Fast, Free Trails
by washcycle
A Nevada non-profit can quickly remove railroad ties and tracks, dispose of them and replace it with a crushed stone surface. For free.
While most rail-to-trail projects can linger in the costly planning and design process for a decade, Godsey has placed Methuen’s on the fast track by accepting an offer she could not refuse — having the railroad tracks and ties removed, disposed of, and replaced with a crushed-stone surface for free by Iron Horse Preservation Society, a Reno, Nev., nonprofit.
“They basically come in, take out the rail stock and in essence, they give you a rail trail,’’ Godsey said.
The 18-employee organization makes its money from the sale of the railroad material, and makes sure that none of it ends up in a landfill
Because the organization does the work at no cost, Hattrup argues, a bidding process is not necessary. It also eliminates the cost for the community of removing creosote-treated railroad ties, which are considered a hazardous material, he said.
Joe Hattrup, Iron Horse Preservation director, says the process most groups use is costly and cumbersome.
“Some of the cities were paying huge amounts of money, six digits, a quarter-million dollars, for these designs . . . and then you don’t have anything yet but a road map to look for more money. They do all these feasibility studies that by the time it’s done, by the time you finish your studies, it’s 10 years later and it’s not even relevant anymore.’’
“It’s not easy to build a rail trail in Massachusetts. It doesn’t have to be this hard, but changing the process is hard.’’