Corridor Abandonments:

In 1995, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) and the Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance  program of the National Park Service (RTCA) developed the Early Warning System (EWS) to notify affected communities of proposed railroad abandonments and provide the tools necessary to preserve rail corridors for public use. Today, this system is run solely by RTC.

When a railroad proposes a corridor for abandonment to the federal Surface Transportation Board , RTC will post a notice on our Early Warning System page and notify local trail advocates, bicycle/pedestrian planners, and those who have registered for the Early Warning System. Federal regulations require interested parties to request railbanking within 30 to 45 days. For more information on railbanking, visit our Trail-Building Toolbox.

Without the Early Warning System, many community leaders would learn of rail abandonments too late to preserve corridors for public use.