that video. Kind of like seeing an old faithful friend that has been abandoned.

[realgoodbread]

Nice but sad video.

[vettebecker]

Sad to see.

[irishany]

i like it how the most importanmt clue to finding abandoned railroads are right-of-ways

[TrainGuy18]

that and structures like stations, Bridges, and Tunnels

[irishany]

@TrainGuy18 that too,but right of ways are cooler in my opinion

[irishany]

@TrainGuy18 the only bridge i know that used tyo be part of ther 9th ave el in manhattan was the Macobs Dam Bridge.

[TrainGuy18]

yeah

[thefloatingcheese2]

the first ones r 4 wheeler trails now.

[TrainGuy18]

its the North Bend Rail Trail In West Virginia

[VIAF40PH]

I'm suprised that the signals are still by the abandoned right of way. Someone will steal them eventually for sure.

[TrainGuy18]

haha no way ths things way a ton!

actually athe ones at 0:27 were just sold to a NRHS chapter and they need a crain to hoist them out if there

[johnboyd7]

this saddens me verry much:(

[VideoCenter98]

sad to see tracks that made history just pulled up and not turned into a landmark

The Goverment Should Stop Truck Transportation

More Trains

[fubar250]

I couldn't agree more.

[rsynth75]

As a trucker/railfan I think it has more to with the companies themselves. The merger era resulted in more abandoned lines by far. I would like to see the government fund rail maintainence, but a lot of times it's just more economical to ship by truck. Post 1980, the railroads started abandoning lines that in the long run should have kept...even shutting down routes that had business or was a quicker through route, look at Saluda.

[TrainGuy18]

I must disagree. Tho economical not enviromentally freindly and that is what this generation is having a fit over. and it creates more traffic. Thanks for the input tho

[RCKTBOY7]

There are some abandoned tracks near Cross City, Fla; they built a sidewalk on the tie bed.

[TrainmasterCurt]

In the future there will be a ressurection of Railways, they will be both the past and future, and trucking will dwindle

[TrainGuy18]

The problem is some Lines are gone for ever :(

[dasmikey1964]

There are lots of abandoned tracks in Illinois, and a good one in Eudora, Arkansas...Just west of Mattoon, IL on rt. 16 there is a rail-bridge for the old NYC which carries two dates: 1921 over 1894.

That would be an awesome shot right there...

[Master784]

There are some abandoned lines in Montcalm county, Michigan if you'd like to take a look at them

[Boss302fan]

Nice shots. Did I recognize Cave Springs south of Rome, GA?

[TrainGuy18]

thanks.