News

Rail Trail Raffle Winners are chosen at the Old Time Fair

Friends of the Northern Rail Trail raffled off 6 fabulous prizes this summer as a fundraiser for their continuing efforts to build and maintain a four season trail between Concord and Danbury.
Winners were chosen at the Old Time Fair at Potter Place August 2, 2009 by young fair goers from Vermont.
Winning the 2 TREK Navigator all terrain bikes from S & W Sports of Concord are Jerry Bliss of Andover and Dona Drapeau of Boscawen.
Louise Grasmere of Highland Lake and Mass. won a night's stay at  the lovely Highland Lake Inn on Maple Street.
Dave Boudras of  Boscawen won the Green's Auto gift certificate,
Steve Lanphear of Belchertown won the Pizza Chef coupon
Michelle Dudek of Andover won the Jake's Market certificate.
Thank you to sponsoring businesses and individuals who
supported the bike raffle this year!


The Northern Rail Trail extends to Franklin
On Wednesday, July 29th, the Friends of the Northern Rail Trail in Merrimack County finished extending the rail trail from Dyer's Crossing in East Andover to Webster Lake at Chance Pond Road in West Franklin. The finished rail trail is now 10 miles in length from Potter Place in Andover to West Franklin. The first step in this process was grading the abandoned rail bed to make it level. Next the graded rail bed was compacted with a compactor operated by volunteer Ed Hiller of Andover. The grader was operated by Ed Larpenter of Candia. Then stone dust from Colebrook Gravel in Boscawen was spread by the grader and compacted again by Ed and Ed. Use of a brand new 12 ton Volvo compactor was donated by Dave Libby of Chadwich-BaRoss of Concord. Use of the grader was contributed by Durgin & Crowell Lumber Company, Inc. of Springfield.
This year a new specification for stone dust was used which produced a surface substantially smoother and easier for walkers and bicyclists to use then in prior years. Numerous FNRT members, oordinated by Lindy Heim of Wilmot, volunteered their time to log in the stone dust trucks and coordinate the work. The new two mile segment travels on a high berm overlooking Webster Lake. The elevated dirt berm was designed to bring the old rail line down from the heights of East Andover to the lower Merrimack River Valley in West Franklin.

A Trail Extension Celebration is being planned for September at the Franklin trailhead.

Update on Connecting Andover to Danbury
June 15, 2009

Background
In 2006 the Friends of the Northern Rail Trail in Merrimack County (FNRT or “we” in this note) received a $258,000 (since increased to $345,000) grant of federal funds under the Transportation Enhancement Program administer by NH Department of Transportation (NHDOT) to build 8.3 miles of trail from Potter Place in Andover north to the Danbury Town Garage. FNRT has already built eight miles south from Potter Place to Dyer’s Crossing in Andover and has a grant to build another two miles from Dyer’s Crossing to Webster Lake in West Franklin. Another rail trail group has built 25 miles of trail from Lebanon to the Danbury Town Garage. As a result, when this project is finished, there will be 43.3 miles of four-season trail from West Franklin to Lebanon – the longest four-season rail trail in New Hampshire.

Current Status.
The project is being constructed in two segments – installing bridge railings on six bridges in Danbury and then covering the existing stone ballast with 4” of stone dust.  

We are currently awaiting NHDOT approval to start design work on the bridge railings. A number of the bridges have no railings and for these VHB (FNRT’s engineers) will design the railings and the manner in which they tie to the bridge structures. In other cases, where the existing railings do not meet federal standards, we will supplement them with additional railings. We hope to have NHDOT’s approval in time to complete design work, award contracts, construct and install the bridge railings this fall. We need to have the bridgework done before we can lay down the stone dust.

We are working with VHB on a specification for the stone dust using the experience we have gained over five years of building trail in Andover. We plan to advertise for stone dust in the spring of ‘10 and purchase and apply it to the trail during the summer of ’10. If we follow this schedule our Danbury neighbors will see our grader and compacter preparing the trail in Danbury in the late spring of next year.

