yes. eh

Friday, August 23rd

In Mt. Tremper, Conductor was Bob McDonald, Engineer was Al Schoessow, Brakeman was Ed Winstanley, and Car Attendant was Tyler Carelli.


Saturday, August 24th

In Mt. Tremper, Conductor was Walt Otto, Engineer was John Watson
Brakeman was Bill Kaba, Ticket Agent was Gary Lowe.

At Longyear siding, Al Johnson and George Liucci painted CMRR No. 1 "The Duck" a new color, Yellow.

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=210603

At Campground Curve, George Peck led a crew inserting more ties and track, and installed 6 rail lengths or 99 feet. George was assisted by Greg Peck, Art Vogel, Harrison and George Balduf, Neil Remsen, Richard Desir, and Dave Heick.

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=210598

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=210601

In Kingston, we ran four very full Teddy Bear train rides. Crew was John Patane engineer, Earl Pardini, conductor and John Prestopino was brakeman. Flaggers were Fred Rasmussen and Tyler Carelli. Mimi Pardini, Pat Smalley, Karin Vogel were car attendants with assistance from Latosha Sorenson. Alex Sorenson and Ron Epstein were on hand for support. Jim Bruck was Ticket Agent. Ed Mead helped at the station.

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=210605

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=210608

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=210610

Ernie Klopping worked on the Tamper at Cornell Street. In the morning John Patane inserted 8 ties towards Rt. 209 betwen MP 5.31 and 5.33.


Sunday, August 25th

On Sunday, Conductor was Dan Howard, Engineer was Walt Otto, Neil Remsen was brakeman trainee. Ticket Agent: Gary Lowe.

Ryan Lennox cleared brush and grass from the ROW from MP 25.7 to 25.8:

http://s36.photobucket.com/user/Segawiz ... %208-24-13

In Kingston on Sunday, track crews working west from Gill's farm crossing spiked 15 ties that were inserted on Sat./Sun. extending the Kingston ride better than half a train length. Approximately 40 ties were marked for replacement, 20 were dropped from the work flat for installation at our next work session. Brush was cleared west, pproximately 100' on the curve just east of the Rte. 209 crossing. Track is now open to passengers to MP 5.33. Participating were: Al Schoessow, Tom Whyte, Jim Bruck, John Patane, and Mark Glaser.


Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
CMRR

Ryan, good looking track clearing effort. Looks good. Earnie, how much track has to be restored at Campground Curve? More than 1,000' or less?

Rob Gardner

About 450 feet we are now over 20% done. EH

Friday, August 30th

Trains will be running in Mt. Tremper.


Saturday, August 31st

On Saturday we will be running in Mt. Tremper and Kingston.

In Mt. Tremper, George Peck plans to do track work at Campground Curve. Meet at 9:30am at Mt. Tremper.


Sunday, September 1st

Trains will be running in Mt. Tremper.

In Kingston, Mark Glaser will lead a track crew starting at 10am at Cornell Street Yard. Plans are to to continue installing ties west of C9 so our Kingston City Limited can go further west to Route 209. Mark also needs brush cutters to clear brush away from the tracks west of 209 so we can plan repairs to the washout there.

Paul Sternitzke and I plan to mow the ROW east of Shokan. We will meet at Shokan around 9:30am.


Monday, September 2nd

Trains will be running in Mt. Tremper.


Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
CMRR

Keeping an eye on the competition--new bridge for a rail trail, costing $3.1 million dollars.

http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/arti ... en-October

Question: How much would a comparable rail bridge cost? I keep thinking excavation, engineering, and erection would all be about the same, and the only real difference would be in materials for a heavier structure. That shouldn't amount to that much in terms of the total package.

I bring this up because some of the trail people make claims that the railroad is too costly to restore, but I know that a lot of the work to build and maintain a railroad is also the same as that of a road--or for that matter, a trail of comparable engineering quality.

Friday, August 30th

At Mt. Tremper Engineer was Walt Otto, Ticket Agent was George Bain, Brakeman was Ed Winstanley, Brakeman trainee was Tyler Carelli, and Conductor was Dan Howard. Ticket Agent was Peter Fluchere. George Peck supported the crew on the first run and was around for various assistance during the day. Tyler Carelli continued his Brakeman training.

Al Johnson continued work on painting the Duck, CMRR No. 1.


Saturday, August 31st

In Kingston, Engineer was Al Schoessow, Brakeman was Tony Bocchino; Flaggers were Mark Glaser & Tyler Carelli; Ticket Agent was Ken Darmstadt; Conductor was Dan Howard. Ron Epstein, Fred Rasmussen, , George Bain and Dave Hilliard helped out.

At Mt. Tremper, Conductor was Ray Farrell, Engineer was John Prestopino, Brakeman was Neil Isabelle and Ticket Agent was Russ Hallock.

