Three Rivers Region

[rusummer1]

Great work on the realroads, hopefully one day they can be successfully integrated into the NAM.

[threestooges]

Not a bad looking place. Wonder if it's a chain, I know I've seen it before somewhere. Good to see the updates coming more regularly again David.
-Matt

[jumpjet2k]

First time poster here, but I've been following for quite a while. 3RR is a lot of fun to keep up with, even if I haven't played SC4 in quite a while. Have to fact check, though, being a huge beer nerd...

The J&J Roadhouse.  Note the excellent choice of ale in the window.

Alaskan Brewing doesn't distribute to the 3RR, though!
http://www.alaskanbeer.com/our-brew/find-our-beer.html

Being a Texan, though, I must say I'm very jealous of your easy access to their beers, especially the Smoked Porter. I had the chance to try it once, and I've wanted more ever since.

EDIT: Well, not officially... There's someone in the region with, err... connections, you see,

I haven't thought about limited beer marketing areas ever since a couple of guys and I financed a spring break trip from University of Kentucky, where I was attending at the time (early 1970s), to Denver and back by filling the trunk on the return trip home with a cases of a then regional Colorado product brewed "with Rocky Mountain spring water."  I think our return on investment back in Lexington was around ten bucks for each dollar spent.

Oh, if you are from or near Austin, I'll bring you down a six-pack of the Smoked Porter in my luggage when I fly down on Friday of this week.  Let me know. -DE

[dedgren]

Let's head north and east from Iona and take a look at 3RR's only rail to trail.

Old South Wind River Road, Two Moon Township


I may still be able to do the post this evening, we'll see.  Lots of lurkers today- hello there, all of you!


David

551844

[Battlecat]

That is a great looking photo! 

[ecoba]

Rail to Trail, good to see that 3RR is a going green. It really is my kind of country. 

Ethan

[Albus of Garaway]

I simply love rail to trails, but where I live, I usually tend to just walk on the rails.

Jason

[jumpjet2k]

There's someone in the region with, err... connections, you see.

Trust me, I know what you mean about that. I'm originally from Illinois, and I've brought more than my fair share of beer back down south...

I do live in Austin - I'm in my final semester at the University of Texas for a B.S. in Civil Engineering, focusing on Transport. I'm sure you can imagine how all of your work in SC4 has piqued my interest.

And as for the Smoked Porter, it would be absolutely amazing if you brought some. I'll make sure to come up with something to repay you for the trouble. I'll send you a PM with some details, in any case.

[Ryan B.]

Are we seriously discussing transporting alcohol across state lines here?

   

I suppose y'all are the Trans Am . . .



and I'm Sheriff Buford T. Justice!



Eastbound and down . . .

[j-dub]

Wait. Nightrider!? I had a friend with that car, 1980, but after wrecking it, he had to take some of the existing car with another car from 1978 and combine the two Pontiacs to fix it.

Which brings me to this Burnout style mishap that happened over Valentines Day weekend.
http://www.youtube.com/v/uv7-eB_GV38
Does anything like this ever happen in your state David?

[wes.janson]

I suppose y'all are the Trans Am . . .

As much as a POS those cars actually turned out to be.. I still want one... or a firebird. Man.. I was born into the wrong generation.

[dedgren]

Now that we're getting back into the swing of honoring all the folks around here who have made it into the Double-0 Club, or won a contest, or done this or that, I would be completely remiss if I didn't take some time to thank Collaborator Numero Uno, our great friend Joan (Jmouse).  Joan has done so many things for 3RR over the years, and that's on top of her duties at the site as a Global Moderator.  She has handled the massive job of keeping the table of contents caught up for well over a year now, she keeps track of the 3RR Regulars^*, and is always there if I need to get some feedback on an idea or something I am wondering about.  She was the only person gutsy enough to brave my gimlet editing eye and write some content for the Gazetteer (volunteer contributions are still welcome) [linkie] and she has taken on a collaboration quad...

...which she might want to start setting some time aside to work on.

We've honored Joan once before, back when she came sort of close to joining the Double-0 Club with post number 1,291 [linkie].



So, Joan, thank you so much for all you've done.  You'll be happy to know that restoration of the Grey Mouse noted in that post is underway and is expected to be complete sometime in 2012.  Meanwhile, the Pineshore-Cold Lake Short Line that the Grey Mouse once ran on has now been partially converted as a joint effort of the Friends of the Short Line and the Rails to Trails Conservancy to the



J. M. Sherrouse Memorial Rail-Trail.

You might recall that, in early 2007, we were reading the following [linkie].

The Pineshore-Cold Lake Short Line.  By the 1870s, the Cold Lake fishery had reached production levels that outpaced the ability to barge the catch south on the Cold and Grand Rivers to Pineshore during the ice-free months.  Investors, recognizing the opportunity, formed a company to construct an 11 mile/18 kilometer line from Pineshore to the south shore of Cold Lake.  By 1874, the Pineshore-Cold Lake Short Line ("Short Line") was complete and immediately attracted, in addition to freighting the fish, a substantial passenger ridership that had formerly used the riverboat system to travel south.  This had the effect of driving both the riverboat and barge companies out of business, and the Short Line had the entire passenger and freight market for about the next 50 years.  The community of Thunder Bay grew up and thrived during this period around the northern terminus of the Short Line, taking its name from the bay of the lake at the end of the line.

