Smoky Valley Railroad hosts Iron Horse Trail groundbreaking

Aug. 3—In more than 100 degree weather, underneath the shade of trees along the railroad tracks, Smoky Valley Railroad hosted the ground breaking for their Iron Horse Trail. Around 40 people attended the groundbreaking at the trail's entrance east of the railroad crossing on S. Campbell Street and south of the Dickinson County Heritage Center. The trail will be intended for pedestrians and bicycles.

The trail will be completed in two phases, said Ross Boelling, Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad board president, The first phase will be to complete the trail from its entrance to Jeep Road. The second phase will start the end of the trail at the depot in Enterprise and build it across the Smoky Hill River. The trail will be a line that will move around equipment and sometimes cross the tracks. Boelling said the first half of the trail will be completed this year and take a few years to be completed.

"I'm excited about it because I drive 1st Street everyday and there's a tremendous amount of foot traffic, bicycle traffic on that road and that should move to this (trail) over time," Boelling said. "This will be a much safer environment for them to walk and exercise."

The first half of the trail is named after Mary Jane Oard, former manager of the railroad for 26 years and a member since the railroad's inception in 1993.

"A lot of the Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad is because of her and her persistence to keep things going," Boelling said.

The railroad has received funds from several sources for this project. Phase one is funded by the Sunflower Foundation by a grant of $35,568. The Community Foundation of Dickinson County also gave a grant for the project.

"We identified the trail for its potential to attract a different demographic of visitor to our community," said Elizabeth Weese, Community Foundation of Dickinson County director. "We hope that the trail will spur additional economic development initiatives from breweries to bike shops in downtown Abilene."

The Quality of Life Coalition will provide $50,000 for the project through the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas, Pathways to a Healthy Kansas grant program.

"The Iron Horse Trail supports our mission of promoting social, physical, mental well-being for the residents of Dickinson County and the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas mission to invest in communities to create sustainable, healthy places where Kansas live, work and play in ways to improve the quality of their lives," said Vicki Gieber, Abilene Quality of Life Coalition director.

The railroad is waiting to hear from the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks about whether they will receive a grant for $49,821.60 to build the second phase section of the trail. Boelling said the railroad will be seeking additional funds and grants in the future to eventually connect the two sections of the trail.

"We are excited to partner with community organizations and leaders on this project," Ross Boelling said. "We see this as a mutually beneficial project to increase support for the train and also provide a community service by allowing a safe place to walk or bike."

Joe Minick, member of the railroad, is leading the research and design of the trail's construction. He said a section of the trail starting in Abilene will consist of screed over top driveway fabric. Minick said one reason he wants to try utilizing the driveway fabric is to avoid mess of creating a rock foundation at the beginning of the trail.

"This is a first time (the fabric) has been used with that. Trail people said 'OK, try it out.' Otherwise, they'll come in and dig a ditch, they'll put rock in and then they'll put screed in. You just put your matting down, put your screed on, then you're done."

Minick said the trail in the country will be built with a rock base with screed on top.

The Iron Horse Trail's Abilene entrance is east of the railroad crossing on S. Campbell Street and south of the Dickinson County Heritage Center.