Planted:            May 30, 2001      Replanted; April 29, 2003       

Length:             East Hampton to Amston; 11miles

                           East Hampton to Letterbox; 5 miles

                           Amston to Letterbox; 6 miles

                           Route 2 to Letterbox; 1 ½ miles

                           Drive by; 5 minute walk

Difficulty:         Easy. Flat rail trail with stone dust surface.

Directions:

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 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.

To start at Route 2 commuter lot: Take Route 2 to exit 16, Route 149 south and park in commuter lot. For Drive by; continue down Route 149 south for about a 1/2 mile and turn right onto River Road. Continue on River Road until you see a sign on the left for the "Salmon River Trout Management Area". Turn down this dirt road and there will be a parking lot just before a tunnel. Take the path up to the trail and cross the River Road Bridge heading east. See clues.

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. After about 1 ½ miles you’ll 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. At 2 ½ miles you’ll cross the Lyman Viaduct. There is a new blue picnic table along the trail here. This was once a 1,108 foot railroad bridge crossing 137 feet high over Dickinson’s Brook. This was also filled in around 1913. At approximately 3 miles, you’ll come to a parking area. The trail continues across Bull Hill Road. You may wish to take a side trip to see the Comstock Covered Bridge that crosses the Salmon River. Go right down Bull Hill Road approximately 1 ½ miles. Continuing along the trail, after almost 5 miles you’ll cross the River Road Bridge (Drive by). Built in 1887, this 22 foot long brownstone arch bridge traversed what is now a paved River Road. Right after this bridge, you’ll come to a second newly built wooden bridge that crosses high above the Blackledge River. 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. You may continue along the trail for another 6 miles to the trails ending in Amston. Continuing on, after about 6 ½ miles from East Hampton, you’ll come to a commuter parking lot just off of Route 2. If you parked at the Route 2 commuter lot, just reverse these instructions to find the Letterbox. From the commuter lot, travel on-road for a short jaunt along Route 149 passing underneath Route 2 to where the trail picks up again on your right. Less then a mile you’ll cross over a steel bridge which traverses high over Jeremy River. A hop, skip and a jump brings you to a wooden bridge over the same river. At 10 miles you’ll encounter Raymond Brook Marsh. Full of lily pads, beaver huts and wildlife. Beautiful. Keep an eye out to your right for a brown 10 mile marker. This is where the Colchester Spur Trail begins that will take you to Colchester Station. See;  Colchester Spur.  After 11 miles you reach the parking lot in Amston. To start in Amston, simply reverse these instructions. 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 . 

LETTERBOX LAST VERIFIED ON

AUGUST 27, 2009

TO EMAIL A VERIFICATION