Abandoned Rail lines on Google Maps

[kaw4014]

I've been inspired by Google Maps Railfanning to make this thread for abandoned rail lines anywhere on Google Maps.

This works just like GMR, but just with abandoned lines, signals, stations, towers, relay boxes, and stuff of the sort. RAIL TRAILS DON'T COUNT!!

And maybe someone might even know a thing or two about the defunct line.

So, I'll kick it off with this line near me;
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9728...7i16384!8i8192
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https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9643...7i16384!8i8192

This line splits away from a line owned by Connecticut Southern that serves an industry near Bradley Airport.
The split:
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9582.../data=!3m1!1e3

[aryadwi_ef641030]

If the rule says "rail trails are not counted", yes actually my country (Indonesia) does have lots of abandoned lines that are still intact as of 2022 (though some sections had their rails either buried or lifted to make way for construction of road etc, while the land itself is still owned by Indonesian Railways):

1. Ciwidey Line (West Java province, closed in 1982)

a. https://goo.gl/maps/ZPcqYmi5mhFDPZSK8

This abandoned bridge is located not far from Soreang (southern part of Bandung regency), where this line starts to climb mountainous area before eventually reaching Ciwidey (located at the same regency but further south). This bridge is now reused by local people for crossing deep river valley.

b. https://goo.gl/maps/znCaXrG5f3Tfs8Mf9

The second bridge after leaving Soreang, this one is much longer due to wider gap of the valley, and it was built as a mixture of truss bridge and viaduct.

c. https://goo.gl/maps/MNPRN4iw4pqbcxbk6

Abandoned grade crossing near Trans Studio Mall Bandung, located just before the Cibangkong station. Actually this station merely functions as a signal stop for handling trains carrying tanks to and from the nearby 4th Cavalry Company of Indonesian Army.

2. Labuan Line (Banten province, closed in 1984)

a. https://goo.gl/maps/ZsMMqfAKAB6NFCWA8

This streetview photograph was taken right on the location where local road crosses Labuan Line just to the west of Pandeglang station.

b. https://goo.gl/maps/Rv6E9vnKYRkMDozi8

While this photograph was taken somewhere after leaving Pandeglang station, it is certain that the rails are still intact.

3. Panarukan Line (East Java province, officially closed on December 20th, 2004)

a. https://goo.gl/maps/yXkAqG9J7SkqRSkW7

This old Krian-type roundel signal was formerly used as upward (Kalisat-bound) home signal of Tamanan station, but now becoming a "decoration" in front of someone's house (of course the house itself occupies part of the right-of-way).

b. https://goo.gl/maps/6TEQfr885Lk3Cu8E6

The abandoned Grujugan station, even the rails are still intact.

c. https://goo.gl/maps/yii5HsELsGLi6MA19

Abandoned small hut previously used by station staffs in charge for operating switch lever on the western end of Bonosare station (stations equipped with Krian-type roundel signals were still equipped with manually-operated switch levers right until its demise, although some of them were later upgraded with central-controlled switch machines, either it could be mechanical or electric).

4. Sawahlunto Mainline (West Sumatra province, section past Kayutanam to Padangpanjang was closed in 2009 following earthquake and landslide, later followed by Padangpanjang to Sawahlunto in 2014 due to aging infrastructure and lack of spare parts for repairing the Swiss-built BB204 series diesel-electric locomotives)

a. https://goo.gl/maps/uJDrZstWD6mmcqSf7

The abandoned home signal of Padangpanjang station, with the signals are those built using technology developed by Siemens & Halske. The Riggenbach rack rails are also still intact there (the section from Kayutanam to Batutabal is using Riggenbach rack rails due to very steep gradients).

b. https://goo.gl/maps/w68QhjVzt9SGT6GG7

Abandoned grade crossing somewhere in the mountainous part of Solok Regency. The crossing guardman's hut located right in front of rail track was built using the adaptation of famous "Rumah Gadang" architecture as part of cultural respect to the local Minangkabau people.

c. https://goo.gl/maps/Q4azM6s1DHy5RDds7

The railway museum of Sawahlunto, which occupies the site of Sawahlunto station (closed as an ordinary station in 2004, reopened as museum on December 17th, 2005).

