Ulster & Delaware RR Historical Society Bobber Caboose Restoration

Bobber Work Days

This summer, the Ulster & Delaware RR Historical Society will be working in Arkville at the D&U yard to complete work on its NYO&W bobber caboose restoration.

Here is the schedule of weekends that volunteers are planning to work on the caboose in Arkville. New volunteers are welcome to attend.

All dates are 10am-4pm unless otherwise indicated:

Sat 6/10 (roof and exterior wood and weather seal completed)
Sat-Sun 7/22-23 (car placed on rail)
Sat 8/12 (painting)
Sat 9/9 (catch-up)
Sat-Sun 9/23-24 (final prep for maiden run, including paint)
Sat 10/7 Maiden Run at the Catskill Mountain Railfair

For more on the UDRRHS restoration projects see:

http://www.udrrhs.org/html/projects.htm



EH

Today the Ulster & Delaware RR Historical Society had its annual member BBQ at the U&D Roxbury Station in Roxbury, NY (MP 59.1 on the U&D). This fine old station is to be renovated in the near future by the UDRRHS.

While there I photgraphed a DURR train stop by the station, and also took a speeder ride as far as we could go north of the station, to about MP 59.9. The line goes another 1/4 mile or so to the southern end of Hubbell Corners, where the rails end at MP 60.2 or so, and the line becomes a rail-trail about MP 61.

We hope to clear the final 1/4 mile of the line not currently passable by speeders this fall as there is a good set-on spot a couple hundred feet from the end-of-track. Someday this spot may also become the "hand-off" area between DURR trains and the Catskill Scenic Trail, which follows the rest of the ROW to Bloomville, another 25 miles.

Here are some photos I took today:

http://naphotos.nerail.org/show/?byrail ... and_Ulster


EH

Last Saturday I stopped by the Arkville yard while we were breaking for lunch from cutting in Highmount, and saw the 5 car streamliner dinner train "The Rip Van Winkle Flyer". It was quite a sight - vista dome, baggage car, observation car, a diner, and a coach/lounge.

Apparently the dinner train is for charters only this year. However, I have been told that if you want to take it, call to see if there is extra room on the charters. The dinner train runs from Arkville and Roxbury and back.

I posted a couple pictures of the flyer on NERAIL, as well as of the BEDT 14 and the NYO&W bobber caboose in the Arkville yard here:

http://naphotos.nerail.org/show/?byrail ... and_Ulster

BEDT 14 and the NYO&W bobber are being restored by the Ulster & Delaware RR Historical Society.

EH

Saturday, June 17th

There will be three work sessions going on Saturday being sponsored by the Ulster & Delaware RR Historical Society, that are also open to new volunteers, either to participate in, or just stop by to visit (or both):

1) Roxbury Work Day

UDRRHS President Doug Kadow is leading a clean-up day at the Roxbury Depot starting at 10am. As Doug says "Right now we need elbow grease for a top-to-bottom cleanup. We have cleaning supplies on hand and will start at 10 AM this Saturday and work as late as we have willing participants. Even if you can only spend an hour or two, come up in your work clothes and we will find you a task."

2) Bobber Work Day

John LaBarre and Phil Goldstein will be assembling the running gear on the bobber caboose on Saturday. Although they do not need extra hands for this part of the restoration, you are welcome to come by and visit and see them work. They are starting at 10am in the Arkville yard.

3) Brush Cutting to Pine Hill

I will be leading a group of CMRR andd UDRRHS volunteers continuing brush cutting towards Pine Hill. Anyone interested in helping out should meet at 9:30am at the Highmount run-around, where George Cook, a CMRR volunteer, will be loading his motor car to ferry people down to the work site, which is now 9/10ths of a mile towards Pine Hill. George will make several runs up and down during the day, but you can also walk up from Pine Hill to see us, as we are now only 7/10ths mile from the former Pine Hill Depot. Bring a chainsaw or a big clipper!

Ernie Hunt

Saturday, June 17th, was a very productiuve for the Ulster & Delaware RR Historical Society.

Doug Kadow and Neil Maizner led a group cleaning up the Roxbury station.

John LaBarre and Phil Goldstein put the running gear on the Bobber
Caboose in Arkville. Photos here:

http://naphotos.nerail.org/show/?byrail ... and_Ulster

Dave Baker and I led a group cutting brush down to Pine Hill, which we
reached at the end of the day. Photos here:

http://naphotos.nerail.org/show/?byrail ... ountain_RR

Ernie Hunt

In the recent flooding, the D&U suffered from a 132 foot washout just north of Halcottsville, NY. The D&U's track gang is working hard to repair the tracks, but the line will not be open from Halcottsville to Roxbury for this weekend's rides.

