The conversion of an elevated railroad track to High Line park in Manhattan has been discussed on numerous threads here, including the possibility of doing something similar on the old I-40.

How about using the abandoned tressle near the Clark Building for a mini-version of this?

It could tie into the small park where Oklahoma dead-ends in Deep Deuce and could be a very cool urban spot, with great views.

The people that renovated the Clark might not be thrilled but does anyone know other reasons this wouldn't work?

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/okchighline.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1d/High_Line_20th_Street_looking_downtown.jpg/800px-High_Line_20th_Street_looking_downtown.jpg

I can see this working marvelously. Unfortunately, I can also see the railroad playing obstructionist... I really love the idea though.

Urban Pioneer may tell us that this rail ROW is needed for future transit plans.

Urban Pioneer may tell us that this rail ROW is needed for future transit plans.

it 100% will be .. what will happen sooner rather than later is a south leg coming off that line next to the hightower building connecting to the sante fe station that will be used for the NE line and the future Midwest city line

Yes...this is the line that goes to Tinker and the Adventure District. No Highline Park for this trestle.

interesting. The way it is angled though, doesn't it need a south "bend" as well? Or do they just go past it and back up if they are coming from the south?

right that is what i was trying to say ... it will need a south bend the maps 3 street car/transit consultant is going to look at what land would be required to make that happen

This could be a good placeholder for a few decades while we're waiting for HSR

This could be a good placeholder for a few decades while we're waiting for HSR

this will be used long before HSR this will be used for our regional rail .. that i would bet we have at least a start in the next 10 years

Well that will utilize the same track as the adventure line which must be stalled??? I have no idea where that stands.

But I'm afraid our shot at a mini High Line has already been demolished...

It's still used occasionally as a siding.

All this time I assumed it was that E/W line that goes just north of Shields that would serve the Adventure District.

The line I believe you're referring to (behind Union Station) ties into the same yard and gains the same access, bit that line has no direct access to the Santa Fe station--which this one does. The only other line that Shields crosses over is south of the river, which goes over the river via the BNSF bridge and then north of Pull-A-Part before crossing back over the river to its south bank again. That line crisscrosses the UP line further east but would only allow access to Tinker.

Yes sir! I always enjoy dishing out rail information :-)

Urban Pioneer may tell us that this rail ROW is needed for future transit plans.

It is needed. At least the location itself will be needed should there be trains going directly from Tinker to Edmond in the future that do not need to go through the transit hub. And yes a southbound ramp is needed even more so as well to connect that alignment with the Santa-Fe Intermodal Transit Hub.

BUT... You could do a High Line parallel to the tracks and effectively connect Santa-Fe Station to Deep Deuce through a very effective pedestrian corridor. I'd say there is a REAL opportunity there to create a major "pedestrian way" at Oklahoma Avenue that parallels the ramp and has a cantilevered public deck abutting the Eastern wall of the N/S BNSF tracks. With a effective fence/glass wall/landscape barrier separating people from the tracks that could be a very useful connection to Santa-Fe Station, Bricktown, and even ultimately the river trails.

Right now MAPS 3 monies are being expended to study this alignment in order to properly approach Union Pacific about acquisition. So its not out of the question ultimately. If there was enough citizen support for it, it could easily be financed through MAPS 4 or something like that.

Just sent Pete a image of the "Phase 3" complete build out of the system in this area. Interestingly, while I stated above the existing trestle was needed, it is not clearly reflected that way on the study image itself and there is very little verbiage about it via a search of my computer on those issues. So maybe it isn't "mission critical".

Will look into it more. I've walked up there many times and taken pictures. Will try to dig some up.

Here's the image UP referenced.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/highline2.jpg

I always assumed that trestle - or at least that path - would be part of a wye connecting the north - south line to the Adventure/Tinker lines. It looks like there is a path between a couple buildings for the south leg over the parking lot now.

I'm assuming the four green Astrix looking things (three on the west side of the tracks and one on the east side) are not palm trees, so if that is true then what do they represent? Thanks. That looks amazing! If you were to have a hot Edmond/Tinker connection, then the trestle would be of value.

I believe those are pedestrian access points for the hub.

dup

I believe those are pedestrian access points for the hub.

ah ha!

Why is there a near constant movement in OKC to separate people on multiple horizontal planes? Why can't people simply use the same horizontal plane that businesses and other people are on? Getting a pedestrian from point A to point B as fast as possible by elevating them above the realm of economic activity is no better than getting a car from point A to point B by removing it from the realm of economic activity. We need pedestrain freeways like we need a hole in the head. I mean, I totally understand why a traffic engineer would suggest something like that, but why would anyone else? Here is this great urban environment with social interaction, ecomomic life, smart design, etc... but then move the pedestrians 20 feet above it.

what are you talking about??

what are you talking about??

He means the tunnels under the city. We don't have enough pedestrian traffic downtown right now. There aren't enough people milling about to create the "downtown feel" that other cities have. Part of the reason is because we have an entire second set of streets, effectively, running underground that people take so they don't have to go outside. He is irritated that now we are proposing a second walkway that will have pedestrians walking above the street as well.

I'm talking about the notion of creating an elevated walkway between Deep Deuce and the Santa Fe hub that parallels the railroad tracks. This is also related to skywalks and the Conncourse.

Thanks hoyasooner - that is it exactly.

I'm talking about the notion of creating an elevated walkway between Deep Deuce and the Santa Fe hub that parallels the railroad tracks. This is also related to skywalks and the Conncourse.

Thanks hoyasooner - that is it exactly.

