In 1972, Don Hindman and his brother took a cross-country bike trip. Besides seeing the countryside on an up-close and personal level, they also discovered a new way to travel—a Rail Trail. That experience has stayed with Hindman for over fifty years, and now he is eager to bring a Rail Trail to the Shenandoah Valley.
Hindman, speaking at the Plains District Memorial Museum, says the Rail Trail is “not just transportation, but a way of living.” He said that Americans today, especially our children don’t get enough exercise, and one reason is the lack of sufficient safe space to walk and ride bikes. He sees this 49-mile multiuse trail as one solution to chronic inactivity. Hindman, a medical doctor, says that Sentara and Valley Health Medical Centers also support the Rails to Trails project along with the 9 towns, 3 counties and 2 Planning Districts through which the Shenandoah Rail Trail will pass.
This stretch of railroad track, currently owned by Norfolk and Southern Railroad, runs from Broadway to Front Royal. According to Hindman, the track has been for sale since August 2020 due to a lack of freight customers. The Virginia General Assembly has already approved 35 million dollars to fund the project, and they have also received 3 million dollars in federal funds.
Because of another local group which supports the idea of keeping an active railway alongside the multiuse trail—A Rails With Trails—VDOT is conducting a three-phase assessment to compare the two concepts. According to Hindman, Phase 1 of the assessment “confirms many of our concerns about an active railroad and trail squeezed into this 66-foot wide corridor with 49 bridges and trestles.” It is almost certain that cost would prohibit a rebuilding the rail and construct a trail alongside. Further, interest from businesses, rail operators and localities in restoring freight rail is minimal and does not support a viable business model.”
Hindman says that the Rails to Trails model “completely transforms communities,” bringing new businesses, services and tourism to the towns along its route while also encouraging a healthier lifestyle.
