Quote:
Originally Posted by fatlazyless
Well, it doesn't indicate the railroad track and the snowmobile trail are one and the same, that they co-exist, on the map shown above in your post #4. There's no nothing about the railroad tracks on that map.
If a newbie snowmobiler from Massachusetts drove up to Meredith with a brand new $13,000 Arctic Cat and hit the local snowmobile trails, he could be a wee bit surprised when he sees he needs to be driving his sled with 44" wide runners up front, between two railroad rails with an inside width of 48.5".
Most snowmobiles can go 50-mph and faster, but with such a tight fit, 44" within 48.5" ...... you must have to putt putt along at a very slow speed or risk tearing up the sled.
This is an unusual situation ..... am trying to think of an analogy ..... like snowmobiling inside a straight jacket or something ..... maybe like riding a bicycle on a bike lane in down town Manhattan ..... except without the taxi cabs ...... just the two steel rails ..... and the uneven railroad ties, underneath.
...... kaboomba ..... booomba ..... booomba .... booom ...... is a rough ride and no wonder there's never anyone riding the trail/tracks as seen from Scenic Drive north of Weirs Beach ..... using the railroad track trail is probably just done one time, and then never again.
To identify which trails on your internet map have a co-exist with railroad tracks and snowmobile trail, couldn't you superimpose a railroad track on top of the color coded trail line ........ like, why not ....... is simple and shows what is what.
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I guarantee you that if the rail beds have that little snow they would be CLOSED and marked as such. The groomers will not touch those rail beds if there is not enough snow to sufficiently bury those rails. Groomers and drags are far more expensive than a 13K sled and the clubs have an obligation and take it seriously to not be out grooming or marking areas of trail open that do not meet minimum coverage requirements as most of the trail system traverses private property.
Anyone who is riding 50+ miles an hour between a set of exposed rails with minimal snow coverage has a death wish and again, if you are THAT stupid I hope you die. It is generally assumed that anyone who is riding a sled is a "grown up" and as such has the cognitive ability to ascertain what is safe operation and what isn't based on the conditions. Those that can't figure it out get hurt or worse, killed.
Rail beds are no more dangerous than any trail in the woods where at ANY time a hazard can appear without warning. The F&G, NHSA and snowmobile clubs all over emphasize ride responsibly and in control at ALL times.