Cheers,

Arya.

[kaw4014]

Wow. For how small some of those Indonesian islands are, they sure can pack in the trains!

Here's another gone line near me:

I believe this is the end of the line for whatever short line is stationed here, if it's even still running. This is full of old, decrepit engines. I'm also gonna put this in GMR.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.8974...7i16384!8i8192
Another shot
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.8970...7i16384!8i8192
One more shot
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.8971...7i13312!8i6656

This line continues for a while, passing many old grade crossings until it reaches this final grade crossing on the still-intact line (note the old relay box and crane);
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.0137...7i13312!8i6656

The rails terminate here:
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.0344.../data=!3m1!1e3

This is where the line becomes a rail trail. Notice the patchwork on the road for when they cleared out the rails. Look to the left for the rail trail.
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.0413...7i16384!8i8192

The line keeps on as a RT until here: ....
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.0636.../data=!3m1!1e3

...and then continues as just an empty scar on the Earth until here were this bridge is still standing:
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.0983.../data=!3m1!1e3
Ground view:
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.1058...7i16384!8i8192

Then the roadbed hooks a left (look at the top right corner - the cemetery - then find Bay Street which is right alongside, and where the two meet at the bottom of the cemetary is where the roadbed is. From there look for the big curve)
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.1202.../data=!3m1!1e3

Then it looks like it used to link up to the Springfield line:
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.1137.../data=!3m1!1e3

[aryadwi_ef641030]

Wow. For how small some of those Indonesian islands are, they sure can pack in the trains!

Yeah, in the peak days there are 6000km of rail tracks even only in 2 islands (Java and Sumatra), but even after the closure of several branches (as well as main lines that were deemed too uneconomical to be operated for longer period) there are still around 4000km of rail tracks in operation.

Another from me, this time focused in Central Java and Yogyakarta:

1. https://goo.gl/maps/EBtd3ipTz5PXCqUF9

Abandoned home signal of Payaman station on Ambarawa Line (closed in 1976 due to decreased ridership and the collapse of Krasak River bridge triggered by eruption of Mount Merapi back in 1975). Part of the line between Tuntang and Bedono is still in operation as a tourist line, although it is isolated from mainlines due to being sandwiched by disused sections (Bedono - Yogyakarta and Tuntang - Kedungjati). Note that this home signal uses old rail as the pylon.

2. https://goo.gl/maps/6QZet93CiDkAuqoy6

This old girder bridge is part of the abandoned Purworejo branch line in Purworejo Regency, which was closed in 2010 due to decreased ridership and aging infrastructure. While the rails are still intact, part of the line near Kutoarjo station is currently used as a siding for storing old covered gondola cars previously used for transporting cements (they were retired due to aging structures and the unification of cement transportation by rail using container flatcars).

3. https://goo.gl/maps/vNBxHpQyppKWXUvT6

While this area is now becoming an ordinary part of Yogyakarta city, but actually rails of former Bantul Line are still intact (you could notice the presence of old rails right in front of the house). Actually this area is near the location where the former Pundong Line branches off Bantul Line from Ngabean station, where Pundong Line was forcibly closed and dismantled by the invading Japanese army sometimes in 1942 - 1943 for construction of Burma Railway (Nong Pla Duk - Thanbyuzayat), Sumatra Railway (Muaro - Pekanbaru, itself became the extension of Muaro Line) and Bayah Line (Saketi - Bayah). While the Pundong Line kept its standard gauge tracks when it was closed and dismantled, Bantul Line was regauged from standard gauge to cape gauge (1067mm) by Japanese and continues to operate until 1980s (and ironically the ownership of RoW itself does not belongs to Indonesian Railways, but the government of Yogyakarta City, Bantul Regency and PT. Madu Baru).

