Monday August 25th to Friday August 29th

Crews in the yard continued all week working on Coaches 2962, 2940, and Flat 274. Tuesday work was done on the fill at 5.53 and trackwork was done Friday in Kingston.

Crews included George Bain, Walt Otto, Joe Michaels, Earl Pardini, Al Johnson, Alex Sorenson, Jim Bruck, Fred Rasmussen, John Marino, Tom Whyte, Marty Weir, Al Schoessow, John Prestopino, Raphael Demeglio,John Patane, Mark Glaser, Karl Wick, Pat Smalley, Ernie Klopping, Tony Bocchino, Matt Gillis and many more.


Friday August 29th

On Friday at Mt. Tremper Engineer was John Prestopino, Ticket Agent was Bruce Devorkin, and Conductor Walt Otto.


Saturday August 30th

Saturday,Tom Whyte and Mark Glaser continued roadbed work at MP 5.53.

On Saturday in Kingston Al Schoessow was engineer, John Marino was brakeman, Tony Bocchino was conductor.

Joe Michaels, Earl Pardini, Raphael Demeglio, Matt Gillis and Al Johnson worked on flat 35112. George Balduf and George Bain worked on Coach 2962. Fred Rasmussen worked on seats. Neil Remsen worked on step boxes on the 2962.

At Mt. Tremper, Dave Heick was engineer, Bill Kaba was brakeman, and Ray Farrell was conductor. Russ Hallock was ticket agent.

George Peck and Art Vogel worked at Farmer's Crossing.


Sunday August 31st

Work at MP 5.53 continued. Participating were; Tom Whyte,Al Schoessow,Marty Weir,John Marino,John Patane,Raphael Demeglio,and Mark Glaser.

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=218541

At Mt. Tremper, Dave Heick was engineer, Walt Otto was conductor, Tony Bocchino was brakeman. Gary Lowe was ticket agent.

Pat Smalley, Neil Remsen, Alex Sorenson Walt Otto George Bain and I worked on coaches 2962 and 2940. Earl Pardini, Raphael Demeglio, Matt Gillis, Joe Michaels, Al Schoessow worked on flat 35112.

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=218542

George Bain and Neil Remsen worked on Coach 2962 at Cornell Street.


Monday, September 1st

At Mt. Tremper, John Prestopino was engineer, Tyler Carelli was Trainman, Russ Hallock was car attendant, and Walt Otto was conductor. Gary Lowe was ticket agent.

Pat Smalley, Neil Remsen, Alex Sorenson Walt Otto George Bain and I worked on coaches 2962 and 2940. Earl Pardini, Raphael Demeglio, Joe Michaels, Al Schoessow worked on flat 35112. John Patane also assisted as well as Tom Whyte.

The new equipment was taken on a test run late in the day:

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=218585




Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
CMRR

Thomas was a GREAT SUCCESS for the CMRR this weekend.

http://www.dailyfreeman.com/general-new ... n-kingston

Thomas the Tank Engine thrills children in Kingston

By Patricia Doxsey, Daily Freeman

Posted: 09/05/14, 5:04 PM EDT

KINGSTON >> With a “Toot! Toot!” of his horn, Thomas the Tank Engine pulled out of Kingston Plaza on Friday, his cars brimming with the tiny passengers who are his biggest fans.

And while the youngsters — mostly 2-, 3- and 4-year-olds — were either unable or reluctant to share their thoughts about the chance to climb aboard their favorite storybook and cartoon character, the excitement was evident in their faces as Thomas pulled into the “station” and they eagerly climbed aboard.

Rowan Shortle, 3, and his sister Ivy, 2, were among some the day’s earliest passengers, catching a ride on the first train of the day’s “Day Out With Thomas: Thrill of the Ride” event.

The two traveled from Gardiner with their parents, Tina and Dave, to take a ride on Thomas, who is Kingston through a partnership with the Catskill Mountain Railroad.

