Few of those inching forward at 5 MPH on freeways or interstates would think of using the railroad right-of-way and, once committed and trapped in the traffic on the freeways and interstates, most drivers wouldn’t have a choice.

An important part in the decision to use the railroad tracks would be having a relatively high-clearance vehicle that could successfully negotiate the terrain. Driving along the large gravel shoulder, rather than the actual railroad tracks, that is usually part of the right-of-way, would be relatively easy for a large number of vehicles like SUVs and pickup trucks. In many places, however, the shoulder disappears when tracks use trellises to pass over rivers, depressions, and other geographic features. That’s when the ability to cross over the rails and drive on the railroad ties would be required. I expect that there would be serious problems in negotiating the steel rails in vehicles with low road clearances.

While actually driving along the right-of-way in normal times is against the law and certainly presents serious legal risks, anyone who is actually considering the railroad right-of-way as an evacuation route would be well-advised to conduct a reconnaissance for points where access to the tracks is possible. In many urban areas, the tracks are often accompanied by chain-link fences that present significant obstacles, so locating a street crossing where quick access to the right-of-way is possible just might be the difference between life or death in some situations.