Catskill Mountain Railroad (CMRR) Discussion - 2015

http://www.kingstonx.com/2015/09/28/let ... the-trail/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Letters: Don’t squander tourist train potential; the mayor and his city; support the trail
by DAN BARTON on Sep 28, 2015 • 12:51 pm

I am Bill Ford, the 92-year-old “baby” brother of Edwin Ford, Kingston’s city historian of over 35 years. While Ed strives to remain apolitical, I am not. I call myself a “Lincoln Republican” out of respect for my grandfather, Albert Ford, who I knew for 13 years until his death in 1936. He voted for Abraham Lincoln. I myself am a combat veteran of World War II, having fought as a rifleman in the 38th Infantry Regiment of the 2nd Infantry Division in the European Theater of Operations.

I was born in a family farmhouse in Highland on April 4, 1923. I arrived in Kingston in 1928, following the sale of the farm, and later graduated from Kingston High School in 1941. After a varied and successful career, my retirement led me to Florida and then to Texas. I returned to Kingston in 2014 after the death of my wife, Thelma. We raised three sons during our marriage of 70 years. Kingston is once again my home and I’m very glad to be here.

The 11-mile section of the Catskill Mountain Railroad that serves as the current “missing link” between Kingston Plaza and Mount Tremper will be torn up and cast asunder unless we as concerned citizens, mindful of the tracks’ historic and commercial value, act between now and the spring of 2016. Built in the 1870s, the Catskill Mountain Railroad was originally part of a commercial enterprise developed by Samuel Coykendall and Thomas Cornell. These two very perceptive businessmen if the 1870s had the foresight to realize that many thousands of passengers disembarking from Hudson River steamboats might wish to continue their scenic journey into the Catskills aboard a comfortable railroad car. Coykendall reported that in one year alone, 1905, 600,000 passengers rode the trains.

Starting from the Kingston Plaza, there are currently thousands of passengers enjoying themed train rides to a terminus just past the flats of Hurley. It is beyond here that the 11-mile section of the historic tracks still exists. Why shouldn’t these tracks be used as well?

Ulster County Executive Michael Hein seems to be determined in his effort to destroy our heritage. That section of the tracks is historic, as proven by the fact that it is protected by law. This section is the “missing link” to the existing tracks at the village of Mount Tremper, where another very popular excursion train operates. This train ride allows passengers to enjoy a ride, “clear up to Phonicy,” to quote us “old-timers.” Reconditioned, I predict that hundreds of thousands of tourists will flock to Kingston to take a spectacular 35-mile trip through our scenic Catskill Mountains.

It could very well become the foremost tourist attraction in the entire Hudson Valley!...

Friday, October 2nd

in Mt. Tremper, Tom Whyte was engineer, Earl Pardini was conductor, and Ed Winstanley was car attendant. Peter Fluchere was ticket agent.

Walt Otto Continued work on Coach 2949.


Saturday October 3rd

Walt Otto continued work on coach 2949.

The crew for the special Wounded Warriors run were; Engineer Al Schoessow. Conductor was John Prestopino. Dave Hilliard was the Brakeman. Flaggers were Hunter Downie, John Marino and Fred Rssmussen.

Ernie Klopping worked on the backhoe.

George Bain, Neil Remsen, Hunter Downie and Pat Smalley worked on coach 832.

George Peck, Art Vogel and Greg Peck worked on the tamper.

Al Johnson worked on the roof of the 703.

Jeff Otto, Tom Whyte, John Marino, Martin Elbrecht, Bryan Wade, Russ Hallock, and Dave Hilliard
inserted ties and spiked them up at the body shop crossing.

In Mt. Tremper, Dave Heick was engineer and Walt Otto was conductor. Peter Fluchere was ticket agent at Mt. Tremper, and Dan Howard was ticket agent at Phoenicia.



Sunday, October 4th

In Mt. Tremper, Engineer was Dave Heick, conductor was Tony Bocchino. Peter Fluchere was ticket agent.

George Peck worked in the Phoenicia yard with Greg Peck.

Jeff Otto, Tom Whyte, Joe Wolfe, Joe Ferro (new volunteer), Hunter Downie and Neil Remsen inserted and spiked more ties at the body shop crossing. The track is now safety-tied to MP 6.55.

Neil Remsen removed window frames from the 832.




Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
CMRR

Great Pumpkin is October 24th and 25th:

http://cmrrevents.com/wordpress/peanuts/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

EH

What is the history of coach 832 and what does it look like? I haven't been able to find out any information about it.

832. Photo and History Thanks to Fred Rasmussen and Ernie Hunt for the Photo.

http://photos.greatrails.net/showpic/?2 ... 2&BOOL=ALL" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

NERAIL.... the one place I didn't look. Thanks.

Nice to see the N&W coach back to The US, but don't it belong behind the queen of steam class J 611?
As usual you guys will do a good job it.

