Dr Zarkoff Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Installing a bike trail along side an active RR of
> any kind is a very POOR idea. The FRA has
> developed strict regulations on how the two must
> be separated and how far apart (by what are
> essentially extremely tall and ugly looking
> fences).
>

If you were truly "anti-stupid," you wouldn't make such a statement. There are trails along commuter rail, freight rail and tourist railroads all over the country. Among these are:

Duluth Lakewalk along the North Shore Scenic Railroad, Duluth, MN
Green Bay Trail along Metra's UP-North Line, Chicago north suburbs
Lehigh Gorge Trail along Reading & Northern and Norfolk Southern in Carbon & Luzerne Counties, PA
Mason Trail along BNSF in Fort Collins, CO
Cedar Lake Trail along BNSF in Minneapolis
Kenilworth Trail along Twin Cities & Western in Minneapolis
Great Allegheny Passage along Western Maryland Scenic Railroad from Cumberland to Frostburg
Great Allegheny Passage along CSX and NS in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Three Rivers Heritage Trail along CSX in Pittsburgh

As regular user of the Three Rivers Heritage Trail (much more often as a pedestrian than a cyclist), I feel the rails with trails arrangement works quite well. In the 10+ years the trail has been in place, I have not heard of any safety problems associated with the trail users. The fence separating the trail from the railroad is a non-issue.

By the way, rails with trails provide new railfan opportunities. In particular, the Great Allegheny Passage has opened up many new railfan and industrial photography vantage points southeast of Pittsburgh.