Two Indiana communities want to convert part of a rail line once used by the Indiana Fairtrain into a hiking and biking trail.
The cities of Fishers and Noblesville have proposed pulling up 9.2 miles of rails of the former Nickel Plate Road branch line and creating a 14-foot wide trail.
Through 2015, the tracks hosted the Fairtrain and other excursions of the Indiana Transportation Museum.
The Hoosier Heritage Port Authority, which owns the rail line, refused to allow ITM to use the tracks last year after an inspection found that it needed $5 million in repairs.
That came on the heels of allegations leveled by a group of former museum volunteers about financial improprieties at the museum and safety issues.
Although the Federal Railroad Administration and the office of the Indiana attorney general have conducted investigations, no charges have been filed.
The Port Authority recently said it is considering issuing a call for proposals to continue providing rail service on the line.
Representatives of Fishers, Noblesville and Hamilton County manage the Port Authority.
The rails would remain in place north of Noblesville and the portion of the trail south of there would be rail banked. The line extends from Indianapolis to Tipton, Indiana, but has no active connections to another railroad and no trains now operate on the route.
The next steps in converting the rail line to a trail will include soliciting public comment, including holding a hearing.
The cities would then go through the rail to trail administrative process, which could take between six to 12 months.
Local officials say the conversion would cost about $9.3 million.
Tags: Hoosier Heritage Port Authority, Indiana, Indiana Fairtrain, Indiana Transportation Museum, Nickel Plate Road, Rails to trails
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