Railroad company files complaint asking court to stop Lewis County efforts in seizing tracks by eminent domain

LOWVILLE- Lewis County is making efforts to obtain railroad tracks as part of the Lowville & Beaver River and Adirondack & Northern Railroads, but the company who owns the tracks is asking a court to prevent that from happening.

This development is according to the latest from the Watertown Daily Times.

Citing eminent domain, it’s reported that the county is looking to get its hands on nearly 40-miles of train track, with a goal of restoring it into recreational trails. However, the Genesee Valley Transportation Co. is asking a court for those efforts to be extinguished.

Last summer, the county reportedly filed a purchase offer for sections of track between Lyons Falls and Lowville; Lowville and Carthage and Lowville and Croghan at a price of nearly $686,000.

County officials encouraged counter offers in a letter, to which GVT apparently did not provide and – instead – made clear that they had no intent of selling the tracks.

County manager Ryan Piche told reporters that utilizing easements for a trail presents challenges, as the tracks are built up, with many steep embankments along the easements.

The tracks in question have been abandoned for nearly the past three decades.

Stay tuned, we plan to air more on this situation in the near future.

Image courtesy via Raymond Soper and History of the Lowville & Beaver River Railroad.