My comment was really in the context of the upthread Brunswick to Augusta discussion that would go through at least the outskirts of a small city. In that context, if you decide to put a railroad back in safety and other concerns probably would preclude a rail trail in the same location--but maybe not. The issue with rail trails in very remote areas is probably more about low utilization than right of ways. (Which is why you see that this trail isn't actually planned in a big chunk of the West.) No one is building new rail routes in Wyoming in any case.