Trails at ToM

[Stephen Piwowarski]

Recently while reading an article about the Talyllyn Railway I learned that the stations connect with a network of hiking trails, some which allow a station to statin hike.
Has any thought been given to establishing a trailhead at ToM which would allow riders to detrain and walk a trail which would connect with the trail network of the Trout Brook Preserve?
Eventually people could detain at ToM, hike to 218 or head tide, reboard the train and return.

Steve

[Wayne Laepple]

That's a great idea, Stephen. I believe there is some cross-pollination between the WW&F and the Sheepscot Valley Conservation Association, and the properties abut on the other side of Trout Brook. In addition, there is potential for a short loop trail on our land. I've suggested to a few folks that developing either trail might be a good Eagle Scout project. 

[James Patten]

According to the survey map that we just got from the surveyor, the Clark parcel we just bought backs up on the SVCA property that includes the Trout Brook trail system.  So it would be nice to be able to connect with them.  Looks like there was a road that crossed the property going down to the brook, although I don't know how much of it is on our land.  The road would make a good basis for the trail (it's mostly already graded).

However, somebody other than the regular volunteers has to take point on this, like with many of the other (very good) projects that have been proposed here that aren't directly related to railroad operation and restoration.

[Mike Fox]

If a trail system is desired, the bestvway would be actually walk it and flag it out before carving it out. Then it could be done gradually, even through the winter.

[John Kokas]

Sounds like a great Fall or Spring work-weekend project for a separate "trail" crew.  Might be a good idea to partner with the conservancy folks for some help and also coordinate how the trails could be linked, mapped, signage, etc.  But that part is probably not easily done for the "out of town" folks.  Maybe the conservancy folks would join us for a work weekend - nice way to expand the partnership..

[Glenn Christensen]

What a GREAT idea and what GREAT suggestions!!!!

I think you guys are REALLY on to something.


Best Regards,
Glenn

[Jason M Lamontagne]

This was actually a major discussion point before we even bought the property.  We thought it was a good idea then to- and even had a meeting with the SVCA about it.  It got set aside for more pressing matters.  A separate effort would be crucial on this- as with all 'peripheral' efforts.

Jason

[Eric Larsen]

Hi Steve, Jason, others….  I have thought about this a lot over the years while out along the ROW between EOT and Head Tide clearing trees or cutting brush mostly by myself.  It is a great long term goal IMO and a joint effort with the SVCA would probably be a good way to accomplish it.  However for me a few things come to mind on this subject.
 Firstly, I think we need to focus our trail clearing activities to “the trail between EOT and 218 / Head Tide” for now.  Every three or four man crew we send out to make a hiking trail someplace now is a crew 3X bigger than the ones I have had for most of the past ten years clearing and maintaining the future ROW.  If I had had three guys working with me most of that time we would be done with most of the ROW clearing by now.  One guy like me can blaze a nice trail, then slowly make it wider and keep the brush from reclaiming all of that work but that’s about it. Three or four guys can clear the whole ROW if we were at it routinely for a while. 
 So, a great idea for a later time,  IMO.  The other issue is that if we invite another group in to build a trail on our land (in an area that some in the community view as a sensitive one) before we do what we need to do there we could just be inviting problems for our own aspirations.  I would rather that we get our main work done in these areas before we invite others in to “help” decide how we should do things on our property.

[Jason M Lamontagne]

Good points, Eric.  All discussion points.

Jason

[Bill Sample]

Last year I took a short hike out one of the trails near T O M as I wanted to see Fred's Porcupine Palace (the abandoned camp on the new property.)  I found it OK and it looked like it had been a nice area before it grew in, cutting off the view.   It was an interesting walk but I agree with Eric Larsen regarding spending the effort on keeping the R O W trail open is a better use of volunteer effort at this time.

[Jock Ellis]

Putting a bug in the ear(s) of Eagle Scout candidate(s) is probably the best idea. Whoever decided to take it on should check in with Maine's department of natural resources or whatever it's called to learn trail blazing from professionals. Else you might have nothing but ruts after every rain. I know that when I went to work for GA's DNR there was a book on making trails in my cubical. Very interesting. I think about it as I hike the Appalachian Trail here in Georgia when I notice techniques I read about to prevent erosion.
After it's built Wayne could start writing for hiking magazines about the new trails.