Aboard the train, the boys and girls, many wearing conductor’s caps, giggled with excitement as the train made its way along the tracks, across Washington Avenue, through a tunnel, over a bridge that crosses the Esopus Creek and then back again.

“I heard him talk!” exclaimed J.J. Robinson, the son of Rebecca and Greg Robinson of Rhinebeck.

Rebecca Robinson said her son is a big fan of trains in general and of Thomas the Tank Engine and friends in particular, so the chance to not only bring him on a train ride so close to home but also on one of his favorite characters was one they couldn’t miss.

“Spending $19 in our back yard to do something like this? It was absolutely worth it,” Rebecca Robinson said. “This was ideal.”

In addition to the train ride, children could have their picture’s taken with Thomas, meet Sir Tophamm Hatt, play with trains, get a Thomas the Tank Engine tattoo and, of course, buy souvenirs, all under tents set up on the baseball field adjacent to the plaza.

Additionally, five local businesses set up concessions where passengers could get a bit to eat or something to drink.

Jean Beyer of New Paltz said she and her husband Chris were going to bring their 3-year-old twins, Aidan and Kaeli, to Pennsylvania to ride Thomas until they discovered he would be in Ulster County.

“It’s just too bad that he can’t come back,” Jean said, referring to an ongoing battle between the Catskill Mountain Railroad and Ulster County over future use of the tracks.

The county, which owns the tracks and leases them to the railroad, wants to create a recreational trail on the tracks between Kingston and the Ashokan Reservoir.

“It’s very disappointing,” said Beyer. “I don’t know why they can’t do both.”

Catskill Mountain Railroad President Ernie Hunt said about 400 tickets were sold for Friday’s rides on the Thomas-led train and about 1,600 had been sold for Saturday and Sunday rides.

Thomas the Tank Engine also will be in Kingston next weekend, Sept. 12-14.

http://www.dailyfreeman.com/opinion/201 ... n-railroad

LETTER: It would be a crime to scrap the Catskill Mountain Railroad

Posted: 09/07/14,

Dear Editor,

The Catskill Mountain Railroad seems able to generate enough money with their two train trips in Kingston and Phoenicia. This is evident by the constant influx of new passenger cars every year and the vast amount of railroad repair equipment they own. Also, they were able to complete major repairs, such as rebuilding bridge C-9 in outer Kingston and restoring Campground Curve in Phoenicia, on their own money, grants and with their many volunteers.

Still, there is a possibility that the railroad may not be making a profit and, in this situation, it might be best to restructure its business plan or, if necessary, let it go out of business.

If there was a rail trail on the roadbed of the Catskill Mountain Railroad, it is doubtful it would attract anywhere the same number of hikers that travel the Walkway Over the Hudson since it resides about 20 miles from where the railroad currently operates. The area is certainly lovely and wonderful to walk, but truly the main reason so many flock to that area is for the magnificent rail journey nestled in the glorious mountains.

The scrap value of the rail is diminished by wooden ties that have rotted, rails that have deteriorated. A thorough estimation of the value is between $36,000 and $37,000, not even close to the many millions needed to build the trail. In the long run, it would seem cheaper to keep the rail instead of building the trail.

With a wealth of history in both transportation and the industrial growth of our nation, it would simply be a crime to scrap it.

Now is the time to try to save one of our most important pieces of history before it is lost to the same contagion that destroyed so many other treasures of our past.

Alex Prizgintas, age 14

Member of New York, Ontario & Western Railroad Historical Society

Central Valley, N.Y.

Of course Mike Hein is not impressed and still wants the rail ripped up!

http://www.dailyfreeman.com/general-new ... is-weekend

‘Thomas the Tank Engine’ drew 5,000 people to Kingston over weekend; thousands more expected this weekend

By Patricia Doxsey, Daily Freeman
Posted: 09/09/14, 6:36 PM EDT |

Ernest Hunt, president of the Catskill Mountain Railroad, said 5,000 tickets were sold for rides on the train Friday, Saturday and Sunday, grossing the railroad $90,000 in revenue.

