Group seeks to convert old railroad line to recreation trail

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — Advocates of a new outdoor recreational project in southeast South Dakota are asking state regulators for permission to convert an old railroad line into a trail for cyclists, hikers and horseback riders. The Friends of the Tabor to Platte Rail to Trail nonprofit say the project would improve recreational opportunities, public health and the economy in the region. A 75-mile portion of the old Napa-to-Platte line built in the early 1900s and operated by Milwaukee Road would be converted. South Dakota purchased the line in 1980 after the company went bankrupt. The trail would cross waterways and trestle bridges as it passes through agricultural land and small towns.