Here's your chance. Go out on a trail today! Nearly all Trail Track subscribers live a short walk, ride, or drive from a West Virginia rail trail. The preference is yours ... hiking, biking, camping, walking, fishing, riding horses, or photography are just some of the options open today. The pace this spring is yours ... just get out there!!!
Do new and extended trails strike your fancy?? Try the new West Fork River Trail between Fairmont and Shinnston --or-- the 11 mile extension to the North Bend Trail at Walker west to Parkersburg. By the end of Spring, hikers might like the first 2 miles of the Durbin Connection Trail or the Camp Splinter Trail near Richwood.
How about a National Trails Day event celebrating two monster projects? The Cranberry/Tri-Rivers Trail in Richwood and the Caperton and Deckers Creek Trails in Morgantown are both hosting Trail Day events in conjunction your Council. The WV Rails-to-Trails Council is proud to showcase the progress these two trails have made.
What would Spring be without trestle deckings? All devoted Trestle deckers who were worried we might run out of trestle, well, don't worry.
Our Spring trestle deckings on the West Fork (of the Greenbrier) Trail will be the most ambitious project we have ever undertaken. Starting the week of June 8, and ending with a big push the next weekend (June 13-14) we hope to deck seven trestles with a total length of 550 feet.
Calling all railroad buffs; want to see the real thing? We've got depots, trestles, tunnels, water tanks, live trains and the beauty that preceded the rails. Come out and snap a picture, record a train bell, and watch our wonderful West Virginia heritage as it is preserved and reused.
And speak out for the future. A series of public meetings will be held this spring as part of the development of the WV State Trail Plan. See the article inside this issue of Trail Tracks for information about the planning meeting in your area.
Wildflowers and Spring breezes bless WV's rail-trails. They possess magic that puts a Spring in your step and healthiness in your heart. Enjoy this newsletter. We hope we have given everyone an alternative to tailor your own program with us. Most of us live within 1/2 hour from a rail-trail. Put some Spring in your Pace -- come out and enjoy a rail-trail with us.
As we enter a new year the status of rail-trails in West Virginia looks even brighter. In December, Governor Underwood, Senator Rockefeller, and Appalachian Wood Products announced a tentative agreement to exchange land in the Blackwater Canyon for land "of equal value" in the Monongahela National Forest. This deal, when finalized, will add approximately 750 acres in the Blackwater Canyon to the National Forest. Included in this acreage is the Blackwater Canyon rail-trail. In our last issue we looked at this situation and the controversy that it had incited . Along with that article was a letter representing the Council's encouragement to reach an equitable compromise.
The Council would like to encourage the continuation of the negotiations. We are happy to see a spirit of cooperation between all the parties. The Council pledges its support for the success of the trail, and will continue to provide resources to develop the trail and trailside facilities. We remain committed as good stewards of the Blackwater Canyon Trail.
This trail is important as a recreational corridor between Parsons and Thomas. Beyond its unique value as a trail through the Blackwater Canyon, the Blackwater Canyon rail-trail will eventually be the keystone to several long distance trails. The American Discovery Trail will probably be re-routed up the Canyon. A new proposal to continue through Thomas and on to Cumberland, Maryland, may some day become a reality also.
When the West Virginia Central and Pittsburgh Railway built their line down the Canyon in 1889 this was the steepest grade in the east. Today bikers and hikers can admire and wonder at the skill and labor it took to build this track. At the same time we can marvel at the wonders of nature evident in the canyon. The WVRTC will be there as stewards to make sure that this magnificent trail remains a wonder for future generations of users.
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Our exclusive interview with Maxx continues, "Yes, we were disappointed, but the two cities are back in 1998 better than ever!!" This year each trail has completed a trestle decking ... the 282 foot Cranberry River Trestle and the Decker's Creek Trestle. "Trail development goes hands down to Richwood, however. Detachment 1, Company D, 1092 Engineers Battalion of the Army National Guard have the trail surface in top condition ... much better than last year." National guard engineers preparing for work along the Cranberry/ Tri-Rivers Trail near Richwood.
"When you stop and think about this new rule, it's only fair. The Trails for Tomorrow Awards have been excellent for our trails program. We are happy to sit out a year for our 1997 TFT trail friends ... an' be happy that WV has a comprehensive trails program that must sit out a year to let the rest of the country catch up. We're back and better than that this year!!" he says to the Maxx!!