“We had an amazing weekend,” Hunt said. “It exceeded our expectations unbelievably.

“I was astounded at the crowds that we had there,” he said.

Hunt said the railroad also sold roughly $40,000 worth of merchandise at Thomas the Tank Engine gift shop.

“I was shocked,” he said.

Hunt said an analysis of the tickets sold showed 59 percent of the riders came from New York state outside of Ulster County and 7 percent came from out of state, while 16 percent came from Ulster County and 5 percent from the city of Kingston. Thirteen percent of the tickets sold were walk-ons, which, he said, were likely local residents.

“I figure this weekend will be fairly similar,” he said of the rides to be offered Friday through Sunday.

Hunt said the railroad already has sold more than 3,000 tickets for the upcoming weekend, when Thomas the Tank Engine — a cartoon and storybook character popular with preschoolers — will again chug along a stretch of the former Ulster & Delaware rail corridor between that runs from Aaron Court at the east end of the plaza to a spot near the Esopus Creek in the town of Ulster.

Out of the railroad’s gross revenues, it must pay a commission to HIT Entertainment, which provides the “Day Out With Thomas” event as well as other expenses, including the transport of Thomas the Tank Engine, associated with the event.

Hunt said a final accounting will be done after the event closes Sunday.

“We haven’t figured it out yet, but we will definitely be pulling a significant amount from this event,” he said.

Under the terms of railroad’s lease agreement with Ulster County, the railroad will pay the county 5 percent of gross revenue for the year, minus capital expenses, including its take from the Thomas rides.

Hunt said the county also will benefit from the sales tax levied on items sold in the gift shop that is part of the Thomas event.

“They should get a nice little amount,” he said.

Ulster County Executive Michael Hein, who is attempting to evict the Catskill Mountain Railroad from the tracks it used for the event, said he was “pleased to see events like this run and attract people to our community.”

But while he said events like the Thomas rides “can be invaluable in many parts of the county,” the success of the event isn’t swaying him from his plan to convert the rail line into a recreational trail.

Hein has called for the former Ulster & Delaware corridor between Kingston and the Ashokan Reservoir to be converted into a walking and biking trail. A tourist train still could operate from the west side of the Ashokan, from Mount Tremper to Phoenicia, as it does now.

“What it [the Thomas event] does is make me very hopeful that a rail operator can be successful in other parts of our community to help bring tourists into those parts of the community,” Hein said. “Whether it’s at the Trolley Museum area [in Kingston] or the Mount Tremper/Phoencia area that would greatly benefit from an event like this, I firmly believe that a segmented rail-with-trail plan can deliver the best of both worlds to our community.”

Looks like the tide is turning in favor of the CMRR!

http://www.dailyfreeman.com/opinion/201 ... our-future

LETTER: Catskill Mountain Railroad good for our future

Posted: 09/06/14

Dear Editor:

In the golden years of the Catskills, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the railroads carried throngs of happy vacationers to “the mountains.”

Today, some 20 years of the sweat and labors of a dedicated group of volunteers have paid off with a tourist business that has turned the last of these once-bustling railroad lines into one that draws thousands of tourists to “the mountains” once again for weekend excursions.

Saving The Catskill Mountain Railroad not only gives tourism a boost to the local economy now but keeps the door open for a chance for future growth along the last rail corridor in the Catskill Mountains.

On the other side of the coin, the rails-to-trails movement, in its initial concept, was a wonderful thing and has preserved many miles of former railbed that otherwise would have been lost. But in the case of the Catskill Mountain Railroad, the idea of removing an active railroad perverts what the original rails-to-trails movement was all about.

Once the rails come up, the last railroad in the Catskills will be lost forever. Trails are great, but they are still only trails, limited in their growth capacity. They do not have the potential to carry the passengers and goods that are our nation’s lifeblood like a railroad line does.

I plead to you, for the sake of the Catskill Mountain Railroad, do not destroy a viable rail line. Look long into the future.

