The Noblesville City Council Chambers were packed Thursday night, requiring much of the crowd into overflow rooms nearby with a video feed of the proceedings. That’s how many people were on hand for the listening session about the proposal to transform the Nickel Plate Rail Line into a hiking and biking green-way trail. But a good part of the audience clearly favored keeping the Nickel Plate a rail line for trains.
Noblesville Mayor John Ditslear opened the proceedings by assuring the crowd he is only doing what’s best for the people of his city. “I will assure you that any and every decision I have ever made as the mayor (has) been for the benefit for all of Noblesville,” said Mayor Ditslear. “I just want to make that point – I’ve been accused of other than that and that is not true.”
The Hoosier Heritage Port Authority is to receive requests for proposals for the Nickel Plate Rail Line, and Ditslear said he hopes the Indiana Transportation Museum, the past operator, submits a proposal, along with other interested parties.
Noblesville, Fishers and Hamilton County are partners in the proposed $9.3 million Nickel Plate Trail.
Noblesville Deputy Mayor Steve Cooke gave those assembled a brief presentation on the trail plans.
There were 17 speakers from the public in a segment that lasted just under an hour. All but 2, maybe 3, were in favor of preserving the rail line, due to its historic value. Many reminisced about the days of hearing the trains and how that brings back fond memories. A number of those speaking have volunteered on the train operation, including the Fair Train.
Some argued that trails could exist along the line with the trains. Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness has said he does not believe there is enough room to accommodate such a plan.
One young man began crying while talking about the train, and received thunderous applause from the packed chambers.
Glen Schwartz, a member of the Hoosier Heritage Port Authority board, says the studies he has seen put the price tag to put the rails back in shape for the trains to once again use them, would be no higher than $3.7 million, which would take a 5-7 year period to complete. He believes the Fair Train could run from Noblesville to the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis at a speed of 10 miles per hour, costing $55,000 to repair some rails and ties. To get the rails in shape to travel 25 miles per hour, from Tipton to the State Fairgrounds, would cost $3.7 million, according to Schwartz.
There was no Fair Train in 2016 for the first time in many years after a track inspection found the rails to not be safe.
After the public comments, those in attendance were given the opportunity to talk one-on-one with officials from all the government agencies.
Now that the listening sessions are over, we will watch what the next steps will be in this process.
