Railway of Nova Scotia

[dragonharh]

http://s228.photobucket.com/user/kingdragoni/slideshow/Dominion Atlantic Railway

Some pitchers of the old Dominion Atlantic Railway I took this weekend on my 12hr bike trip up the old DAR route the line closed Nov 2010 and have been abandon and decaying ever scents its not cut off form the main line but partly stell owned by WHRC and CN how ever there no word as to what will become of this pice of 30 miles of track. This was the last railroads remanding in Nova Scotia and now its nothing but overgrown weeds used as a trail the crossing are stell standing and look like they stell work the line its self is in need of repair and a lot of upgrades how ever a light rail would run fine at low speeds.

Here the Video I made

 

[JCitron]

That's sad to see. Too bad the government of Nova Scotia wouldn't take over the line and restore it to operation. I'm sure there are towns along the way that could still use service. So now the only active line is the one to Yarmouth and Halifax?

John

 

[oknotsen]

That was a nice piece of (semi-) urban exploring and some serious bike riding.
Slightly steadier hand and you got yourself a nice documentary.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[dragonharh]

Unforntley this line ends in Hantsport 35miles up the track it use to at one time I know its a shame they don't fix it up and use it we have no bus out that way so it would server as a commuter very well but thats idiots for you.

Like they song I know goes "you don't know what you got entell its gone"

Prolbey by next year it will be nother more then another useless trail some rich guy shod buy it and put it to good use it would cost 50mil to fix up for scrap its only worth 1.5 to 2mil. the owner isn't planning selling it for that scrap as far i know this summer I'm going back to complete the trip over 3 days.

 

[JCitron]

Unforntley this line ends in Hantsport 35miles up the track it use to at one time I know its a shame they don't fix it up and use it we have no bus out that way so it would server as a commuter very well but thats idiots for you.

Like they song I know goes "you don't know what you got entell its gone"

Prolbey by next year it will be nother more then another useless trail some rich guy shod buy it and put it to good use it would cost 50mil to fix up for scrap its only worth 1.5 to 2mil. the owner isn't planning selling it for that scrap as far i know this summer I'm going back to complete the trip over 3 days.

That happens down here too and it's a shame. The old Manchester and Lawrence has become a rail trail in New Hampshire and into Methuen Mass. The M&L served these two cities respectively for close to 160 years. Then in 1990 Guilford cut it back and ripped up the tracks in the Manchester area. They didn't just cut the track, they completely stripped it of track, making it totally useless to anyone. The Salem end soldiered along a bit longer until 2001 when they discouraged all customers left on the this end of the line by letting the tracks rot. There were numerous washouts which they used as an excuse to cut the service. There the line sat and rusted away. Proposals came up to return commuter service to Salem, New Hampshire but that state won't spend a dime on rail infrastructure. Instead they built tollways and wide highways all over the place.

Then a company that specializes in ripping up abandoned lines and turning them into trails came along and convinced the town of Methuen, Mass to turn their portion of the route into a trail after they had convinced the MBTA to sell of the ROW. This runs from the Lawrence end up to the New Hampshire border. This company got the town to do it as they took away the old rail and nails and sold it off for scrap. The town is now left with a trail in disrepair because it's too expensive to maintain. The Lawrence end is now weeds because it's not safe to ride a bike or walk down there due to the high criminal population... In fact the tracks have been used in the past for dumping burned out cars and some bodies were found out there due to some drug wars!

So now we have a line that's a mess. At one time this line was included on the Mass Bay Transit Authority commuter rail maps as there was a strong proposal to run commuter trains up to the New Hampshire border at Route 213. There is a highway that crosses the line up there and this is a heavily traveled road, but now with the tracks gone and everything a mess, and with the MBTA selling of the ROW to this outfit, there is no use or thought of expanding the commuter service or use for the route.

It really pains me because I remember when this line hosted numerous through and switching trains during the 1970s and early 1980s. Guilford came along and all that ended.