4. https://goo.gl/maps/rfEVFrdiRPkg4v2s8

This old rail is part of the abandoned Kudus station, with the station is still intact but had been used as a market for some periods before eventually moved to another place, and the area of this station was cleaned up by Indonesian Railways a few years ago.

5. https://goo.gl/maps/8Wm36DCAWrAHKLM88

Another abandoned rail line, but this time from partially disused rail line: this is the continuation of Wonogiri Line from Wonogiri station all the way to Baturetno station, where this section was closed and abandoned on May 1st, 1978 to make way for the construction of Gajah Mungkur Dam.

6. https://goo.gl/maps/jiU5JcPaftsWh2oR8

This abandoned rail line forms part of Wonosobo Line, and the location of this photograph is actually the site where the original section of Wonosobo Line heading to Maos station branches off from the ones to Purwokerto station. However, the section to Maos station was forcibly closed and dismantled by Japanese army for war usage (yeah, the same fate with Pundong Line). While the majority of Wonosobo Line was closed in 1978, short section between Purwokerto and Purwokerto Timur station was left in operation for transportation of fertilizer before eventually completely closed sometimes between 2005 - 2006.

[kaw4014]

Dam! I never even thought of a volcano ruining a line.

This abandoned line starts here. Look in a line directly east of the bridge in the center.
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.6587.../data=!3m1!1e3

It goes over a handful of bridges the most interesting of which I put here: (its the bottom one)
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.6671...7i16384!8i8192

At a grade crossing there is this magnificent signal bridge
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.6628...7i16384!8i8192

And this is where the line joins back up with the known world: (follow the yard track out until the vines get too long to use the track)-(for a length unknown to me, this track is used as a backup track for "Plywood Specialties", I think)
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.6652.../data=!3m1!1e3

Nearby, there is this abandoned bridge that I think just served as a cut over to the other side of Newark Bay:
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.6542.../data=!3m1!1e3
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https://www.google.com/maps/@40.6549.../data=!3m1!1e3
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https://www.google.com/maps/@40.6542...7i16384!8i8192
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https://www.google.com/maps/@40.6543.../data=!3m1!1e3

And lastly, this abandoned spur leading to this old industry:
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.5137.../data=!3m1!1e3
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https://www.google.com/maps/@36.5126...7i13312!8i6656
-
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.5067.../data=!3m1!1e3

[aryadwi_ef641030]

Dam! I never even thought of a volcano ruining a line.

Actually this "closure due to volcano ruining the line" phenomenon was occurred for only 2 times in Indonesia: the first was Ambarawa Line in 1976, the other one was Cikajang Line in 1983 (this line was closed primarily owing to the lack of operable steam locomotive and decreased ridership, but the eruption of Mount Galunggung in 1982 added damages to track infrastructure, and even volcanic ash released from the eruption contaminated water tanks for steam locomotives along the line).

Speaking Cikajang Line, the first half of this line stretching from Cibatu to Garut has been rebuilt and is ready to be reopened. But since it is still related to the abandoned lines, I would attach the comparison for the condition before rebuilding and after rebuilding:

1. Grade Crossing #5 near Pasirjengkol station

Before, March 2015: https://goo.gl/maps/5NxuWPEYNFjcvfB79

After, April 2021: https://goo.gl/maps/cd9CAuSHgfz6mqAU6

2. Ciwalen bridge (note that the original Krian-type roundel signal used from the opening of this line in 1899 is now preserved at its original location, side-by-side with the newly-installed Siemens & Halske semaphore signal)

Before, March 2015: https://goo.gl/maps/eb88Vg8jpAKP3FnB9

After, April 2021: https://goo.gl/maps/hXxSAAeRGRJ2D6rN6

-------------------

And this is the continuation of Cikajang Line after leaving Garut station:

