'Scrap' Replaced Track

[dangie]

This was exactly the point of my original post. Throughout the country the milage of abandond rail if laid end to end must be in the thousands. Financially there obviously isn't a column for it on the balance sheet. Or is the cost of collecting it up greater than the worth of the metal?

 

[Joseph_Locke]

Or is the cost of collecting it up greater than the worth of the metal?

It can often be, but sometimes the metal markets swing upwards and it becomes viable to collect it. However, if it isn't in the way, affecting performance or a safety risk, why spend money shifting it?

 

[HSTEd]

I imagine it also distracts metal thieves from live signalling cables.

 

[Bald Rick]

I imagine it also distracts metal thieves from live signalling cables.

Not at all, but it does help trip them up.

 

[yorksrob]

I believe that some routes/lines may have been mothballed at some stage rather than closed.