The potential sale of North Judson’s short line railroad could complicate efforts to extend the North Judson Erie Trail. The Prairie Trails Club wants to extend the trail to the northwest, alongside the railroad tracks. Starke County Economic Development Foundation Executive Director Larry Wickert told the town council Monday that in order to get a Next Level Trails grant from the state, it would help to have a permanent easement from the town.
But Town Attorney Justin Schramm was concerned that doing that could affect the property value and asked council members to hold off on a decision. He noted that about five companies have expressed interest in purchasing the railroad, and the town is on the cusp of choosing a direction to take.
Schramm thought there might be ways to work out an arrangement between the Prairie Trails Club and a potential buyer, but he said the situation is complicated, due to the involvement of both the Surface Transportation Board and Indiana Department of Transportation. He offered to discuss the matter with the attorney handling the railroad sale process for the town, and Wickert said he’d continue to update the town on discussions with the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum and representatives from LaPorte County.
As for how the trail would go through the town itself, Clerk-Treasurer Andrew Rowe noted that it could cross to the south of the train tracks near the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum. That would create a continuous dedicated off-road path for non-motorized vehicles, which would be helpful when it comes to incorporating the Erie Trail into the coast-to-coast American Discovery Trail.
The Prairie Trails Club has already gotten grant funding to extend the southeast end of the trail by another two miles. Wickert noted that the club was granted an easement from the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum, which owns that portion of the right-of-way.