1. The abandoned Cimanuk River bridge
https://goo.gl/maps/J1VySbYeFj6ux9Yx8

2. Kamojan station, now turned into a house and a badminton field
https://goo.gl/maps/H32cxMptbDmEFNtQ8

3. Home signal of Bayongbong station, now covered in rust but with the semaphore still showing its red color
https://goo.gl/maps/DSKYmnTzP2knQBHg6

4. Former grade crossing near Cidatar station, with the rails are partially intact but has been buried under the asphalt
https://goo.gl/maps/kwnuzNYG4tmSx6zP9

[JCitron]

The spur leading to Newark Bay used to connect to a freight ferry terminal and not a bridge.

That long abandoned line you were following was the CNJ mainline. That was abandoned in the 1960s as part of a rationalization plan to foolishly consolidate rail lines in the area. The line ran for quite a distance and connected to a mainline out near Phillipsburg and Easton. That end is still used for freight or was the last time I looked at the maps, but the eastern end near the yard is the only stub left that had trains stopping at the famous Elizabeth NJ double-level station with CNJ trains stopping below on their 4-track mainline and PRR trains stopping above on what is today the NEC.

There have been talks off and on about turning the old CNJ mainline into a light rail line, but that hasn't happened.

There are many other lines sadly in the area that have succumbed to NIMBYs and their rail to trails. The old NY&GWL line is to become a trail soon as well from what I read with many others around as well.

My area isn't much different with many early lines, meaning built ca. 1831-1840, being ripped up rather than kept in operation. Today, some areas have traffic so bad that it's scary and dangerous driving, yet the nearby bike trail has little if any bikers on it. At one time, those lines were busy commuter lines carrying passengers swiftly into Boston.

[JCitron]

This is the Bradford and Georgetown originally built in the early 1840s. The line is partially a bike trail today. The Georgetown branch as this was called when under the Boston and Maine control was never a big moneymaker for the railroad. The line did, however, connect to their Wakefield to Newburyport at Georgetown, MA.

The branch lasted until the hurricane of 1938 and was abandoned shortly afterwards in the 1940s due to washouts. A short, two-mile branch remained until the early 1980s to serve the long-gone Haverhill Paper Board, later Newark Paper. When I grew up there, the Bradford yard located to the left of the bridge over the Merrimack River once hosted a 5-day a week switching job with a switcher stationed there to handle the job. Today, that yard is a commuter rail parking lot and commuter rail storage yard with the passenger trains now stopping at extended platforms that run along the mainline.

https://goo.gl/maps/dQBMxntWKpz5sBD99

The Eastern Railroad, the City Railroad, and Newburyport Branch of the Boston and Maine (Wakefield Jct. to Newburyport).

https://goo.gl/maps/m6JcNQM9mY9ECFVS8

Looking at this aerial view, we see a complex junction. Coming in from the left is the ROW that once belonged to the Newburyport Branch of the Boston and Maine. This ran up from Wakefield Jct. (Near Greenwood just east of Wakefield) and ran straight as an arrow up to Newburyport. The line met the Bradford and Georgetown branch at Georgetown where there was a small yard. The line crossed the Essex Railroad - the Lawrence to Peabody, MA line at Danvers and the East Reading branch (Wakefield to Peabody).

This was once a busy line with passenger trains coming out of North Station and not taking the Eastern Division (Eastern Railroad) and also high wide loads and regular freights that bypassed Salem and the Salem tunnel. This line was abandoned in the mid-1950s when the now bankrupt B&M was being hacked by Patrick McGuiness. He was also president of the New Haven and was doing the same to that railroad. At one time, the Flying Yankee and even the Talgo train used use this branch to head up to Portland via Portsmouth.

