Don’t cast aside the rail users

Letters Opinion

Monday, May 16th, 2011 | Posted by Letters to the Editor

EDITOR: I am writing this in hopes that someone can help us “Save the Rails.” The “Friends of the El Dorado Trail,” along with four of the five El Dorado County supervisors, wants to “section” the Sacramento/Placerville Rail Corridor into thee sections.

One for bicycles, one for the El Dorado County Museum and one for trains.

However, they are losing site of four factors:

This is a very historical railroad corridor, having been the very first railroad west of the Missouri River (it was started 10 years prior to the Union Pacific, in 1852). It was designed to be the first transcontinental railroad in the world (via Carson City, Nev.). If the poorly financed owners had not gotten their chief engineer/surveyor (Thomas Judah) torqued, it may have happened.

There is from 60 to 120 feet of railroad right of way that is a part of the corridor.

If they tear out the rails (to save money), for the bicycle trail, then all of us whoare presently using the rails will be cast aside.

That includes all of us handicapped persons who are now using the rails; we will be unable to enjoy the same view the bicyclists/hikers/equestrian riders can. It is virtually impossible for the average handicapped person to walk, or wheel a wheelchair for the 17 miles that they want to take away from us.

We need your assistance in seeing to it that this unfair action does not remove a very special place for us handicapped to also enjoy.

BOB SNYDER

Placerville