At Campground Curve, George Peck, Art Vogel, Rich Desir and Dave Heick continued installing rail and ties.

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=210763

At 26 Curve, Ryan Lennox and Tony Florida continued Brush Cutting.


Sunday, September 1st

At Mt. Tremper, Conductor was Bob McDonald, Engineer was Walt Otto, Brakeman was Tony Bocchino, and Ryan Lennox and Brianna Wittl were Ticket Agents.

Paul Sternitzke and I cut brush and trees from Shokan to West Hurley.

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=210764

Ryal Lennox, Christian Cole and Billy Stewart cut brush near 26 curve.

http://s36.photobucket.com/user/Segawiz ... R%209-1-13

In Kingston, Mark Glaser, Al Schoessow, Rich Desir, Tom Whyte, and Tyler Carelli cut grass at Albany Avenue and then joined John Patane installing ties near Roue 209. They inserted and spiked 17 ties, extending passenger operable track from MP 5.33 to MP 5.36.

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=210765

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=210766

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=210767

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=210768

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=210769

At Cornell St.,mechanical work/repair on the MOW pickup and tamper was done by Ernie Klopping.


Monday, September 2nd

In Mt. Tremper, Conductor was Neil Isabelle, Engineer was Earl Pardini, Brakeman was Ed Winstanley, Ticket Agent was Peter Fluchere, and George Peck helped out.


Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
CMRR

Saturday, September 7th

On Saturday we will be running in Mt. Tremper.

In Mt. Tremper, George Peck plans to do track work at Campground Curve. Meet at 9:30am at Mt. Tremper.

In Kingston, John Patane plans to lead a crew inserting ties near 209. Meet at Cornell Street at 10am then move down to Route 209 by 11am.


Sunday, September 8th

Trains will be running in Mt. Tremper.

In Kingston, Mark Glaser will lead a track crew starting at 9am at Cornell Street Yard. Plans are to continue installing ties west of C9 so our Kingston City Limited can go further west to Route 209.



Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
CMRR

Under the guise of an emergency bridge repair, without CMRR consent Ulster County (our landlord, who are separately trying to terminate our lease) removed 540 feet of track, ties, and even the subgrade pushing it into the creek to make a ramp. Removal of the subgrade will allow the fill to wash into the creek at the next rain. This is at MP 36.77 at Big Indian to MP 36.9 at Lasher Road. The Delaware & Ulster RR had expressed interest in restoring this section of the line, but were turned down by the County who want trail only in this area.

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=210805

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=210806

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=210807

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=210808

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=210809


The CMRR is demanding that the tracks be restored after the bridge work is complete.

If you want to help us fight this please contribute to our legal defense fund:

http://www.catskillmtrailroad.com/legaldefense.php

EEH

You might want to show these to your state Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ or equiv). Pushing fill into a creek without proper permitting is a major no no in most parts of the country, especially if it creates (or will create) sediments that impact fisheries. The county would have to demonstrate the emergency nature of the work and might think twice about doing such activity in the future.

Also point this out to your local fishing advocacy groups (Trout Unlimited) as they have connections that you may not.

Follow the money!

Michael Seitz
Missoula MT

Definitely get a bigger government agency (or ten) after them, one that will use a sledge hammer as a flyswatter. Even though they may own the tracks, there are many things that just can't be done without proper permits and environmental approval- even if they're in the woods out of the public eye.

So what is the emergency- can they prove the bridge was collapsing and blocking the river's flow, or some equal impending disaster?

The city and county need "Big Brother" monitoring them and slapping them down as required!

Steve Hunter

Is there something missing in the photos?

I don't see the displaced rails, only ties. Did the county scrap the rail during their emergency??? Is the CMRR lease the same as most where everything above the subgrade is CMRR property? If so they may have disposed of your property without your permission. For them I hope it is all stacked on the far side of that small excavator.

As suggested above definitely sick the departments of EPA/Wetlands & Fisheries on them, in none of the photos are there signs of erosion control fences.

Did they define what the emergency is?

Rich C.

This saga gets more extraordinary by the week. If it were not all true, I would dismiss it as a work of over the top fiction. It is as if the powers that be have lost all reasonable perspective and have begun to hallucinate they are empowered by a sort of self legislated monarchical rule. The only similar outrageously criminal act that comes to mind was the dynamiting of the Yancey Railroad bridge by a developer who wanted to assure himself that the road would never return to life. If I recall correctly the development came to naught. There certainly is no subtlety regarding their lack of common civility or respect for the efforts of their own community members. If I had the funds I would find them the best lawyer money could buy. Is there a legal defense fund? Don't tell me there is not one in place.

Just reading this makes me wish I could get over there to help you guys. I may not be much of a track worker, but I seem to think I can be a good mechanic when needed lol