The line coming up from the south is the Eastern Railroad, or Eastern Division of the B&M which ran from Boston to Portland via Portsmouth while serving Beverly, Lynn, Swampscott, Salem, Ipswich, and Newburyport with a branch serving Beverly Farms, Manchester-by-the-sea, Magnolia, Gloucester, and Rockport. With its nearly straight flat line, this line was a favorite for the fast express service to Portsmouth and Portland. This line was as old as the Boston and Maine and was a fierce competitor. Ultimately, the Eastern RR became part of the B&M in the 1880s much like the rest of the branches on the north side of Boston.

The line was abandoned to Salisbury from Newburyport in 1970 after the swing drawbridge got stuck in the open position. The northern side of the line, on the Salisbury side to Portsmouth remained active and was actually used to build the Seabrook Nuclear powerplant. The Amesbury branch also connected to the line at Salisbury and that line along with the portion from Salisbury to Hampton was abandoned in the early 1980s by Guilford. The remaining Hampton to Portsmouth was closed in 2015 also by Pan Am Railways (Guilford). The portion between Portsmouth and Portland was ripped up in the 1950s under the McGuiness "cost cutting" program, aka rip up and selloff that was instituted to put cash into his pocket. Today, the southern end to Newburyport is a busy commuter route including the Rockport branch. There have been ongoing studies on rebuilding the drawbridge, but like any discussions, this isn't likely to happen anytime soon. The Marblehead branch, coming from Salem to Marblehead, was also abandoned in the early 1960s much to the protests of the residents in the area.

Branching off to the right is a short branch line that served the docks along the Merrimack River. This was once the City Railroad that was controlled by the city of Newburyport. Eventually, the line was owned by the B&M and abandoned by Guilford in the early 1980s. I remember seeing a bit of freight on this line when I was a kid. The line ran through a short tunnel and made a tight turn on to the docks along the river. Today it's a bike trail.

That's it for today. I'll discuss other lines in another post.

[blueodessey]

Great read here Folks,

I had been fooling around with some Routes, of older and defunct Rail Routes, this help's me out a bunch!

@ JCitron "That was abandoned in the 1960s as part of a rationalization plan to foolishly consolidate rail lines in the area."

You are so right, on that Factoid, I look at are situation with all the Trucks on our Freeways, The Port Congestion issue, and the Topper of all, "JUST IN TIME INVENTORY" and I am in process of fixing several roof related issues, and Parts are either Scarce, or over priced and (just saw a either 1/2" or 3/4" thick Plywood @ 89.99$ per sheet) yup, that's right folks, I am not kidding, I blinked.

Thank goodness, I am bit of hoarder, holding some items in reserve for a rainy day. I do have some scrap Plywood to use, but unfortunately, I might have to buy some overpriced pieced for roof Bracing.

We don't have enough Rails to service the areas needed, and a portion of the Railroads, don't care or want to do it anyway, they want the straightest line between point A to B,,,,,hmmm, does that work, I am not convinced and all your eggs shouldn't just be in Inter-modal either, diversity will help in lean or uncertain times......

Thank you again for superb Thread here.......

[aryadwi_ef641030]

Another few from me, this time focused on Wonosobo Line of Indonesian Railways:

1. https://goo.gl/maps/nXs1RV7A6dN42i4D8

This abandoned bridge is located not far from the centermost part of town of Banjarnegara. As the line was originally built during the Dutch East Indies period using the specification of steam-hauled tram railway line (NL: stoomtram), for most part of the line during it heyday it has thinner layer of ballast rather than the ordinary railway lines.

2. https://goo.gl/maps/Vsp3yNW6vtUmUunP6

Yet another abandoned bridge, this time near the site of former Mandiraja station.

3. https://goo.gl/maps/qcZXf1151xQbPp5JA

Remaining of old rails of Wonosobo Line near Wirasaba Air Field of Indonesian Air Force (renamed in 2016 as General Soedirman Airport, and currently serves passenger flights from Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in Jakarta and Juanda International Airport in Surabaya). While the RoW of Wonosobo Line passes through location right at the southern tip of this air field, the ownership of RoW itself still belongs to Indonesian Railways.