"How many members do you have?" I hate it when some one asks me that question because I don't know how to answer that question. We have never defined the dates of membership, so the number keeps changing.
Then again, I love it when somebody asks me that question, because the rounded off numbers are great! Considering that in 1993 we had 10 members, our 280 paid members for 1997 is very encouraging to me. Our official total membership of 453 is going down soon, however. I'm formulating guide lines to remove from our mailing lists those members who have not rejoined. So all 10 of you 1993 members, now is your chance to renew. Please do so now!! or we are striking you from the roles.
To all our special members: we sure put your generous contribution to good use! We wish to thank everyone who contributed for making our work possible. We sure hope to see you back in 1998!
We try to be fair to all those who pay in the latter part of the year. That's why we run our memberships from 11/1 to 10/30. So please LOOK AT YOUR MAILING LABEL. If the date is 1997 or less, please mail us your 1998 dues today! Let's shoot for 500 members in 1998. That's nearly double. With your help, we can do it. Join us now on the way to 500!!
"Today we are going to rededicate our country to restoring our river heritage and to reaffirm one of our oldest values, the importance of safeguarding our national treasures for all generations to come." -- President Clinton announcing the American Heritage Rivers Initiative.
We're supporting you on this one Bill. That's exactly what we are attempting up on the Durbin Connection Trail. The rails and ties have been dangling in the Greenbrier River since the 1985 Flood...until now that is. Thanks to John Smith, the Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad (D&GVR) and Frank Proud, RTC Finance Director, the ties along the old RR bed are now up out of the river and properly recycled from Durbin mp 95 to Nottingham mp 92.
"The bank was completely washed away," says Smith. "We hired heavy equipment to pull them up out of the river. The first two washouts south of town are now completely finished." Proud jumps in, "and what better way is there to recycle old railroad ties than in a railroad?"
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Rich Hartman, Chairman of the WV RTAB continues, "This portion of the Greenbrier River Trail is included in the long range North/South trail plan in WV. This trail is good for the economy in the North Pocahontas County. It won a National Trails for Tomorrow Award and Trail Town USA Award. We're excited about this $18,000, 50/50 grant to help clean up the Greenbrier River."
"Our 50% is a big risk for us," admits Proud. "But the community support for this project is overwhelming ... I feel good about it." The partnership formed here will be hailed as a model of how an active public, local businesses and government agencies can make dramatic improvements in our trails, our economies and yes, our rivers. So Bill, we didn't realize it when we started but we were supporting your Heritage Rivers program all along. We're cleaning up and rebuilding our RR heritage back up the Greenbrier River Valley!!
MORGANTOWN — In a recent decision, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) decided against Greystone residents fighting the construction of a 4.1 mile rail-trail next to the Cheat Lake community. Residents have until Feb. 22 to appeal the decision. Allegheny Power spokesperson Mary Lynn Sacco said that FERC's ruling does allow all concerned parties input by giving them intervenor status as the development of the trail progresses.
It turns out that some folks are having problems with our web site address. WVRTC's web address is:
Please note that you must type this address exactly as shown, with the lower case just as shown in the address above.
The Tucker County leg of the Highlands Rail-Trail now has a freshly signed lease! The County Commission signed a lease to the right-of-way from the Randolph Co. line to Parsons. The Kingsford Charcoal Plant is cooperating with trail activities. This route will benefit the community as well as plant employees. Hats off to the efforts that will soon connect Parsons to Elkins. We now need to pull together for the Tucker Co. 50/50 matching grants as we did for the Randolph Co. portion.
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In the last issue of Trail Tracks we ran a story about trail development in Parsons. We have learned that parts of that story caused concern for local residents. WVRTC would like to clarify that it does not endorse the taking of any property and its goal is to work with local landowners and businesses to establish rail-trails and spur recreational development. The part of the story in question was gleaned from a local newspaper and we take full responsibility for not more accurately checking the sensitivity of the situation. Our apologies to Parsons.