More Information
If you would like further information about this project, please contact FNRT’s project manager, Alex Bernhard at 603.735.5071 or at aabernhard@comcast.net

Turnout Triples for Firecracker 5K
Ideal weather conditions greeted the 117 runners for the 2008 Andover Firecracker 5K road race on July 4.  The race, held on the rail trail and sponsored by the Andover Fourth of July Committee and the Friends of the Northern Rail Trail in Merrimack County, started at the Blackwater Park at 9:00 AM.  Though most of the runners were from New Hampshire, runners from Kansas, Missouri, North Carolina, Virginia, New York, Massachusetts and Vermont also competed for prize money and the gold, silver, and bronze railroad spikes that were awarded to the top three finishers in each age group.  The race attracted a large number of young male and female runners, as 35 males and  females age 18 and under participated.  This year's turnout nearly tripled the 44 runners who participated in last year's event.

Fundraising Dinner a Success

The dinner event held at the New London Inn on April 17, 2008 proved to be a big success both in attendance and money raised to fund further work on the rail trail.  Special thanks go the New London Inn for sharing half of the evenings proceeds.  Also thanks are extended to all those who joined in to enjoy a fine meal while, at the same time, contributing to the future work of the FNRT-MC.

FNRT-MC Awaded Fourth RTP Grant to Extend Trail to Franklin City Line.

On April 19, 2008 FNRT-MC received approval for its fourth grant under the State of New Hampshire's Recreational Trail Program. This grants nearly $30,000 to extend the ledge pack on the Northern Rail Trail from East Andover to the Franklin/Andover line, about 2.5 miles to the southeast from where the finished trail currently ends in East Andover.  The work on this extension of the existing 5.7 mile trail will be conducted in late summer and be finished by early fall of '08.  When completed the trail will be  over eight miles long!

FNRT-MC Applies for Fourth RTP Grant
 to Finish Trail to Franklin City Line.

On January 18, 2007 FNRT-MC applied for its fourth grant under the State of New Hampshire's Recreational Trail Program. This application seeks $30,000 to extend the ledge pack on the Northern Rail Trail from East Andover to the Franklin/Andover line, about 2.5 miles to the southeast from where the finished trail currently ends in East Andover. Normally, announcement of the winners of these grants occurs in late April.

If allowed, the finished portion of the trail would extend past Dyer's Crossing in East Andover another half mile to the Franklin City line on Route 11. Work would commence in late summer and be finished by early fall of '08.

While FNRT-MC has been successful in three of its last three applications for these grants under the Recreational Trails Program administer by the NH Bureau of Trails, there can be no assurance that it will succeed again this year. Results will be posted in late April or as soon as information is available.

December 5, 2007

The Friends of the Northern Rail Trial - Merrimack County had hoped to complete another short section of the trail in E. Andover before the winter arrived.   Unfortunately this was not possible before the cold and snow settled over the town.  This extension would have continued eastward from the current terminus at the E. Andover fire station to a point where the rail trail crosses Sucker Brook, increasing the trail length by several hundred yards.  The current plan is to accomplish this work in the late Spring of 2008.

September 15, 2007

Northern Rail Trail in Merrimack County reaches East Andover NH.

The Northern Rail Trail reached East Andover on Wednesday, September 12. The resurfaced trail now runs more than 5 miles, from East Andover to Potter Place.

This project was funded by a $30,000 grant from New Hampshire’s Recreational Trails Bureau, a program of the Department of Resources and Economic Development.

Peter Crowell of New London, a board member of the Friends of the Northern Rail Trail in Merrimack County (FNRT-MC), organized and oversaw the work. He also contributed the equipment (a grader and vibrating roller) and much of the labor.

Ed Larpenter and Fred Burpee did a great job, working conscientiously for long hours, to grade the rock ballast of the former Boston and Maine rail bed and lay down and compact 127 loads of hard pack bought from R. D. Edmonds in Franklin. Rosie Best of Andover served as greeter, traffic cop and monitor of the truckload deliveries through three days of fair and foul weather.