4. https://goo.gl/maps/88a7iDuHntzpbLDf8

The station building of Sokaraja station, along with derelict water tank originally used for refilling water to steam locomotives. While the building is relatively small, but in the past it was the starting point of a branch leading to Kalibagor Sugar Refinery (which is now repurposed as a textile factory).

5. https://goo.gl/maps/kTzGctCiLo46iUfj6

Old rails of Wonosobo Line located somewhere between Banjarnegara and Wonosobo, though the original steel sleepers had been long gone (thanks to personal-owned scrapyards who illegally stole those sleepers!).

6. https://goo.gl/maps/swFZxNAut5rKejoR9

Almost the same with #5 but at different location.

7. https://goo.gl/maps/SCzsG7Nqph4hnpgX9

Old viaduct at Gunung Tawang, located just beside a mosque (which is actually considered as "breaching the law" if seen from legal status of land of former RoW of Wonosobo Line).

8. https://goo.gl/maps/ucc3McgoFWidWL2ZA

Wonosobo station in its current state, almost 44 years after the closure of Wonosobo Line.

Cheers,

Arya.

[JCitron]

Arya,

In view no. 2, go to the right and there are rails embedded in the dirt in front of the buildings.

They do the same here. A ROW will still be owned by the state transit authority and some developer will come along and put up a building. Sometimes, though it's a shocker to the landowner when the transit authority wants to reactivate the line (rare).

I noticed too that if can find the railroad infrastructure, you can work backwards and follow the old ROW. In your country like here, the old ROW becomes a street or road. We can tell what this once was due to the angle compared to other roads nearby. Over here the other "tell" is power lines. If there's a wide strip of grass with power lines in the middle of an urban area, that generally means that was once a rail line. Tracing the powerlines back in either direction usually leads to a junction and even a spur off of a freight yard.

Here's a place I ran into while visiting my aunt when she lived near Philadelphia. If you look carefully, you can see the raised grade.

https://goo.gl/maps/Ho3LutF2kt1ZkcV38

This was once the Pennsylvania Railroad Havertown branch and runs between Lansdowne Avenue and Monroe Street. The powerlines have since been replaced with modern ones, but back when I used to visit 25-30 years ago, they were still the old PRR catenary poles without the hangers for the train wires. I mentioned that to my family in the area and I was laughed at until I showed them the maps! Little do they know us railfans.

https://goo.gl/maps/YR7PybwHyfBftmoR6

[JCitron]

Great read here Folks,

I had been fooling around with some Routes, of older and defunct Rail Routes, this help's me out a bunch!

@ JCitron "That was abandoned in the 1960s as part of a rationalization plan to foolishly consolidate rail lines in the area."

You are so right, on that Factoid, I look at are situation with all the Trucks on our Freeways, The Port Congestion issue, and the Topper of all, "JUST IN TIME INVENTORY" and I am in process of fixing several roof related issues, and Parts are either Scarce, or over priced and (just saw a either 1/2" or 3/4" thick Plywood @ 89.99$ per sheet) yup, that's right folks, I am not kidding, I blinked.

Thank goodness, I am bit of hoarder, holding some items in reserve for a rainy day. I do have some scrap Plywood to use, but unfortunately, I might have to buy some overpriced pieced for roof Bracing.

We don't have enough Rails to service the areas needed, and a portion of the Railroads, don't care or want to do it anyway, they want the straightest line between point A to B,,,,,hmmm, does that work, I am not convinced and all your eggs shouldn't just be in Inter-modal either, diversity will help in lean or uncertain times......

Thank you again for superb Thread here.......

I'm facing the same situation with some badly needed repairs and some simple bathroom renovations. One of our two bathrooms dates back to when the house was built in 1966. It's time to update it, but the costs are through the roof.

