Something to consider: if a park is not built, the likely long term alternative is not either a train or continued abandonment. The land is too valuable in a City with a growing population. There are other competing needs. Some parts of the ROW have already been leased, and in the event of another financial crisis, leasing or selling parts of the ROW will be very appealing, forever foreclosing alternate public uses of this land. Wind Turbines is one alternative use. The ROW runs through an escarpment and is right in the path of winds flowing between the Atlantic to the interior. Anyone who lives here can tell you steady winds are common in this area. Since there is no funding or plans for a train, the best solution is to capitalize on NYC's already stated goals of expanding park and bicycle infrastructure. Not only would this make the land accessible to the public now, but it would effectively railbank the ROW should funding and ridership ever justify such a project.
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