Former N&W 1727 was taken on a mechanical test today to test brakes and the ride, which was very smooth:

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=226342" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

We plan to finish external paint and new window installation shortly. We are also converting the car from steam to electric heat.

EH

OK, I am not on these boards as much as I used to, but when did CMRR get engine #42?

That is great!

Encouraging words from the county executive's opponent in November. I was at a function in Ulster County where she happened to be speaking. She came in wearing a CMRR ball cap, and saving the railroad was one of the 5 or so key points of her speech, and I was probably the only railfan in the audience so she wasn't tailoring the message just to make train people happy. It was actually a major piece of her platform. It's nice to see it getting some real mainstream political discussion and support. Just have to hope she gets elected.

If I have been reading correktly, back in the 70s or 80s when the railroad attempted to abandon this line, the people banded together and the county bought the ROW to preserve it as a railroad. If the goal had been a bike path / hiking trail I doubt anyone would have bothered.

http://www.dailyfreeman.com/general-new ... ne-repairs" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

In Ulster County exec race, Bernardo and Hein spar over federal aid for rail line repairs
By Patricia Doxsey, Daily Freeman
POSTED: 10/05/15, 4:28 PM EDT | UPDATED: 2 WEEKS, 1 DAY AGO 91 COMMENTS

KINGSTON >> Terry Bernardo, the Republican candidate for Ulster County executive, has accused incumbent Michael Hein of playing politics with federal funds earmarked for repairs to the former Ulster & Delaware Railroad line.

In a statement issued Sunday, Bernardo said Hein is “personally responsible for refusing to repair” damage to the county-owned portion of rail corridor caused by Tropical Storms Irene and Lee in 2011.

“Luckily for everyone, Hurricane Joaquin looks to be staying far away from New York at this point,” Bernardo wrote of the storm now far out in the Atlantic Ocean. “While that’s a relief, let’s remember that Mike Hein is personally responsible for refusing to repair what is now years-old damage from ... Irene and Tropical Storm Lee.”

Hein, a Democrat running for a third term in office, said the former county legislator doesn’t know what she’s talking about.

“This kind of misrepresentation of the facts and willingness to say anything, regardless of its accuracy, is precisely why the residents of her district voted her out of office the first time,” Hein said of Bernardo, who lost her re-election bid in 2013.

“In 2011, Ulster County endured one of the worst natural disasters it had seen in a generation,” Hein said. “As we sent our priorities, roads and bridges ... take top priority.”

At issue is roughly $3.6 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency money awarded to the county, but yet unspent, for repairs to portions of the rail corridor used by the Catskill Mountain Railroad, a private company that holds a lease on the corridor through May 2016.

Bernardo said Hein’s “refusal to spend money awarded by FEMA to make these repairs is costing the county much needed economic and tourism dollars.”

“Mike would rather play politics than do what’s right,” she said. “When you’d rather be a political bully than do your job as executive, you are not serving your constituents.”...

Enough is enough. Thes politicians are nothing but phoney crooks just looking out for their own self interest and not that of the public at large. Hein simply needs to be brought up on charges for failure of duty. He has no business using he's personal agenda against the railroad to note provide railroad with the funds awarded for the repairs.
Like May other elected officials this guy needs to be exiled too.

I'm not being biased toward the CMRR, but the fact is NY has ample trails and to rip up a functional attraction for a trial is simply the poorest business decision anyone can make.

Had the county been throwing some money and help to the railroad annually for track and ROW maintenance/upkeep. All they would have to worry about is the Boiceville bridge instead of rebuilding on their own, fighting setback after set back and wasting money with foolish personal agenda lawsuits.

BandA wrote:Is OTM an abbreviation for other track materials?

Yes. If you'd like to use it in a sentence: "The OTM stored in 55 gallon drums between Roxbury and Grand Gorge has been stolen."

Ulster County executive debate: Hein, Bernardo spar over railroad, jobs, budget

http://www.dailyfreeman.com/general-new ... obs-budget" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Terry Bernardo, an Accord resident and a former chairwoman of the county Legislature, said she also is running to help preserve the possibility of tourist train service between Kingston and the Ashokan Reservoir. She said that such a train ride would be a boon to Ulster County tourism.

She said Hein “literally wants to tell them to take a hike,” a reference to the executive favoring a recreational trail for much of the county-owned rail corridor.

Bernardo said Kingston’s economy has already benefited from thousands of tourists taking the short train ride between Kingston Plaza and Hurley that’s offered by the Catskill Mountain Railroad.

Hein, a Hurley resident, said he supports the continued existence of that train ride, and one that runs between Mount Tremper and Phoenicia, but he also noted the rides are only a small portion of the county’s $515 million-a-year tourism industry.

Bernardo called the Catskill Mountain Railroad the county’s most important tourism-related matter.