History.

The C&O purchased the properties in the late 1800’s. Some landowners sold it, and some the Government assisted the RR Co. by using Condemnation (an old name which in todays definition means eminent domain). Towards the late 1950’s the C&O declined. I have heard that they were financial trouble, and accumulated debt. Taxes were due on the RR bed.

On December 12th,1961 they sold the property to Western Pocahontas Corporporation. There was no offer to the landowners to buy the property back. Then at that very same day, the Western Pocahontas Corp donated it to the Virginia Commonwealth. What is curious about the situation is why the middle transaction? No one seems to know, and there is very little info about who/what the Western Pocahontas Corp was.

The RR property is still named as the “neighbor” on many of the current deeds listed on county records. Right or wrong as that is, it led many landowners to believe that the RR still owned the property up till VDOT proclaimed they are designing a trail in 2023.

When the RR tacks were pulled up, it opened a new path for landowners to access their properties. The old roads getting into these extremely remote areas were not in good shape, to say the least. Creek croosings were now made easy by using some of the trestle bridges. Dangerous as they were, it was still better and more reliable than water levels of a creek.

As time went on, these sections of RR tracks were established into Roads within the VDOT system. To do this, VDOT had to give permission. It is said that VDOT had ambitions of a trail as far back as the 1960’s. If this is true, why did VDOT  let the RR bed turn into roads.

When VDOT agreed to converting parts of the RR bed to a State rd., that was a major error on their behalf if the intention was for this to be a trail. They made the error, not the landowners. After using the RR bed for many, many years, the old roads are no longer existent. The RR bed is the only access to their properties and State law says that they must be given access. Now, VDOT wants to claim the road is a trail too. This leads to many problems.

The big thing to remember is that VDOT made an error and now they want to change their mind and combine a trail and a road. They are trying desperately to figure out how to fix what they did wrong years ago, and are creating a dangerous scenario in the process.

In 2022-2023,  the General Assembly decided to create the Statewide Trails Office. One of their goals is to create statewide standards for trails. and to catalogue all the trails in VA to have a database of what’s going on. Another job handed to them is to study and possibly create 5 new trails, and the Craig Botetourt Trail is one of them.

Ironically, the Statewide Trails Office was put under the control of VDOT. This creates a conflict of interest. VDOT wants to mix trails with roads.  Can the State Trails Office fight this concept when VDOT is their boss. Trails and the laws that create them have been till now under the Department of Conservation and Recreation.

The landowners who “agreed” to selling to the RR in the 1800’s did so for a few reasons. The area was wild country. The transportation that the RR brought, gave them a way to get their products in or out. They saw the RR as giving them a benefit. The worse thinh about it was a train came thru, maybe a few times a day. They knew the shedule/timing of it, and would use it almost like a clock telling time.

They never signed up for a multi-use trail that invites the whole world to their doorstep. It’s there 7 days a week, 365 days a year.  The trail will now hamper properties in their ability to use their property. Things like farming and logging their property will be much more difficult due to restrictions that will be placed on them. Landowners will not be able to develop their properties for their own enjoyment without more interference of the government. Things like “protecting the viewshed” become an eforcement on them.

 Background of “DeRail the Trail” 

 As Derail has said from the start.

Since the beginning, we have pointed out issues of this trail. It is not a matter of “we hate trails”, but rather we are for “better, safer trails”. We are for the landowners who will have to live with this 24 hours a day, for life. To have conflict everyday will only lead to a failure of the trail. We have been accused of being arrogant, hateful, and not helping to make a better trail. Those that want a trail usually just say “yes, good idea” and “do it” without consideration of details or impacts. I have the master list of comments to prove it. In this time period of design, those who may sound negative are needed just as much as anyone else.

And why the name “DeRail the Trail”?

There are issues with this particular trail that can’t be solved. We realized that from the start and is the basis of why the name “DeRail” was establish. The core plan is flawed. We have made suggestions all along to VDOT with no change in their main plan. There are some good features with this trail, if taken in small bites. The many different areas that need revamping will hopefully be brought to light by all the comments. If the project manager doesn’t see it that way, then maybe his boss will. This current trail plan still needs to be “DeRailed” and a better one born.