Robert McCue

Highland Mills, N.Y.

http://www.dailyfreeman.com/opinion/201 ... ank-engine

LETTER: Another opportunity to ride with Thomas the Tank Engine

Posted: 09/12/14,

Dear Editor:

This weekend features the second opportunity at Kingston Plaza to enjoy a Thomas the Tank Engine event sponsored by the Catskill Mountain Railroad.

My family attended last weekend’s event and we’ve never experienced such a well-planned and well-organized fun day. There were hundreds of families — some obviously four generations — just walking around with big smiles on their faces as they watched their little ones gleaming and jumping up and down over Thomas.

The event featured a lovely train ride, complete with Thomas leading the cars, through a portion of the tracks that I’m sure many of us had never seen before. It was all magical and perfect.

I encourage you to attend this event that also offers several tents with fun things for youngsters of all ages. Of course, there’s a gift shop. Enter this tent at your own risk.

Congrats and a big “thank you” to CMRR for offering this opportunity to our community.

Jo Galante Cicale,

Saugerties, NY

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

Ulster County Legislature resolution calls for ending lawsuit vs. Catskill Mountain Railroad

By Patricia Doxsey, Daily Freeman

Posted: 09/11/14

KINGSTON >>

Ulster County lawmakers could consider a resolution this month calling for an end to efforts by the county to evict the Catskill Mountain Railroad from the former Ulster & Delaware rail corridor.

Legislator David Donaldson, who introduced the resolution, said if it clears legislative committees in the near future, the measure will go before the full Legislature on Sept. 23.

Donaldson, D-Kingston, said the county has spent more than $90,000 in taxpayer money in the effort to evict the railroad.

“We know of $90,000 that’s documented,” Donaldson said. “The Legislature never approved moving forward on this and never approved the money for this.”

In June 2014, the county served the railroad with a notice of default, claiming the railroad failed to live up to the terms of the 25-year lease under which it is allowed to operate tourist trains on the county-owned tracks.

The railroad then filed a lawsuit against the county to stop the eviction and has asked for a permanent injunction preventing the county from entering the premises prior to the May 31, 2016, expiration of the lease, as well as “unspecified damages” it says its entitled to because the county made “a number of statements that are derogatory and/or untrue regarding the Catskill Mountain Railroad ... in press releases, articles and/or public meetings.”

The county, in its countersuit, is asking for $1 million in damages it says it is due as a result of the railroad’s default on the lease.

State Supreme Court Justice Richard Mott has issued an injunction against the county, blocking it from evicting the railroad from the former U&D right-of-way while the court sorts out whether the railroad has breached the terms of its lease with the county.

Officials with the railroad have said that if the county drops its eviction effort, the railroad will drop its lawsuit against the county.

“We’re fighting to end a lease that ends in 20 months,” Donaldson said, adding that nothing in the proposed resolution would allow the Catskill Mountain Railroad to continue operating on the tracks after 2016.

“This (resolution) is basically saying, ‘Let’s stop the bleeding.’”

County Executive Michael Hein wants to convert much of the track into a recreational trail but has proposed allowing the railroad to continue operating its tourist train between Mount Tremper and Phoenicia. The railroad’s Kingston-area train service would be discontinued.

Wow. Another one!

http://www.dailyfreeman.com/opinion/201 ... ty-leaders

LETTER: Get on board, Ulster County leaders!
Posted: 09/12/14

Dear Editor:

Congratulations to the Catskill Mountain Railroad on the resounding success last weekend of attracting over 4,000 riders to their Thomas the Take Engine ride at the Kingston Plaza railroad tracks.

Kingston has finally found a high-power, visible, tourist attraction that will continue to draw new people and new money to Kingston and Ulster County year-round.

Let’s urge Mayor Shayne Gallo and County Executive Michael Hein and the Ulster County Legislature to get on board the tremendous tourism attraction.

