From Rails to Trails

FROM RAILS TO TRAILS is the story of one of the most unlikely social movements in American history: the struggle to convert thousands of miles of private, abandoned railways into public trails for cycling and walking. This conflict-filled tale of politics, economics, citizen activism, and legal wrangling begins in the 19th century, when cut-throat railroad barons constructed thousands of miles of track from coast to coast. It then flashes forward to the post-war 1950s, when the automobile and truck started to supplant the train and railways began falling by the wayside. Next came efforts by early visionary "rail hikers" to save the old corridors, but they learned the task was much harder than expected. The story comes to a head as activists, lawyers and legislators join the fray, forcing court rulings and legislation that ultimately leads to a flourishing rails-to-trails movement. The documentary touches on a range of high-profile contemporary issues and interests: resource and energy conservation, public health and fitness, environmental protection, urban transportation planning, rural economic development, the tension between public and private rights, and the role of citizen action in government decision-making. The film is loosely based on Peter Harnik's From Rails to Trails: The Making of America's Active Transportation Network, the first book to recount the full history of the U.S. rails-to-trails movement.

Duration: 56 minutes and 46 seconds

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