Sign Up  /  Login

Airline Trail South LbNA #2670

Owner:Bill & Craig
Plant date:Apr 29, 2003
Location:
City:Colchester
County:New London
State:Connecticut
Boxes:1
Found by: Bill & Craig
Last found:Aug 21, 2016
Status:FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFO
Last edited:Jul 10, 2017
To start in East Hampton: Take Route 66 to East Hampton. Go south on Route 196 for almost half a mile. Take a left onto Flanders Road, go a quarter of a mile. Turn right on Smith Road. On your left will be a small pond with a parking area.

To start at Route 2 commuter lot: Take Route 2 to exit 16 to Route 149 and park in commuter lot below the highway. More parking located north up Route 149, then a right down Old Hartford Rd to the Old Hartford Rd parking lot.

To start in Amston: Take Route 85 between Hebron and Colchester to the Amston section, this is about a half mile south of Route 207. There is a parking area located on the western side of Route 85, next to the "Route 85 Lumber" store.

The Air Line Trail follows the rail bed of the former Air Line Railroad which was built to connect Boston and New York City in the shortest distance possible - as if by a "line" drawn through the "air" via the city of New Haven. The railroad climbed from Middletown to East Hampton, and then went over the Lyman Viaduct, a spectacular 1,100 foot long iron trestle over a deep and wide gorge. The railroad then continued on through North Westchester and Amston in the southern part of Hebron. The line passed along the boundary of Lebanon and Columbia before dropping steadily down the Ten Mile River valley to Willimantic. The final portion of this section was completed in 1873. The Air Line is remembered for its fast express trains. There was a succession of these beginning with the New England Limited in 1884. This was succeeded in1891 by the White Train, popularly known as the Ghost Train. It was made up of gleaming white coaches trimmed with gold. The parlor cars' interiors were finished in mahogany and furnished with velvet rugs, silk curtains and upholstered plush chairs. The train's schedule was so well advertised that people came from miles around to wait at stations or crossing to see it go by. The fast express was replaced in 1895 by the Air Line Limited. The decline of the Air Line Route came about when passengers and shippers began to prefer the Shore Line Route. For more information visit; AIR LINE TRAIL .

Starting in East Hampton; The trail starts at Cranberry Meadow, next to Cranberry Bog. This area was once a natural cranberry producing bog. A map board and picnic tables are located here.

Note; The trail crosses Smith Rd and heads west towards downtown E Hampton. However, after passing through the woods and a rock cut it currently ends after only a 1/2 mile at Watrous St. If you head left down Watrous St, then right on Walnut Ave you'll come to Main St.

Heading east, the rail trail heads into the woods and travels over many berms and through many rock cuts (created by the RR) along its route. Cattle Lot Brook shadows the trail along your left. Pass the 1 mile post on your right. Mileage markers placed every mile along the trail. After 1 1/4 miles you値l come to the Rapallo Viaduct. This was originally a railroad bridge built in 1873 and spanning 1,380 feet, 60 feet above Flat Brook. However, in 1913, the span was filled in because the bridge could no longer carry the weight of the new freight trains. After crossing the open viaduct the trail then heads back into the woods. At 2 ス miles you値l come to the Lyman Viaduct. This was once a 1,108 foot railroad bridge crossing 137 feet high over Dickinson痴 Brook. This was also filled in around 1913. A couple of blue picnic tables are located here. Spot the iron buried in the trail. That is part of the old RR bridge that was buried long ago. Better views of the surrounding hills from this viaduct. Again, the trail heads back into the woods and at 3 miles, you値l come to the Bull Hill Road parking lot. A better map board here, which also highlights points along the trail.

Note; The trail continues across Bull Hill Rd, however, you may wish to take a side trip to see the Comstock Covered Bridge that crosses the Salmon River. Go right down Bull Hill Rd which becomes Comstock Bridge Rd for approximately 1 ス miles. The bridge will be on your left. Note; They are currently dismantling and moving the bridge to a nearby parking lot for restoration. The project is expected to be completed by June 2011.

Continuing along the trail, which now travels along a ridgeline, the Salmon River parallels the trail far below. When you cross a culvert under the trail at 4.2 miles, look right and you should have a good view of the river. You値l cross the River Road Bridge (Drive by). Built in 1887, this 22 foot long brownstone arch bridge crosses over River Rd. A trail leads down to the road. Next, you come to a wooden bridge that crosses high above the Blackledge River at 4.6 miles. Before crossing the bridge, there is a dirt path on the left, next to the bridge railing and wood retaining wall, that heads down to the river. Take this path about halfway down where you will see a large rock on your left, just before another rock near where the path turns. Under the backside of this large rock, under some stones, is the Airline Trail South Letterbox. After crossing the bridge the landscape levels out, traveling through forest and wetlands. Still plenty of berms and rock cuts however. Cross River Rd again at about 5.4 miles and pass by a nice marsh on the left full of lily pads. Cross a causeway through Day Meadow Brook. Travel past the Route 149 parking lot and across Route 179 at 5.8 miles. The Jeremy River parallels the trail down along your right. You come to the Route 2 commuter lot at 6.3 miles. Pass through and exit the commuter lot, heading right for a short jaunt along Route 149 (wide shoulder). After traveling underneath Route 2 the trail picks up again on your right and returns you to the rail trail. Come to the Old Hartford Road parking lot at 6.5 miles where you'll find another map board. At 7.4 miles you値l cross over an old iron RR bridge which traverses high over Jeremy River. A hop, skip and a jump brings you to a wooden bridge over the Judd Brook. At 8.5 miles look to your right to spot part of an old RR track holder. Cross Grayville Rd followed by Old Colchester Rd at 9 1/4 miles. Now you値l travel along a causeway through Raymond Brook Marsh. Full of lily pads, beaver huts and wildlife. Beautiful. Just before the 10 mile marker is where the Colchester Spur Trail begins on the right.

Note; The Colchester Spur Trail takes you south to Colchester and the old Colchester RR Station. See; Colchester Spur Trail .

After traveling behind the Route 85 Lumber yard you'll reach the Route 85 parking lot in Amston at 10.4 miles. A map board is located here.

Note; The Airline Trail continues towards Willimantic, where the trail is eventually supposed to hook up with the Hop River Trail. Just follow the trail across Route 85. For more information see; Airline Trail North Letterbox .