Patriot Rail Corp. has demonstrated a tremendous community spirit by donating a section of unused rail corridor to the people of Mississippi for conversion into a rail-trail.

The 21-mile portion of the Mississippi and Skuna Valley (MSV) Railroad line runs through Calhoun and Yalobusha counties in north-central Mississippi. Calhoun County Board of Supervisors accepted the property donation last month, establishing the Mississippi and Skuna Valley Rails to Trails Recreational District. Since the MSV also traverses Yalobusha County, Calhoun County entered into a joint agreement with Yalobusha County for the project.

Though many miles of rail corridor across the country currently lie unused, local governments and community groups are not always able to come to terms with railroad companies to purchase or negotiate other lease deals for the property. By contrast, Patriot's generous and farsighted gesture demonstrates not only a willingness to support its local community, but also an astute understanding of the importance of preserving the land for public use. By transferring ownership of the intact corridor to the counties, the door has been kept open for the corridor to be returned to use as a rail line in the future, if service is warranted.

"Repurposing the MSV railroad into a trail is an excellent use of this rail corridor, transforming a once underutilized property into a vibrant community asset," says Gary O. Marino, chairman, president and CEO of Patriot Rail Corp. "We hope that this trail will be a source of enjoyment for the community for many years to come."

The new trail, which would link the towns of Bruce and Coffeeville, is expected to be called the Skuna Valley Trail. Already local and state officials have begun exploring the possibility of connecting the corridor to existing trails in the area. Both counties have also met with the managers of trail systems nearby, such as the Tanglefoot Trail, to learn more about capitalizing on the myriad benefits such trails bring to local communities.

Plans are being considered to connect the future Skuna Valley Trail with the Tanglefoot Trail, and another unused rail corridor extending north from Coffeeville to Water Valley.

"There are people who fly all over the country to ride these trails," Mississippi Department of Transportation Chief Counsel Roy Tipton told The Journal of Calhoun County. "The possibility is there to bring a lot of traffic into your communities for very little risk."

Photo courtesy of Patriot Rail Corp. Map courtesy of Mississippi Rails.