Saltville Branch

[nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org]

MessageYeah, out here in Missouri, there was a long legal battle that might have gone all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court IIRC over plans to convert the old MKT main from Sedalia to St. Louis into a statewide trail. More than a decade later, the trail's now an accepted part of the landscape.
Andre Jackson Life is short; update your anti-virus software
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org 
  To: 'NW Mailing List' 
  Sent: Tuesday, March 28, 2006 6:54 PM
  Subject: RE: Saltville Branch


  It must be a nationwide problem, for here in Seattle the BNSF returned  a right of way back to the county who wanted to turn it into the "East Lake Sammamish Trail". In many cases this right of way bisected folks property between their home and their lake front. After several years in the courts, the trail recently opened. One reason the county did not want the land to go back to the property owners is that in the future the trail can be converted back to right of way for the use of a light rail system.

  Don Trettel


    -----Original Message-----
    From: nw-mailing-list-bounces at nwhs.org [mailto:nw-mailing-list-bounces at nwhs.org] On Behalf Of nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org
    Sent: Monday, March 27, 2006 4:16 PM
    To: NW Mailing List
    Subject: Re: Saltville Branch


    Wow!  This certainly is NOT the case with the Virginia Creeper trail.  I can remember when I could walk for miles and not see a soul.  Now, you can't get on it without seeing someone somewhere close by!  That trail is never deserted.  The folks in Saltville are hoping for similiar success with the Saltville branch project, but I seriously doubt they can duplicate Abingdon's success.  

    But, the main problem is, the records do not indicate whether the property was purchased or condemned, so no one knows if it reverts to the land owners or remains Saltville's property.  Therefore, the courts will have to decide.

    Ben Blevins

    nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org wrote:
      We had a similar situation here in Pwnnsylvania with the so-called Radnor trail.  Adjoining land owners fought it for years but finally lost out and the trail project went through.  The western most end is about three blocks from our home and I often pass it.  Like the rails to trails project reported by my friend in Northern New Jersey, even before it was "officially" opened it was frequented by dog owners and to quote my friend: "We all know why owners walk their dogs."

      There is a similar rails to trails project on what was the old rail line from Savannah to Tybee Island, Georgia.  When we visited our son over the past few years we often passed one of the entrances to that trail.  The trail always seemed to be deserted.

      Rails to trails projects remind me of the students who fought diligently for a class to be included in their college's curriculum regarding "black history".  They were so disruptive tha t the college finally caved in and at great expense provided such a class.  I guess you know the kick line.  Only a few students signed up for the class and as a result the much demanded class was unceremoniously dropped !

      Neil K. Yerger
      7 Farm Road
      Wayne, PA 19087-3303

      audreyly at aol.com

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