This new section of rail trail starts at the Volunteer Fire Department in East Andover and joins the previously refinished surface at Switch Road, paralleling Route 11, runs next to Blackwater Park and behind the Andover Elementary Middle School, and ends at the restored Potter Place railway station, now a museum run by the Andover Historical Society. It connects the population clusters of Andover as the trains used to.

The completion of this new segment of rail trail in East Andover also initiates a pioneer partnership between FNRT-MC and the Highland Lake Inn, which overlooks the rail trail. The Highland Lake Inn will serve as the rail trail’s first Welcome Center, providing parking, restrooms and trail information and selling refreshments. FNRT-MC is working to spread the Welcome Center model to other B&Bs and inns along or near the rail trail in the future to provide amenities to rail trail users.

FNRT-MC board member Charles Martin reported, "Immediately after the last load was delivered, two guys from Concord showed up on mountain bikes. So they were the first two to experience our trail end-to-end. When I rode my bike back home, via the rail trail, I came across two pairs of walkers. Amazing how quickly people discover and use the rail trail!"

Organized in 2004, the FNRT-MC aims to continue the conversion of rail bed into a four-season rail trail from Danbury to the Boscawen-Concord line. In 2006 it received a $206,000 Transportation Enhancement grant to take the rail trail from Potter Place to Danbury, where it will connect with the Northern Rail Trail in Grafton County. Ultimately the Grafton and Merrimack County sections together will total 59 miles of continuous rail trail, the longest rail trail in New Hampshire, and will allow people to ride their bikes or hike from the Connecticut River Valley to the Lakes Region.

Sept. 6, 2007
Extension Work Underway

This week work has begun on upgrading the Rail Trail from Switch Road to East Andover.  Peter Crowell and his crew have begun the grading, rolling and application of stone dust (hard pack) to the newest section of the Rail Trail in Andover, as outlined in the previous news articles from August and April (below).  This extension work is expected to be completed by the middle of next week

The Friends of the Northern Rail Trail (Merrimack County) have anticipated this newest section since last year and are excited about adding over 2 miles to the existing trail.   However, trail users are asked to wait until rain has fallen on the trail to allow the stone dust to pack more completely.  Hopefully this will be by the middle of the month.

August 2007 Andover Beacon Article

Rail Trail Group Poised for Trail Work to East Andover

The Friends of the Northern Rail Trail (Merrimack County) is waiting for the final contract from the state to begin trail work from Switch Road to Highland Lake.  A grader, vibratory roller, and labor is being donated thanks to Peter Crowell of New London and the group hopes to complete the trail section in September.

The FNRT enjoyed talking to lots of people July 4th on the green as well as August 5th at the Potter Place Fair.  Members informed interested townspeople about plans to extend the trail to East Andover, added new members, and sold tickets for the bicycle raffle.  The winners of the raffle prizes:

Bicycle:  Melissa Cote, Alexandria; Highland Lake Inn weekend: Terrance and Holly Humphrey, Franklin.  Gift Certificates: La Meridiana: Kathi Yusko, Andover; RP Johnsons: Richard Adams, Andover; Main St. Garage: Leslie Zajac, Andover; Pizza Chef:  Dick & Taffy Johnson, Franklin; Jake's:  Paul Buddenhagen, Andover

The next rail trail meeting is Wednesday, September 19th at 7:00 PM in the science room of the AEM School and is open to the public.


RPT 2007 Grant

In April of this year we were awarded $30,000 to extend the Trail another two miles, from Switch Road in Andover to Channel Road in East Andover. NH Trails Bureau, which administers these Recreational Trail grants, estimates that we will have the necessary documents in place to actually start construction in August of this year.

We have been lucky again this year in having Peter Crowell of New London willing to contribute his services to do the construction of this addition. This will allow us to use the entire grant to purchase the stone dust to be laid down over the old railroad ballast.

Assuming all goes according to this plan, we should have a finished four season trail from Potter Place (at the intersection of Routes 4 and 11) to East Andover on Route 11 - a distance of about 5 ½ miles - by September of this year.

We plan to update this information from time to time as we get closer to the actually dates. When the work is done, we hope you can join us to celebrate the arrival of the Trail in East Andover.

