To the editor:

The old railroad problem will just not go away. It is a true dilemma. Darned if you do, darned if you don’t. However, there is an old Indian proverb that must not be forgotten: Never destroy infrastructure. With that in mind, I would like to add another tablespoon of confusion to the mix. A little more salt to the soup. Hang on. You haven’t heard this one yet! Just my drinking buddies have. Leave the tracks in place. No fuss, no mess, no cost. Simply cover them, both inside the rails and to the desired width outside. OK! Cover you say. Yes. With what? Let’s call it an all-purpose surface cover.

We already have surfaces that people ski on in summer. Skiers would love to have a ski surface they can control. In Finland, cross-country skiing has already made extensive moves in the area of year-round skiing. Figure-skating folks are using a surface that is better than ice for judging some competitions.

OK, Smarty Pants. What about sensitive areas, like wetlands. Well, this “engineer” would use removable panels that would lock together and be able to be handled easily by men, not machines, unless they are mounted on a frame that could run on the tracks.

Now, Mr. Pants, we’ve got this far! What about cost? Well, let’s use the money that has already been appropriated for removal. For the right idea there will be plenty of money available. And Sir, I’m sorry, I didn’t get your name. I would like to point out this will take a lot of engineering, right? Yes, that is correct. In today’s world, with all the building materials available and all the engineering skills we have, this is going to be a short board of directors meeting. I’ll keep my Duluth super-dry, super-tight boxers on, though, just in case.

And Mr. Mark. Mr. Question Mark. You may ask when all this hassling ends and the final decision is made. What then, I ask you? My answer! Call Mr. Trump. He will know.

Joe Pete Wilson

A ne’er do well citizen

Saranac Lake