Rail-Trail Council of Northeastern Pennsylvania

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HISTORY

Railroad trestle bridge abutments in Starrucca, PA. You can see the stream the bridge once spanned in the foreground.

The Rail-Trail Council of Northeastern Pennsylvania is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporation begun in 1991 to attempt the purchase of local abandoned railbeds. It began as a very small grass-roots organization and now has over 1400 members and supporters. The Board meets monthly at area restaurants and the public is invited. A quarterly newsletter keeps members and local citizens informed of the progress of the organization and trail improvements.

In its short history, the RTC has acquired 38 miles of the historic Delaware & Hudson railbed, and has an easement to use eight miles of the parallel Ontario & Western railbed as a recreational trail. Numerous grants have been awarded to design and engineer trail improvements, restore bridges, landscape trailheads and provide trail amenities as signage, picnic tables, and benches. Recently, a one million dollar Transportation Enhancement grant was awarded to begin trail stabilization and resurfacing on the D&H.

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