October 1, 2006
Sunday Fun Day a big success!

A hard rain hardly dampened the spirit of trail well wishers.

43 children and adults turned out for the running races, managed by Mike Silverstein, the Andover Elementary & Middle School's physical education teacher.  Mike arranged for cool Northern Rail Trail T-shirts for the occasion.

Dr. Susan Lynch, honorary chair for the event, addressed the crowd, saying that New Hampshire is known for hardiness, and won't get bothered by a little rain!  She is an avid proponent of rail trails, which fit well with her campaign to combat childhood obesity.

Events in the Andover Elementary & Middle School gymnasium included an exhibition of trail-inspired art, exceptional food offerings from Jack's and Peter Christian's in New London; Jake's, Blackwater Restaurant, Pizza Chef, Food Stop, and Kitchen of Proctor Academy in Andover; Bowie's Market, Highland Lake Apple Farm, and Highland Lake Inn in East Andover; La Meridiana in Wilmot; and the Elk Farm in Danbury.

Excitement grew with a large number of entries for the bike raffle.  The winner was Rose Davis of Andover.  In addition, a silent auction for a night at Craig Della Penna's bed & breakfast in Northhampton, MA, followed by a guided tour was won by Harvey and Rosie Best of Andover.

Many thanks to all who participated in making this a truly fun day.

Trail Construction Work Completed in August, 2006

On Friday, August 25th the Friends of the Northern Rail Trail in Merrimack County completed construction on another 1.7 miles of trail on the Andover portion of the NORTHERN RAIL TRAIL. This newly-constructed trail section extends an existing trail built by the Friends last year that starts at the restored railroad station in Potter Place at the intersection of routes NH 11 and US 4. The new section ends at Switch Road just off NH 11 in East Andover. The combined trails provide 3.4 miles of off-highway trail for bicyclists, walkers and baby carriages.

The new trail follows the Blackwater River and has a 12’ travel lane of compacted stone dust that sits on top of several inches of compacted railroad ballast. The trail has a smooth surface and is one of the finest in the State.

Both trails were built by the Friends, a nonprofit volunteer organization with members from several towns near the trail. The goal of the Friends is to provide a four-season rail trail from Grafton to the Boscawen/Concord line, a distance of about 34 miles. The work done so far has been funded by grants of federal funds over the last two years, administered by the NH Bureau of Trails. The funds were used to purchase the stone dust from R.D. Edmunds of Franklin. Peter Crowell of New London contributed the use of a construction equipment, equipment operators and materials.

IA formal ceremony officially opening this newest portion of the NORTHERN RAIL TRAIL is planned for Sunday, October 1st at 1:30 pm at the Blackwater Park on Lawrence Street in Andover. Dr. Susan Lynch, the wife of Governor Lynch, is the Honorary Chairwomen of the event which will include an art show, a race along the trail and refreshments donated by several local restaurants.

Delivering hardpack material                 Grading & rolling

FNRT officers checking out the trail, Alex Bernhard, VP; Bob Ward, Pres.;
Charles Martin, Treasurer; Myra Mayman, Secretary

August 15, 2006
Key Webster & Hersey Farm Parcels by Rail Trail May be Preserved!

Daniel Webster was a key force in the Northern Railroad of New Hampshire.  He delivered the keynote address at a gala celebration on November 17, 1847 celebrating completion of the railroad.  Perhaps it is no coincidence that the railroad right-of-way passed along the western border of Webster's farm in Franklin.
This historic property was slated for massive development, but a group of conservation organizations has worked diligently for preservation.  They have raised significant funding for the purchase, but need your help obtain the balance of funds required. Here is a description of the campaign.   This is a critically important effort for the Northern Rail Trail in Franklin!

Likewise, the Hersey Farm in E. Andover is a scenic prize that straddles the Northern Rail Trail.  The Andover Conservation Commission, Andover Historical Society, and Ausbon Sargent Land Preservation Trust are working to preserve it.  Call Beth McGuinn at 603-526-6555 for more information.

Both efforts can use your help to secure the final funding needed to acquire these parcels!