Letter: Don’t pull up the tracks — reconnect rail line

Posted 5/13/24

To the editor:

I read with amusement the glee to pull up abandoned rail tracks in Tiverton to be replaced with a bike path to improve access to the Fall River MBTA station.  

It truly …

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Letter: Don’t pull up the tracks — reconnect rail line

Posted

To the editor:

I read with amusement the glee to pull up abandoned rail tracks in Tiverton to be replaced with a bike path to improve access to the Fall River MBTA station. 

It truly is NIMBY. Let’s deconstruct this regionally important right of away for the benefit of those few who abut it. So when gasoline hits $8 a gallon and the grid lacks capacity to recharge all the EVs, will these same advocates give up their path so the larger community can put the rails back to reconnect Aquidneck Island rail to mainland rail? 

If you support the most efficient modes of transportation, you would never pull up tracks. My recollection is rail being No. 2, only bested by barges on water. If we ever come to our senses we will rebuild the rail network. Once passenger service begins on the Fall River-to-Boston line, I hope it will spark interest to reconnect Aquidneck Island. 

Scott Boyd 

20 Kensington Ave.

Portsmouth

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A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.