I am a huge fan of Rails to Trails programs. This is a bit of a tough one for some people who think it’s contrary to my love of trains. However, I think that rails to trails programs help preserve the heritage of lines which are no longer financially feasable to run as railroads. In my opinion, its the best way to move forward while maintaining just a glimmer of history.
The NCR Trail was “built” in the 80′s after the North Central Railroad (running from Balto. to PA) went under after a century and a half of service. The railroad’s collapse caused a lot of issues to come to the surface. Specifically the issue of who the land should belong to. (Perhaps there’s a lawer who knows more about these issues who could comment on them.) The end result is that the land was taken by the State and turned into a park, which runs though most of northern Baltimore County.
This past saturday, the trail was being used for the NCR Marathon. Admitedly, I had heard of this before, and I had foolisly thought that it was being sponsored by the National Cash Register company and that it had nothing to do with the trail.
In Montgomery County today there is a similar battle going on over the fate of the Georgetown Branch Trail, formerly a part of the B&O railroad, which is currently a hiker/biker trail. The ironic part of it is that now they want to use the trail, in part, to build a new railroad, the purple line. I’ll find a good photo of this trail and post it.
4 responses so far ↓
1 shelly // Dec 4, 2008 at 12:40 PM
i am someone who would directly benefit from the construction of the purple line, but i’m totally against it. one of my favorite things about living where i live is the easy access to trails and parks. i’ve decided i’m not willing to give that up for a quicker trip to Bethesda.
also, if everyone biked on the trails to work, it would take everyone less time to get to work anyway, and we wouldn’t need the purple line.
2 Purple Line // Dec 4, 2008 at 12:57 PM
It’s true. I’m worthless.
3 Gump // Dec 4, 2008 at 10:15 PM
Wait… what?
4 Georgetown Branch Trail // Dec 15, 2008 at 12:08 AM
[...] a follow-up to last week’s picture of the NCR trail, I went out this weekend and took a picture of my favorite part of my favorite trail. This [...]
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