A nice expression ... getting something "back on track". But unfortunately the railway between Pergola and Fabriano is one of the many railway lines that was abandoned when political choices were made.
Without going into too much detail whether these choices were the right ones or not ... the fact remains that the train between Pergola and Fabriano has not been running for a long time. That is a great shame, because it was a nice train that took the students and commuters to Fabriano in the morning and brought them back home again in the afternoon. And now? For years now there has been this abandoned, but still in quite a good condition, railway line that also crosses a beautiful area. An excellent opportunity to do something with it that benefits the local economy and increase the reputation of this region. You might think .... But so far it has remained with nice plans. Plans that are about putting back into use as before, tourist steam trains and conversion into a bicycle path. Plans that fail because of the differences of opinion between the various municipalities and the regional administrators. Plans that fail due to lack of money but above all unanimity and vision ... In the meantime, the railway line is deserted, tight and straight as a promise. As a cyclist and walker, I don't have to think long about my future fantasy, but after a little asking around, everyone here in Pergola turns out to have their own ideas and frustrations about it. Everyone agrees on one thing: leaving it unused is a shame. And so we explored one afternoon. Just past Bellisio Solfare, a village outside Pergola, we walked for a while along the railway line, on a dirt road, we encountered level crossings and abandoned railway houses. We didn't meet anyone, the railway was ours alone. At one point we walked the rails and after a while the entrance to a tunnel loomed. An unreal feeling because somewhere in the back of your mind a small voice can be heard: what if a train is still coming? What then? That feeling became stronger when we entered the tunnel that turned out to be much longer than we thought. In the meantime, our imaginations took wings ... A cycle path to Fabriano, with several stops. A reuse of the former station buildings with a repair service, bicycle rental and a café with terrace. Yes, I can see it for me. Now for the various authorities… because we all have to get this beautiful railway line back on track!