Ralph Mitchell,

Kingston, NY

The railroad seems to be going from strength to strength--last week that blue tank engine brought in 5,000 people, this week it brought in 6,000!

http://www.dailyfreeman.com/general-new ... ank-engine

http://www.dailyfreeman.com/general-new ... es-a-boost

Thomas the Tank Engine’s Kingston visit gave nearby businesses a boost
By Brian Hubert, bhubert@freemanonline.com brianatfreeman on Twitter

Posted: 09/17/14, 3:06 PM EDT | Updated:

KINGSTON >> Several merchants in Uptown Kingston and nearby said they were thrilled by the business generated by the presence of Thomas the Tank Engine — and the 11,000 people it drew — over the past two weekends.

Helen Loizou, co-owner of the Dietz Stadium Diner on North Front Street, said the event gave her family’s business a healthy boost, especially the second weekend.

“It was a great event,” she said. “It was nice to see new faces and more people coming to Kingston.”

Loizou said the diner was part of the Catskill Mountain Railroad’s “Railroad Bucks” program that gave Thomas rides $1 off at participating businesses, and she said customers were happy they got them.

But her favorite thing, she said, was the smiling faces on the kids and their parents.

“The faces on these kids were precious,” she said. “Every time I went to a table, they would ask about Thomas.”

Many out-of-towners who came to Kingston for the Thomas rides said loved the event and praised the friendliness of local residents, and many vowed to return, Loizou said.

Thomas, a storybook and cartoon character popular among young children, was at the front of a Catskill Mountain Railroad train that ran between Kingston Plaza and the Esopus Creek area in the town of Ulster on the Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays of the past two weekends.

Ulster County Executive Michael Hein has suggested return visits by Thomas could be on the tracks in Mount Tremper and Phoenicia that the Catskill Mountain Railroad uses — Hein wants to convert the Kingston section and other parts of the county-owned tracks into a recreational trail — but Loizou said people going to such an event far up state Route 28 probably would not frequent her business.

“I can’t see someone coming to eat here from Phoenicia,” she said.

At the Olympic Diner on Washington Avenue in the town of Ulster, just outside of Kingston, owner Louis Berritt said he had a large influx of out-of-towners during the Thomas runs.

“Of course we’re excited because it brings more people to the town,” Berritt said. “Everybody was happy and everybody liked it.”

Berritt said he’s looking forward to the Catskill Mountain Railroad’s “Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown” and “Polar Express” rides planned for later this year and he hopes the railroad continues operating in Kingston.

Perhaps no local eatery was more involved with the Thomas event than Savona’s Plaza Pizza at Kingston Plaza, which had a mobile propane-fired pizza oven adjacent to the train’s boarding area at the east end of the plaza.

“It was a great event for the community,” said owner Manny Savona. “It gives something for the kids to do, and it brought a lot of people into the area.”

Savona said he met a lot of people who had never seen Kingston before and most of them were happy with their time in the city.

He said he hopes the county reconsiders the plan to tear up the tracks in favor of a trail.

“I’d like to see it stay for a lot of reasons,” Savona said.

Eric Deising, a co-owners of Deising’s Bakery and Restaurant on North Front Street in Uptown Kingston, said the Thomas event far exceeded his expectations.

“It’s been great,” he said. “It’s brought a lot of new faces into the store.”

Deising’s, like the adjacent Dietz Stadium Diner, participated in the “Railroad Bucks” program and a lot of tourists redeemed them, he said.

Deising said he was particularly happy about the influx of customers during the afternoons, which he said typically are slow time for the business.

“I think it’s a good thing for the Uptown district,” he said. “Anything that brings people into the Uptown district instead of the other attractions that pull them away helps.”

Deising said he, too, is looking forward to the “Great Pumpkin” and “Polar Express” rides.

“I wish it continued success,” he said.

Carlos Henriquez, who manages Half Moon Books on North Front Street, said a few extra customers came into the store as a result of the Thomas event.

Henriquez said he wants the railroad to stay because it attracts tourists and is an important part of Kingston’s heritage.

