Mini High Line Park for Deep Deuce?

[Just the facts]

nm

[skanaly]

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 (Maywood Lofts on the left) Same place, kinda, aerial over the High-line (Maywood Lofts on right now)
Looking from this section east (Clark building is to the back left)
Aerial View

[betts]

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.

[Snowman]

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.

[skanaly]

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?

[catch22]

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.

[skanaly]

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

[boitoirich]

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.

[OKCisOK4me]

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

[boitoirich]

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

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

[betts]

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.

[OKCisOK4me]

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

[Just the facts]

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.

[OKCisOK4me]

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.

[Urbanized]

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.

[OKCisOK4me]

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

[Just the facts]

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

[OKCisOK4me]

hmmmm....cool.

[Urbanized]

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

[OKCisOK4me]

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.