By the 1920s, though, the region's road network had developed to the point where it was more economical to truck the catch directly from Thunder Bay to the processing facilities and markets in Pineshore, and the Short Line's fortunes entered a steep decline.  The widespread adoption of the automobile for personal travel caused ridership on the line to virtually cease, and by 1932 the carrying of passengers was discontinued as the business fell into receivership.  The Short Line was abandoned altogether in 1954, and most of the track was taken up and sold for scrap, athough some sections still remain to reward the railfan ready to brave a bit of a hike and the area's infamous mosquitoes and black flies.

The right-of-way of the Short Line north of the DW&W Cold River bridge remains largely intact and is in the hands of the Rail Transport Division.  There has been growing discussion about turning the line into the region's first rail-trail, and bills to provide funding for this development have garnered an increasing number of votes in the 3RR assembly in each of the past several years.  Many landowners adjacent to the right-of-way, however, oppose the conversion, citing concerns over littering and vandalism, leaving prospects for a rail-trail, at least for the next few years, uncertain.

Well, as those of you who follow the Herald-Gazette know, through the tireless advocacy of J. M. Sherrouse, the paper's current owner and editor, along with a grant of 25,000 simoleans received from the Rails to Trails Conservancy [linkie], that situation was turned around within two years.  Conversion of 5.1 miles/8 kilometers of the old roadbed



west of R-15 into a gravel-surfaced public use trail was accomplished over the summer of 2009, to include construction of a two-tenths mile/one-third kilometer access corridor



at the southern terminus of the trail just north of Prairie Dog Creek.  Parking areas have been constructed off R-15 at each end.  The right-of-way between R-15 (Purley's Station) and the end of the line in Thunder Bay remains uncoverted



but it is hoped that this remaining stretch will be added over the next few years.

Here's a map.



The trail is well marked at each end.



Its decomposed granite surface is a uniform 7-8 feet/2.3 meters wide and comfortably allows groups of hikers and bicyclists to use the path at the same time.



No motorized traffic is allowed.



There is less than 100 feet/30 meters of elevation gain over the course of the trail (south to north) and there are no grades in excess of one percent.  There are several rock cuts near the Purley's Station trailhead.



There are several outstanding views of the Cold River, and benches have been placed at several for those who just want to sit and let the current flow by.



The trail is intended for all-weather use, and while bicycling is paramount in the summer and fall



cross-country skiing is almost as big in the winter months.



There's also, of course, plenty of railroadiana to look at along the way.







The J. M. Sherrouse Memorial Rail-Trail is one of the region's jewels, just like our friend Joan.



Thank you again for all that you do here.

* * *

Today is 3RR Regular Pablo's (sandokan) birthday- we haven't seen you for quite a while, my friend- hope today is a great one!


David

^*  3RR Regulars, who are folks who have posted here, over at 3RR-ST or on the 3RR Blog at least once, are everywhere!

552856

[ecoba]

Such a nice tribute to a great member. Congragulations, Joan.

Ethan

[canyonjumper]

Congrats Joan, for this great tribute!

                   -Jordan

[Ryan B.]

Congratulations, Joan!   

[Jmouse]

I am completely overwhelmed, David. Such a wonderful tribute, and so much greater than the small part I've played in the massive effort that is 3RR.

When I joined SC4D three years ago - almost to the day - David sent a welcoming PM and said, "Ma'am, I'll be updating 3RR in about 20 minutes and you're welcome to stop by." The rest is history!

I was enthralled by the idea of a collaborative effort, because I'd always worked alone before. But it wasn't long before I was caught up in the excitement of creativity in motion, and honestly surprised by the friendly atmosphere I found at 3RR and elsewhere on SC4D.

The little jobs I've done here and there at 3RR over the past three years have added a new and exciting dimension to the whole SC4 experience for me. Ever find yourself stuck on an in-game problem and asked yourself, "Now, what would David do here?" Yep, me too! All the time!

So, David, thank you for creating a wonderful moment in time for me. It's one I will always treasure. And thanks to the small army of others, great and small, whose participation is making one man's dream a reality for all to enjoy.

Later...
Joan

[threestooges]

Nothing uncertain about its conversion now, and nothing uncertain about the time and thought put into this update. Nice one David, very nice.
-Matt

[Glazert]

Ah, so that is what a rail-trail is! We have something similar which runs near where I live - the Strathkelvin Railway Path (for pictures of and from the Path see http://www.geograph.org.uk/search.php?i=10735775 ). Although it is called the Strathkelvin Railway Path it does not follow the River Kelvin; rather for part of its distance it follows the line of the Glazert (variously called the Glazert Burn or Glazert Water). Now where have we heard that name before?

[Albus of Garaway]

A tribute worthy of Joan's fabulous contributions not only to 3RR, but the SC4 community as a whole. Congratulations!

Jason

[Gaston]

Very cool indeed.     There are several rail-trails in this area.   They are a great way to get outside and enjoy nature.


---Gaston