by John Smythe
It is true that after so many years following official abandonment the ROW, yards, sidings, whatever occupied space when the railroad first acquired the land reverts back to the original parties, in most cased the town or city ends up with it. I'm sure their is a set legal procedure by which this is accomplished.
The 100' long backyard railroad that I assembled in my yard came from such a situation where a neighboring town wanted to build a hiking trail from what was left over from The Old Colony & Newport RR that got started back before the Civil War. The New Haven & Penn Central finally closed & abandoned the route from Braintree Highlands at North Street, Randolph all the way to Stoughton Jctn. just North of Easton, Mass. Some 70 pound rail is still on the ground in the woods, in other places just a narrow hiking trail is left. I created a display of rail & a switch using good hand hewn ties in a small park where the Randolph Center Train Station stood. In turn the town allowed me to take whatever I could use to make my backyard railroad. My (late) Grandad was a steam locomotive fireman for The NH RR & on occasion back at the turn of the last century he fired locomotives from S. Station to Newport, R.I over that route.
The 100' long backyard railroad that I assembled in my yard came from such a situation where a neighboring town wanted to build a hiking trail from what was left over from The Old Colony & Newport RR that got started back before the Civil War. The New Haven & Penn Central finally closed & abandoned the route from Braintree Highlands at North Street, Randolph all the way to Stoughton Jctn. just North of Easton, Mass. Some 70 pound rail is still on the ground in the woods, in other places just a narrow hiking trail is left. I created a display of rail & a switch using good hand hewn ties in a small park where the Randolph Center Train Station stood. In turn the town allowed me to take whatever I could use to make my backyard railroad. My (late) Grandad was a steam locomotive fireman for The NH RR & on occasion back at the turn of the last century he fired locomotives from S. Station to Newport, R.I over that route.
Love me or hate me.....I've kept the " Flame of Hope " lit & burning for MEC #501 since 1995. J. Smythe... Former Master Mechanic MEC #501 Project 1995-2000.