That JIT thing has ruined a lot of businesses and the destruction of the rail infrastructure only made matters worse as we see now. There are plenty of cost-cutting moves done in my area that we're paying for now. With the rails gone they don't usually go back in because the NIMBYs move in, and they don't like noise and smell.

[aryadwi_ef641030]

Arya,

In view no. 2, go to the right and there are rails embedded in the dirt in front of the buildings.

They do the same here. A ROW will still be owned by the state transit authority and some developer will come along and put up a building. Sometimes, though it's a shocker to the landowner when the transit authority wants to reactivate the line (rare).

I noticed too that if can find the railroad infrastructure, you can work backwards and follow the old ROW. In your country like here, the old ROW becomes a street or road. We can tell what this once was due to the angle compared to other roads nearby. Over here the other "tell" is power lines. If there's a wide strip of grass with power lines in the middle of an urban area, that generally means that was once a rail line. Tracing the powerlines back in either direction usually leads to a junction and even a spur off of a freight yard.

That's right, and even having the rails are still left there means that the land of ROW itself is still under the ownership of railway company itself. Even if the rails are already not there*, the ROW itself is marked by the presence of billboards like the following:

https://goo.gl/maps/2gcBcJXGjEfBnHyd7

(this one is issued by Jember Railway Bureau and installed near the home signal of Bonosare Station in Bondowoso, East Java)

Speaking the "how to find ROW of abandoned rail lines from the angle", it is not only applicable to roads or streets, but also to buildings that were built right on the ROW (unless if the land itself was reformed like those normally found in Japan). Those that were built on ROW of abandoned rail lines tends to follow the curvature and gradients of ROW itself, which is easily noticeable from both the land and from satellite photographs.

*while most of them are illegally removed, in some cases they were removed or even buried by permission due to the impossibility for reactivating the line using the original ROW, and this is normally found at lines that were laid on the same ROW with street or road (either it could be ordinary heavy rail, or those with semi-tram specification)

Anyway, here is an additional entry:

https://goo.gl/maps/yTMfK4o4uiBFqPBL8

This one is part of abandoned railway line of former Malang Stoomtram Maatschappij (Malang Steam Tram Co.) leading from Malang Kotalama station to Dampit. You can see that the rails are still intact, even if the ROW has been transformed into an alley and lots of small houses.

[JCitron]

That's the same here. I've seen signs, naturally I can't find them on Google Earth, that say property of Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority, no trespassing usually with a chain or gate across the old ROW. This used to be the case in Marblehead even though that line was removed in the 1960s. Today, the MBTA has sold off the line to the power company and the old ROW is also a bicycle path.

In Revere, MA is the remains of the old "Narrow Gauge" aka the Boston, Rever Beach and Lynn ROW. The southern portion down to East Boston is now the Blue Line heavy rail electric commuter line. This was standard gauged and opened in 1951 to serve Logan Airport and the Suffolk Downs racetrack located at the current end of the line. A few years ago, a proposal was made to reopen the line back to Lynn using the old ROW by extending the Blue Line. The problem is now there is an apartment complex put right across the ROW at the end. The only way to follow the old ROW would be to drill under, meaning tunnel, or abandon that and switch over to the nearby former Eastern Railroad and utilize part of that ROW.

https://goo.gl/maps/vyKx5bj6HMCMz97y7

This can be seen if this is followed north. There are powerlines currently following the old ROW then there's an apartment complex next to a shopping mall.

There are many other locations like this which basically kill any chance of reusing the line because the cost, including litigation in court, to allow the construction of the line makes this an impossible venture.

[tangerine]

Unknown branchline, 8500th Ontario street, Vancouver, British Columbia. Not sure if its 100% abandoned but telling from the condition of the track, it probably is abandoned.
8850 Canada Line Bikeway - Google Maps
8500 Ontario St - Google Maps