In regards to the Remsen-Lake Placid Travel Corridor, the state’s position is clear: The rail corridor remains important to New York’s infrastructure. From DOT Regional Director Shamma: “In terms of funding, NYSDOT remains committed to progressing capital improvements that protect the public’s investment in the corridor infrastructure.”

The next step that demands our attention is not endless debate over a moot point but what needs to be done to rehabilitate the railway. While some among us are having difficulty envisioning a future for the corridor, rail is seeing a renaissance in other parts of the world, most notably in emerging global economic powers such as China, that are installing rail as fast as possible.

ANCA Executive Director Kate Fish has this guest commentary in the Adirondack Daily Enterprise:

http://www.adirondackdailyenterprise.com/page/content.detail/id/526285/Railroad-remains-important.html?nav=5041

And this letter to the editor, also from Kate Fish: http://adirondackdailyenterprise.com/page/content.detail/id/526413/Rails-with-trails-would-be-better-here.html?nav=5005

More info:

An ANCA-produced fact sheet on the benefits of rails with trails: http://www.adirondack.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/rail_factsheet.pdf

FAQs from the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy: http://www.railstotrails.org/ourWork/trailBasics/FAQs.html

A letter from the State Historic Preservation regarding the RR and its National Register status: http://www.adirondack.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Adirondack-RR-letter.pdf

Related news:

Next Stop Tupper Lake to take on fundraising: http://www.adirondack.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Next-Stop-Tupper-Lake-Free-Press.pdf, and reported in the Adirondack Daily Enterprise: http://adirondackdailyenterprise.com/page/content.detail/id/526622/Tupper-Lake-rail-group-picks-up-pace.html?nav=5008

Press Republican coverage: http://pressrepublican.com/0100_news/x151681172/Olympic-rail-trail-draws-opposition

Kate Fish’s “In my Opinion” piece in the Press Republican: http://pressrepublican.com/0204_in_my_opinion/x1753727560/In-My-Opinion-Rail-important-to-state-infrastructure

Former North Elba Councilman Chuck Damp Advocates for Railside Trail: http://www.adirondackdailyenterprise.com/page/content.detail/id/526418/Railside-trail-needs-to-be-finished.html?nav=5041

Letter to the Editor supporting the railside project: http://www.adirondackdailyenterprise.com/page/content.detail/id/526377/Rail-removal-group-isn-t-being-realistic.html?nav=5005

Franklin County Legislator Paul Maroun (soon to be mayor of Tupper Lake) makes a case for extending the trail to Tupper Lake:
http://adirondackdailyenterprise.com/page/content.detail/id/526309/Maroun-floats-side-by-side-rail-trail-plan.html?nav=5008