People don't take the High Line in NYC as a faster or more convenient walkway. It is a landscaped get-a-way from the crowded streets which has great views and is somewhat above the noise of the street level. It is like a park, not an expressway. It is not like the tunnel in any way. People go up to the High Line and sit on the benches, mosey along, and meet others. All life doesn't have to happen in front of a drug store or mini-mart. If your argument is that we have too many places for that activity now, then perhaps. But you can't just elevate parks and get the same views.

nm

The idea of this makes me a little giddy...yes, giddy. I've thought for a long time how much cooler the Deep Deuce district would be with something like this. The only thing that I think would make it better would be an actual trail around Deep Deuce. I went up the tracks one day, taking pictures, and looking at what it could turn in to. The views first off are amazing! And the accessibility to the actual railroad is easy to get to.

When I walked it, it was a short walk. I started to visualize more of a trail that goes throughout Deep Deuce itself. The "High-line" part of it would only really go from the Maywood Apartments, to the Clark Building. Once the railroad gets to the ground it would turn into a trail with trees, benches, and gardens (Approx .25 miles from the Clark to the Hill complex). The only difference from the High-line and the trail would be that the High-line is about 15 feet up in the air.

So far, I can't find a way to connect the end near the Hill and Maywood Apartments, which is an issue if something like this ever started to happen. I worked up a little rendering on a part of it I though would be cool. I know this High-line thing is just an idea, but how will know if someone ever wants to take it seriously? I know Lindsey is the president of Deep Deuce (Forgive me Lindsey I do not know your last name), but what roll would she have in this? Just wondering who people could start with. I would really like to see this project get under the proposed category instead of the "idea" one.

Looking from this section south 3322 (Maywood Lofts on the left) 3321 Same place, kinda, aerial over the High-line (Maywood Lofts on right now) 3326
Looking from this section east3324 (Clark building is to the back left) 3323
Aerial View 3325

I'm quite sure that's not going to be an option, as I believe people are pretty serious about the adventure line, and that elevated portion there is part of that system. Don't mean to burst your bubble, but I seriously doubt it will happen.

I'm quite sure that's not going to be an option, as I believe people are pretty serious about the adventure line, and that elevated portion there is part of that system. Don't mean to burst your bubble, but I seriously doubt it will happen.

Yea, unless it was just planned to be temporary, that entire section near deep deuce and space to build a turn for northbound trains to easily turn east off onto it were considered important to protect for a future commuter rail system. Plus didn't Union Pacific just finish the 30 year lease/purchase agreement on that with the state, so it would have to be purchased back to make it a park temporarily.

I just see an abandoned railway and think hey, that could actually be something amazing for. I know if I lived in Deep Deuce I'd be jumping over backwards to try to make this happen.

I'm quite sure that's not going to be an option, as I believe people are pretty serious about the adventure line, and that elevated portion there is part of that system. Don't mean to burst your bubble, but I seriously doubt it will happen.
What do you mean by adventure line?

I just see an abandoned railway and think hey, that could actually be something amazing for. I know if I lived in Deep Deuce I'd be jumping over backwards to try to make this happen.

What do you mean by adventure line?

Rail to the zoo/adventure district.

I was told by many it was not in use, I guess that changes everything huh?

I'm assuming the four green Astrix looking things (three on the west side of the tracks and one on the east side) are not palm trees, so if that is true then what do they represent? Thanks. That looks amazing! If you were to have a hot Edmond/Tinker connection, then the trestle would be of value.

Those look like access points. The far west point would allow access from the streetcar, buses, and possibly people being dropped off. The other three points would allow pedestrian access. The south asterix appears to be allow access to those utilizing the parking garage, whichever location is chosen for it.

Just because the line is not in current use doesn't mean we can just transform it into a park. Union Pacific bought it back in case they get trackage rights on BNSFs line to a business along their route. In all honesty, as long as they give OKC commuter rights to the line, they will carry most of the maintenance that comes along with it, therefore being less costly to OKC.


Those look like access points. The far west point would allow access from the streetcar, buses, and possibly people being dropped off. The other three points would allow pedestrian access. The south asterix appears to be allow access to those utilizing the parking garage, whichever location is chosen for it.

Yes, someone else explained that a few posts after my original post last year, but thank you again :wink:

[Yes, someone else explained that a few posts after my original post last year, but thank you again :wink:[/QUOTE]

That's what I get for being new here, getting excited, and forgetting to look at time stamps.

A better project might be to look at the abandoned railroad bridge across the Oklahoma River. It could be used as park/pedestrian bridge perhaps.

I'm pretty sure we've already had discussions about that bridge on another thread. :)

Somewhere I read a story about the number of cities that lament converting abandoned rail lines into trails, now I can't find it. Many of them now want to turn them back into passenger rail corridors but are meeting heavy resistance. The Pinellas Trail was one such project that covert 37 miles of rail row to a bike path. Now they need the right of way to put rail back in Pinellas County (Florida). It's too bad rail and bike have to fight over the same little sliver of space.

Are commuter trainsets any heavier than freight cars and engines of yesteryear? The only reason I'm asking is because I'm wondering if the wooden trestle portion of this UP line would be able to handle the weight distribution of today's standard. I can't honestly remember the last time a freight of any kind rolled across this connection.

That line was used with regularity during the nineties and even into the past decade, I believe. I know it was used by cars that were servicing WH Stewart, and also Amtrack was using it for turnarounds.

When did Amtrak use it for turnarounds? Not as of late. It has been disconnected from the BNSF main for quite some time.

When the Heartland Flyer first started service they parked on it at night.

hmmmm....cool.

That's what I was talking about. Continued into the early-mid 00s.

I wish there was a picture or a video of that action....somewhere. Not because I don't believe you, but because I enjoy watching railroad operations.