Railroad Lands
Article Submitted By Leroy Andre 9/2/03

     When the last train rumbled across the the railroad tracks of the Western Allegheny Railroad in 1996, owners of property along the right of way of the tracks from Kaylor, in Armstrong County and Queens Junction, in Butler County, became concerned that the abandoned rail bed would become a Rails to Trails project.
     A few of the residents owning property over which the railroad traveled, attended a meeting concerning the possible conversion of the land to a recreational facility. After learning more about the proposal, the Western Allegheny Landowners Association was born three years ago.
     Unlike most railroad right of ways, no provision was made for the property on which the tracks were installed to revert back to the original owners as the railroad company purchased the portion of land needed. While many residents believed that an agreement existed, returning the land to the original owners if the railroad ceased to exist, no evidence of such an agreement has been found.
      With a view towards purchasing the entire length of railroad right of way, the Landowners Association was formed, with each property owner paying $100 dues annually to help raise money for the purchase. It was the first time ever that such an organization attempted to purchase similar property.
     Glenn Stevens was elected president, Bill Barnhart, vice president, Sharon Stevens, secretary, and Kay Barnhart, treasurer. Supervisors of Clay, Concord and Fairview Townships, State Representatives and Butler County commissioners, worked three long years before submitting the high bid for the property. Only three parcels of land are located in Armstrong County, and no one appeared to be interested in the former roundhouse property at Kaylor.
     Beginning on November 14, 2000, many hours were spent by the officers in telephone calls, in group meetings and with attorneys and others involved in the project before the bid of $290,000 was accepted for the entire right of way. 
     The property owners paid a pro-rated amount for the property originally part of the the farm or lots, and then paid the filing fee, attorney fee for preparing the deed and state taxes on the properties they acquired.
     A complete listing of the deed transfers was published in a local paper recently. According to a Landowner Association member, the right of way property was returned to the owners at a price of $1,000 an acre. Any funds remaining from project purchase will be returned to the members on a pro-rated basis. One deed remains while 78 have been supplied to the member-owners. A dispute between two men, each claiming ownership, has held up the last deed.
     All the rails and ties have been removed, and much of the gravel making the railroad bed has been removed by the railroad. In many areas, the road bed has 
been fenced off to prevent ATVs and other vehicles from operating on the rail bed.
     Bill and Kay Barnhart, who now own a 697 foot long trestle, 103 feet high, have removed large sections at both ends of the bridge to prevent trespassers from going on the trestle. No trespassing signs have been posted along many areas of the former railroad.

News Articles About Biking & Trails
Western Pennsylvania Areas In & Near Butler County PA

Highwall
Article by Leroy Andre - 1/14/04

     A former surface mining site that has been a hazard to horse riders, all-terrain vehicles and others in the Marion Township area of Northern Butler County, will be backfilled under a contract issued by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to a Clearfield County firm.
     Located near a horse riding trail, 1,200 feet of dangerous highwall will be backfilled and the water filled pit, containing approximately 2.5 million gallons of water, on property mined by the Kay Coal Company prior to the 1950's, at a cost of $188,843. An estimated 205,ooo cubic yards of on-site spoil material will be needed to fill the 1,200 foot long highwall that ranges in height from 30 to 60 feet.
     Funding for the project will be available from the federal fund that includes taxes paid by active coal-mining companies on every ton of coal mined.
     Five bids were received with the Earthmovers Unlimited, Inc., of Kylertown, Clearfield County. A total of nearly 18 acres will be restored to a wildlife habitat, and is expected to be finished in August, 2004.
     J. Scott Roberts, DEP deputy secretary for the Mineral Resources Management, said that many accident occur on abandoned mine sites, and projects like the Marion Township provides the opportunity to prevent accidents through the reclamation. Nearly 5,600 abandoned mine sites are being reclaimed throughout Pennsylvania under the program.

Other Information & Links & Classified Ads