In response to the article "Fly Ash-A good choice?"(Trail Tracks, Issue #10 Fall 1997), I would like to present the following information. First it is necessary to make the correction that the West Fork River Rail Trail has recently been resurfaced with bottom ash, not fly ash. While there is a greater volume of fly ash produced every year, its physical properties would not make it an ideal trail surfacing material. Fly ash becomes a pasty mud-like material when wet and has a loose talc power consistency when dry, providing little structural support for rail trail traffic. Bottom ash is a coarse angular cinder-like material that has a consistency of sandy gravel. It is relatively impermeable to water, which allows for good drainage and movement of water away from the trail surface as long as the surface remains slightly elevated. The angular particles enable a greater interlocking among the particles, which enhances the ability of the material to be laid on slopes and remain intact. Bottom ash is also an environmentally safe material. No reports of contamination of surface water or ground water have ever been reported and laboratory testing supports this.
The West Fork River Rail Trail study is a joint effort between the Department of Natural Resources, Region VI Planning and Development Council, and Marion County Park and Recreation Commission (MCPARC) to develop a multi-use trail surface that is cost effective, durable, and environmentally sound. The use of bottom ash meets these requirements. The use of bottom ash also preserves our natural resources and lowers utility rates. Traditionally, utilities were paying increasing costs to transport and dump this material in landfills. However, in recent years, research related to coal ash use has discovered numerous applications in which the material could be recycled and used as a substitute for various natural resources.
During the spring of 1998, MCPARC plans to topcoat two miles of the West Fork River Trail and four miles of a new bottom ash trail with limestone sand. The addition of limestone sand is suggested to improve the overall quality of the trail surface by creating a pozzolanic reaction with the bottom ash. This pozzolanic reaction is a chemical reaction involving water, calcium oxide from the limestone dust, and the bottom ash, which is predominately alumina-silica material. This pozzolanic reaction will create a cementatious surface that will increase the overall durability of the trail surface. It also has self-healing properties eliminating holes and rough spots automatically through wet/dry cycles. When the material is dry the surface is very hard and may break under impact such as horse hooves. When the material gets wet the bonds break and the surface settles eliminating holes and rough spots. The New River Trail State Park in Virginia has documented these results on their trail. The State Park has found that the addition of this limestone sand preserves the wear of the underlying ash surface, extending the life of the trail and reducing maintenance costs.
The use of industry products in the construction and development of rail trails is a becoming an economical alternative to some of the more traditional natural resource based products. Numerous products exist for use in different applications involving rail trail construction. While bottom ash has been by far the most popular choice, other products exist that are versatile, economic, and environmentally sound. New research continues to identify existing uses for these industry products. In some cases, industry products are desired and are more favorable than traditional natural resources because of their cost effectiveness. Shannon Sypolt is a Research Aid at the National Research Center for Coal and Energy located at West Virginia University.
The Doddridge County Section of the North Bend Rail-Trail is interesting as it includes the cutest depot, the longest trestle, a historic court house and the longest tunnel on the NBRT. Being part of the American Discovery Trail, it is also included on the longest trail in the country ... very interesting indeed!
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Smithburg from the east. A nice four mile journey westward brings you to West Union. The depot in Smithburg, along the NB, in Doddridge County. One interesting thing, the Depot says "Smithton", but the name of the town and the Post Office across the street is "Smithburg".
At mp 54 (these numbers decrease traveling west) trestle #23 crosses scenic Middle Island Creek and Route 18 making it the longest trestle on the NBRT. The trestle has decking and hand rails. Picnic tables near the ballfield make a lovely setting to enjoy a stopover. The historic Doddridge County Court House is close by the trail as it cuts through West Union.
The trail gains elevation as it leaves town. It crosses Old Rt. 50 at trestle #24 and then makes its final approach to the 2,297 ft. tunnel #6. Does any one know the name of this tunnel? Please tell us if you do. With a proper flashlight, the tunnel is very interesting. You emerge at the western end at approximately mp 52.
This portion of the 6,300 mile ADT, the longest trail in the country, has easy access and much to see. The Doddridge County countryside and county seat make this a very interesting 6-mile slice of America's Discovery Trail. Can anyone tell us if tunnel #6 is the longest on the entire ADT? We would be very interested to know. For additional trail information see the Adventure Guide to WV Rail-Trails or write to NBRTF, P.O. Box 206, Cairo, WV 26377.
