As Stu and I drove up to the ride this past Sunday in Dubois, (he) noticed a railroad bed that was definitely abandonned - jersey barriers over it, tracks pulled up or paved over, etc. It followed a long portion of the little state road up there that edmonds' directions followed (I took directions but don't remember them).
It's not in Pgh, but any rumors of Rails to Trails stirrings up in that area? If not, can we start some rumors? It would be SO INSANELY COOL if there was a trail from PGH to Cooks Forest or the Finger Lakes, or whatever else is up there (DuBoise, Punxy, etc).
We saw a couple. The one she's referring to parallels PA28 up by New Bethlehem. Street View doesn't show the jersey barriers, but the RR is clear enough, just north/west of the highway.
She & I took a different way back, and crossed an abandoned RR along PA68 NE of Rimersburg [street view].
I don't really know where either of these go, but boy do they look ripe for the picking.
(thanks for the clarification Stu!)
It seems to lose it's "railroad" marking in Google Maps at New Bethlehem, but that same track runs along that particular body of water up to Hawthorn, it picks up it's "railroad" marking in google maps at Mayport (south of where 28 crosses 536) and continues (marked on the map, but probably not used, since there's no yards or stations) until it joins up with another rail road just south of Brookville. That other rail line joins up with others in other places, I couldn't get a street view that indicates one way or 't'other whether it's used or not.
It would be over 20 miles of trail from New Bethlehem to Brookville, along... Clarion River? Pretty!
edited to add: that's NOT clarion river. At least it's not the river the town of Clarion is on. not sure what it's called, google maps is arguing with my attempts at further inspection.
edited again: Allegheny river is what google finally coughed up. but it's labeling every body of water in that area "allegheny river", including something it's also labeled "clarion river". so who knows.
Two initiatives going up there. Armstrong County is working on a connection eastward into Clarion County along the Redbank (?) Creek. Here are the details (From the Armstrong Trail website - AVLT is the Allegheny Valley Land Trust):
ADDITIONAL RAIL CORRIDOR PURCHASED BY AVLT
Allegheny Valley Land Trust has purchased a 48 mile railroad corridor that will extend from the Armstrong Trail in Clarion County to Brookville in Jefferson County. This railtrail will be for nonmotorized uses such as bicycling, walking and hiking. This corridor includes 38 miles along Redbank Creek and a 9 mile branch line that connects Lawsoham to the Sligo Area. The trail was railbanked according to the requirements of the Surface Transportation Board and National Trail Act. The Redbank Valley Trails Association, a volunteer organization, has been formed to assist in the trail maintenance and development. This organizations meets the third Monday of each month at 7 PM in the New Bethlehem Presbyterian Church at 403 Penn Street, New Bethlehem, PA
I can check my old emails and verify that.
In the past week or two I've gotten a notice out of McKean County that they are looking into a 69 mile trail along the recently abandoned Knox and Kane Railroad. I think that also extends into Clarion County (on the west). There's a public meeting on that project coming up soon. Here are the details on that project:
A “kickoff meeting” is set for Sept. 29 on a “Rails to Trails” study for the right-of-way for the defunct Knox and Kane Railroad.
Debbie Lunden, director of the McKean County Planning Department, said the meeting is slated at 9 a.m. Sept. 29 at the U.S. Forest Service office in Marienville.
She said the meeting would bring together 15 representatives of the “steering committee” for McKean, Elk, Forest and Clarion counties.
JMT has been hired to conduct a feasibility study for possible uses for the 69.9-mile railroad corridor between Knox and Mt. Jewett. A state grant of $34,400 will cover half the cost of the $68,800 study, Lunden said. The four counties with railroad rights-of-way will share the balance of the cost, Lunden said. JMT is expected to complete the feasibility study by next May, Lunden said.
The McKean County planning director said the consultants will “look at all modes” of uses for the railroad right-of-way and make recommendations.
“Hiking, biking and cross-country skiing are some of the possibilities,” Lunden said in discussing plans to convert the right-of-way into a four-county trail system. Lunden said motorized uses such as trails for all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and snowmobiles would be considered in the study even though opposition to these options already has surfaced.
“This is a huge opportunity to connect the four counties and the communities in between,” she said.
The Knox and Kane Railroad, which ran a tourist train from Marienville to the Kinzua Bridge State Park near Mt. Jewett, no longer is operating. The railroad about two years ago sold its rolling stock at a public auction.
The tracks and certain other pieces of property have been sold to the Kovalchick Corporation, a large scrap dealer from Indiana, Pa.
The Kovalchick Family Trust is participating in a “rail bank” program under the federal Surface Transportation Board (STB), Lunden said.
The federal STB administers the “rail bank” program. The federal law allows public agencies to acquire the railroad right-of-way and “bank” it until future rail use is sought from the STB. Public agencies would hold all the property rights held by the railroad, including easements.
Under the “rail bank” program, the rail corridor is not officially “abandoned” by the railroad even though its future use for a train line is highly unlikely.
I think it's the first one, rather than the second, that we saw from the car. That is ridiculously exciting. After biking in Cook's Forest, I have completely abandonned my reluctance to drive somewhere to do a bike ride. If I can't do it from my front door, that doesn't mean it's not worth it, it just means I won't go alone. YES of course easy front door to trail access would be ideal. But simple trail access, and that much trail, is totally cool.
Thank you swalfoort! It's wonderfull seeing these things happen in beautiful places within driving distance!