John

 

[dragonharh]

thats why I said just another useless tail but prolbem is no one in "power" cares enofe to do anything and thows who do end up getting a slap in the face and told to shut up or there too poor to beadle to buy it. wich is why I have no respicet for the rich or anyone with a title of power and rank.

 

[JCitron]

thats why I said just another useless tail but prolbem is no one in "power" cares enofe to do anything and thows who do end up getting a slap in the face and told to shut up or there too poor to beadle to buy it. wich is why I have no respicet for the rich or anyone with a title of power and rank.

I agree especially with all that's going on these days... It's tough saying stuff here without getting too harsh on the wrong subject...

John

 

[dragonharh]

I agree especially with all that's going on these days... It's tough saying stuff here without getting too harsh on the wrong subject...

John

In that case Here another Video I made 2 years back

Part 1

Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4vw...KIa4gZOtzgCQycMsjEUizVt&feature=share&index=3
Part 3
http://youtu.be/VYKKHPLBP0A
Part 4
Not Yet released

 

[rickf77]

Sniff, sniff.... I feel your pain fellas! I've even got a bad feeling about our tiny "museum" at Musquodboit Harbour. It was supposed to re open this year on June 1st. I went out to find that it will not open until July 1st. Plastered on just about every window was notices saying it was "such and such's" political headquarters. I hope they mean just for some election and then they are out of there.

Cheers...Rick

 

[dragonharh]

well atless i went out and got as maney pics as i coud of the dar line before there nothing lift to take pics of Rick I'll be in your neck of the woods for abit due to my new posting for work perhaps we can get to ether at tims one of these days.

 

[rickf77]

Holy cow, D, is that the last surviving rail in Nova Scotia!? I was going to go for that look (in better days), but decided to go with late summer. Those lupin (plants with blue, pink, white flowers) and daisies and I think I see some red clover in there, prove the date is correct on your photo. My yard looked just like this yesterday, so maybe a couple of days behind. That's normal. The wife's shop is sort of on the border of North and South Woodside, and we are a bit behind that area as far as vegetation goes. The lupin seem to be at their peak in your shot. That's not supposed to happen until July 1st. Nature is not always easy to figure out. After such a long winter, the lupin "breaking the ground" late, here they are at their peak early. When the time comes for wild flowers on my route, I will be going with white and yellow. Things like rag weed, Queen Ann's lace, etc. (sorry if that's not how you spell or write those items). I may try to find some convincing wild roses, some of those put out more flowers near the end of summer. Does my yard really look like this? Yes...that's what happens very quickly if you do not mow your lawn! Geez....who would want a lawn when your yard could look like this!? Hee, hee, I guess it's not everyone's cup of tea!

I hope we will meet up one of these days, D. Although I'm retired, I just cannot seem to find much time to do the things I want to. I really stick to the wife and try to keep an eye on her 24/7...it's kind of a medical thing. I have a feeling she feels the same about me. Only in my case (she thinks), it's a mental thing. Well that's just....what was I talking about?

Cheers...Rick

 

[dragonharh]

The DAR May be Saved lets just keep are fingers crossed:

http://thechronicleherald.ca/opinion/1218877-a-clearing-house-for-ivany-ish-ideas
"thousands of out-of-province tourists (and Nova Scotians) visit the Annapolis Valley annually for tours, food, and entertainment; we should be able to double the number of tourists who visit the Valley.

I offer the following idea as the first innovation under this program (# II-1). (I have to admit I’m breaking my own rule here, as it probably can’t be implemented within a year.) If we make it easier and more pleasant for tourists to reach the Valley, more would want to visit and perhaps stay for a few days. I think many people would enjoy taking a one-hour train ride from the Halifax region, along the existing Windsor & Hantsport Railway lines to Windsor, Wolfville or New Minas, meet tour buses there, and continue on with their activities."

Thats what I'm talking about Lets wight and see what happens.