(The following story by Theresa Edo appeared on the MetroWest Daily News website on August 1.)
HOLLISTON, Mass. — Out behind Tina Hein’s Union Street house, motorized vehicles ride up and down the abandoned railroad bed.
Hein, a member of the town’s Trails Committee, said in the past month or so she has seen two pickup trucks, two sport utility vehicles, a tractor driven by a man pulling kids in the back, ATVs and motor bikes speeding down the path. The vehicles are trespassing on private property, owned by CSX Inc., and travel there is unsafe, she said.
“It’s just ridiculous,” said Hein. “It was just crazy. I don’t know how else to describe what these people are doing.”
Trails Committee members say there has been an increase in the number of motorized vehicles using the railbed since the tracks have been removed. Lately, the vehicles have been faster and more frequent, she said.
“The track is raised, so people could veer off easily,” said Hein. “Were they to come off, they’d come off into someone’s back yard.”
The Trails Committee is discussing with CSX leasing the right-of-way along the railroad bed and eventually purchasing the land from the Sherborn town line to Hopping Brook Road. The 6-mile stretch runs along Rte. 16.
Until the land is leased or purchased by the town, it remains private property.
“It’s obviously difficult to get CSX to come to the table,” said Hein. “Everything unfortunately seems to be pending this lease being signed.”
Craig Della Penna, New England field representative for Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, the country’s largest trail organization, said ATVs and other motorized vehicles often invade areas where rails have been pulled up. It’s simply not safe, he said.
“That’s a recipe for disaster,” said Della Penna. “The inappropriate uses will then ooze onto the corridor.”
Della Penna, who owns a bed and breakfast in Northampton eight feet from a rail trail, said he sees firsthand the problems that can occur. An abandoned, unsupervised place invites a lot of different activities including drug use, drinking and trash dumping, he said.
“When it’s owned by the railroad, it’s managed by no one,” said Della Penna. “They are oblivious. They don’t care what’s going on there.”
Towns along upper Charles River trails need to develop municipal ordinances to manage the uses of trails, said Della Penna. They should define which uses are allowed there or have an agreement with railroad, he said.
“Residents should be fighting tooth-and-nail to get an ordinance passed,” said Della Penna. “What they see is not what the trail can be.”
Robert Weidknecht, chairman of the Holliston Trail Committee, said he has reported the trespassing vehicles to Police Chief James Peterson. Beyond that, he is not sure how to control vehicles on the private property.
“I’ve been out on the trail, and it’s been a problem,” said Weidknecht. “I’ve spoken with them. They basically tell me to go take a hike.”
Trails Committee members can call the police or CSX’s own police force if they see any trespassers, but Weidknecht said he is not sure how effective that can be.
“They need an ATV to catch these guys,” said Weidknecht.
When complete, residents will be able to walk, run, bike, in-line skate and even ski along the Upper Charles Rail Trail, a 20-mile circuit planned for Ashland, Hopkinton, Framingham, Sherborn and Milford. Holliston’s finished trail will include lookout points, kiosks with maps and informational bulletin boards.