Lunch break: Prisoners from the Central Regional Jail at Flatwoods sit along the trail while taking a break from cleaning up the dump at Richwood. |
Residents of Richwood and surrounding Nicholas County had used the dump for generations. Though this hill is literally full of trash, up to 100 feet high for about three-quarters of a mile, cleanup supervisor Mark Church said they couldn't get it all. "Our original goal is to get the metals sticking out of the hillside," he said. The four prisoners have spent days dragging old cars and "white goods," appliances such as washing machines and refrigerators, down the hill. Most of what remains is metal and plastic, Church said. "We will hand-pick everything you can see from the Rails to Trails," he said.
Richwood Mayor Jeremy Rose told the Daily Mail that residents who have already used the trail will be happy to see the dump cleaned up. "Talk about detrimental to your experience," he said. "You're riding along and come across a half-mile of car hoods." Not just car hoods --- truck beds, garden hoses, plastic TV frames, toilets, outdoor grills and car seats. Though people had spoken to him about the dump the city couldn't afford to clean it up. But the DEP came in one day and volunteered to clean it up, Rose said. "Usually you have to fight and fight to get these things. But they just showed up," he said. Community members have donated food and drinks to the workers, including a few city workers, some DEP employees and workers for scrap companies. The scrap companies can keep the materials collected from the hill as long as they haul it straight to a recycling center, Church said. Richwood residents had used the dump since the 1930s or '40s, said Rose. "The dump was legal at the time." The owner of the hillside wanted appliances and cars so he could fill his land. The owner could get a permit to fill his land, considered an improvement.
With hard work and a little luck maybe this trail can be clean for NTD at Richwood. What a great way to celebrate with a clean trail. Thanks to the DEP, the town of Richwood, and the prisoners who worked to make this happen.
Leslee McCarty, cofounder of the West Virginia Rails-to-Trails Council, is running for State Senate from the 15th Senatorial District. She may be contacted by phone at (304)653-4744 or email at current@inetone.net.
With a new year trail events and workdays are springing up all over the place. To keep informed call the West Virginia Trails Coalition at (304)755-4878 or check our web site at: http://www.wvrtc.org/98events.html
Four score and seven trails ago ... rail trails are now definitely coming into their own in West Virginia. We've got the Greenbrier River Trail and the North Bend Trail, and all those trails getting established around Richwood and Fairmont. How does it feel to be part of the wave of the future and know that it is good? It feels great! Soon, we'll have this feeling all over West Virginia.
What's on the horizon? Morgantown has announced that work will be started on the Caperton Trail in October, 1998. Also encouraging, the Mon River Trails Conservancy is starting its work along the Deckers Creek Trail, which comes down to the Caperton Trail in Morgantown. And the WV Division of Environmental Protection (thanks to the Friends of Deckers Creek, Joe Idleman (DEP retired), and Lou Schmidt (DEP) is starting a cleanup of a major dump along the Deckers Creek Rail Trail.
What else is on the horizon? The folks down in Richwood are busy connecting their town to the trails in the Monongahela National Forest. We are now helping the locals around Durbin to explore a connection to their local park, so kids and grownups won't have to drive there or endanger their lives by walking or biking on a busy narrow highway. The West Fork Trail along the West Fork of the Greenbrier River is just itching for this summer's decking of many bridges. (Please volunteer!) The WVRTC has urged that the America Discovery Trail be relocated into the Blackwater Canyon - and generally that it be moved off-road everywhere that it can. Going upstream from the Canyon, there is now a prospect of extending the Elkins to Davis route beyond West Virginia and on to Cumberland, Maryland, where it would connect with the C&O Canal Towpath. Wow! Talk about trails!
Towns and trails and connectivity. Rail-trails are great for bringing us out of our houses and out of our cars. The goal of having a trail close to every home is one we need to promote in every way we can. We all need to support the West Virginia Trails Coalition and its efforts to promote all kinds of trails in the state. Our rail-trails are essential part of this mix.
Everyone in West Virginia who has ever ridden a bike up and up and down and down can appreciate how rail-trails change the recreational landscape. Think about all of those people --- including my mother and my brother --- who are using walkers or wheelchairs. Think about how they have to stay in the car when they get to a park or forest. With rail-trails, they can join us who enjoy greater privileges in life. Rail-trails are the great equalizer. They bring every one out into the world, they provide the way to an active life for many who otherwise have a hard time or even a really hard time getting out.
The measure of a good trail system is the variety of people who can use it. Let's strive for that diversity. Rail trails are for everyone.
Smile and wave as you go by,
Greg Good
BLACKWATER CANYON EDITORIAL