High Bridge Rail Trail in Farmville, VA

In addition to being into model trains, I love rail trails and I would like to add this to my trail collection sometime, that and the Virginia Creeper. Nice photo.

@SeanG posted:

the Virginia Creeper.

Nearby in Damascus, VA; this one intersects the Creeper, I believe:

Thanks Dave. I don't wish to get off topic for this forum but rail trails, at least for me, are an extension of my love for trains. I find the history and all the interpretive signs like the you ones you posted endlessly fascinating.

These are interesting, but bittersweet. They'd look better to me if they still had trains running on them. 

I, too, am a wet blanket...lazy, l have driven old roadbeds, and tried to imagine a Consolidation  working to get up the hill.

I don't want to throw a wet blanket on your wet blanket, but I am amazed the line through Farmville lasted as long as it did.  The Farmville Belt Line is a better route.

I too wish they were still in service, but this is almost the next best thing. Specifically, all that hard work putting in the line is getting a second life. One place that embodies this tremendous reuse and is an absolute thrill to visit is the Walkway Over the Hudson, aka The Poughkeepsie Bridge.   

I must say that I was a little surprised that the NS was allowed to abandon the original mainline that used the High Bridge because of national security reasons. If some kind of crisis arises that needs the railroad to transport material, that stretch of track would come in handy to keep bottlenecks down.

National security?  Do you know something I don't Jim?  If capacity became an issue I suspect it would be less expensive to extend or even connect existing sidings on the Farmville Belt Line rather than maintaining the old main through Farmville.  

@hokie71, spurred by this thread, my wife and I made the trip to Farmville yesterday to check out the trail.  Very easy and enjoyable ride. Highly recommend it. We only did a portion of the trail this time out and back from Farmville but intend to return and do the trail in it's entirety.  For anybody thinking of visiting, Farmville is a nice small time with a pretty decent microbrew for relaxing after your ride.

I recommend the High Bridge trail as well. Went down there in about April. Nice trip, and Farmville is nice to check out as well afterwards for food and drink.