Silver Lake Railriders invites you to pedal the tracks

MADISON — As a child in Rhode Island, Hank Walther had big dreams for his future. He had a passion for the piano, which eventually led him to play at the Grand Ol’ Opry for country musician John Conlee and numerous gigs that took him across the country and onto cruise ships where he entertained thousands of people. Walther dreamed bigger, though, called by the sound of the train whistle that is today even his cellphone ringtone.

Through his love of trains and all things that rode the tracks, Walther and his wife, Lillian Mello, saw that dream unfold this September with the opening of Silver Lake Railriders. The outdoor experience offers a 6-mile round-trip scenic rail biking tour along the abandoned railroad tracks once actively traveled by the Boston & Maine Railroad and later by the local Silver Lake Railroad.