The NARCOA meet scheduled for this weekend on the DURR will not be able to go north of Halcottsville. However, they have received permission from the Catskill Mountain RR to extend their ride east of Highmount to Pine Hill on the newly reopened trackage around the famous double horseshoe curves.

EH

The village of Roxbury will be having its annual "Turn of the Century Days" fair on Saturday, September 2nd and Sunday, September 3rd. The Ulster & Delaware RR Historical Society will be giving tours of the Roxbury Depot starting at 10am on both days, and will be hosting speeder runs from Roxbury's Kirkside park to the Roxbury Depot from 11am to 4pm on Sunday.

The DURR will be having a "twilight on the rails" run leaving Arkville for Roxbury at 5:30pm Saturday only. This will be in addition to its regular runs which leave Arkville for Roxbury at 11am and 2pm.

EH

I was told that the D&U installed 175 ties to enable their trains to run to Kirkside Park just west of the Roxbury Station. This would extend their line by about 3/10ths mile from MP 59.3 to about MP 59.6. Several trains were run to Kirkside Park on this extension this past weekend.

I don't know if this track will be extended further west but will post here if I find out further information. The track ends just before crossing Route 30 in Hubbell Corners at MP 60.2, so that would be as far as it could go for now. The last .2 miles, between MP 60 to MP 60.2 were only cleared of brush last May by a volunteer crew from the Ulster & Delaware RR Historical Society and the CMRR.

EH

The NYO&W Bobber had its maiden run last Saturday in Arville:

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 729175.jpg

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 129614.jpg

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 539639.jpg

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 049660.jpg

EH

The Delaware & Ulster RR obtained a grant last year of $100,000 from the Catskill Watershed Commission last June 24th to fix the slump east of Arkville which has prevented them from running to Highmount since 2004:

http://www.cwconline.org/news/press/2008/2008_0627.html

"A $100,000 award will stabilize and prevent further erosion of Delaware & Ulster Rail Ride property along the Bushkill in Arkville. "

This is also detailed in the June 24, 2008 CWC board meeting minutes:

http://www.cwconline.org/about/minutes/ ... 624min.pdf

See resolution 1354.

Work should be starting shortly on this project. Once it is complete, the DURR will be repairing its line east of Arkville all the way to Highmount (7 miles), and it is hoped they will resume regular service to Highmount later this year.

EH

The Delaware and Ulster Railroad has finally returned to Highmount, NY:

http://www.watershedpost.com/2013/train ... -expansion

Train to Pine Hill? Delaware & Ulster Railroad eyes eastward expansion

It's a sound that hasn't been heard on Belleayre for more than a decade: The chug-chug-chug of a railroad engine.

On the brilliant autumn afternoon of Thursday, October 3, the Delaware & Ulster Railroad (DURR), a nonprofit railroad company that runs tourist trains between Arkville and Roxbury, sent one of its trains east from Arkville instead of west. Without much fanfare, the 1962 ALCO RS-36 pulled up to the little wooden platform on Route 28 in Highmount, at the base of the Belleayre Ski Center.

http://www.catskillmountainnews.com/new ... Trail.html

New leadership takes over at DURR and Scenic Trail
Dave Riordan steps down after 19 years
By Brian Sweeney

There’s new leadership at the Catskill Revitalization Committee, which operates the Delaware & Ulster Railroad in Arkville and the Catskill Scenic Trail from Roxbury to Bloomville.

Dave Riordan, who has served as executive director of the Catskill Revitalization Committee (CRC) for the past 19 years, has resigned his position. He will no longer be in charge of the day-to-day operations of the railroad, but will continue managing and marketing the DURR’s Rip Van Winkle Flyer and special events.

Wes Coates has taken over as executive director of the CRC. He began his duties this posting.php?mode=reply&f=1&t=20638#month.

Mr. Coates brings to his new position nearly five decades of experience in the railroad industry, primarily with Amtrak. The News plans to run an interview with Mr. Coates regarding his plans for the local tourist train in next week’s issue.

Commenting on his long tenure overseeing operations of the DURR and the Catskill Scenic Trail, Mr. Riordan said he thoroughly enjoyed the experience...

http://www.dailyfreeman.com/general-new ... t-railroad



Two locomotives and a Rail Diesel Car sound like good long-term investments, but I'm just curious what will happen to the four locomotives already on site? There's Alco RS-36 5017, EMD NW2 112, Alco S4 1012, and Alco S4 5106. Not counting the Brill gas-electric that is on site and out of service.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ottomatic77/35772395301

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ottomatic77/6122683312

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ottomatic77/3762209378

-otto-

And a GE 44T..

WM 76. I could bring my stencils!