Dominick Vanacore, owner of Dominick’s Cafe at Dreamweavers at the corner of Wall and North Front streets in Uptown Kingston, called the Thomas visit an awesome event but said he’s disappointed the city hasn’t made it easier for tourists to discover the Uptown area.

“We need some directional signage,” he said. “People driving down Schwenk Drive don’t realize one block up the hill, there is a perfectly intact merchant center that’s been here for 300 years.”

He said a few out-of-towners ate at his cafe, and one family stayed in his hotel, but he wishes he had seen more people.

Of course Ulster County couldn't let the Daily Freeman print all those positive articles on the CMRR...

http://www.dailyfreeman.com/general-new ... lroad-suit

Ulster County lawyers urge caution amid move to drop railroad suit
By Patricia Doxsey, Daily Freeman

POSTED: 09/17/14, 10:31 PM EDT

KINGSTON >> Ulster County Attorney Bea Havranek will update Ulster County Legislature on the status of the lawsuit between the county and the Catskill Mountain Railroad in an executive session during the Legislature’s meeting Tuesday.

In the meantime, attorneys to the Ulster County Legislature are cautioning against action on a resolution that would establish as county policy the termination of that litigation.

“The fact that we would even propose a resolution that addresses issues that are in front of the Supreme Court of New York is unwise in my opinion,” said Chris Ragucci, legislative counsel to the Legislature.

During a Democratic caucus Wednesday, Havranek said she was “concerned about the Legislature acting” on the proposed resolution before they have an update on the status of the lawsuit, and several Democratic legislators said they were troubled by the idea of being forced to vote at the same meeting in which they received the update.

Legislator David Donaldson, D-Kingston, has proposed a resolution that would establish a county policy that it will not move forward with eviction proceedings against the Catskill Mountain Railroad for violating its lease if the railroad drops its lawsuit against the county.

In June 2014, the county served the railroad with a notice of default, claiming the railroad failed to live up to the terms of the 25-year lease under which it is allowed to operate tourist trains on county-owned railroad tracks from Kingston to the Delaware County line.

The railroad subsequently filed a lawsuit against the county to stop the eviction and has asked for a permanent injunction preventing the county from entering the premises prior to the May 31, 2016, expiration of the lease, as well as “unspecified damages” it says its entitled to because the county made “a number of statements that are derogatory and/or untrue regarding the Catskill Mountain Railroad ... in press releases, articles and/or public meetings.”

The county, in its countersuit, is seeking $1 million in damages it says it is due as a result of the railroad’s default on the lease.

State Supreme Court Justice Richard Mott has issued an injunction against the county, blocking it from evicting the railroad from the former Ulster & Delaware Railroad right-of-way while the court sorts out whether the railroad has breached the terms of its lease with the county.

Officials with the Catskill Mountain Railroad have said that if the county drops its eviction effort, the railroad will drop its lawsuit against the county.

The full Ulster County Legislature will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the sixth-floor legislative chambers of the Ulster County Office Building, 244 Fair St., Kingston.

THOMAS RECAP

The CMRR carried over 11,000 passengers the last two weekends at Day out with Thomas, a record for the CMRR. Gross revenues were about $200,000 for the trains, and $75,000 of items were sold in the gift shop. We ran 58 trains in Kingston, all across the C9 bridge.

We also got great coverage in the Freeman:

http://www.dailyfreeman.com/general-new ... ank-engine

http://www.dailyfreeman.com/general-new ... es-a-boost

Many thanks to all CMRR volunteers who participated in this event, including:

Train Crews:

Earl Pardini, Al Schoessow, Dave Hilliard, John Prestopino, Joe Michaels, Walt Otto , Mark Glaser, Raphael Demeglio, Tony Bocchino, Neil Remsen, John Patane, Ray Farrell, Jeff Otto, John Marino, John Watson, Marty Weir, Bob Blake, Alan Kordzikowski, Ed Winstanley

Ticket Agents: Peter Fluchere, Matt Gillis, Beth Gillis, George Bain, Kat Patane

Gift Shop: Pat Smalley, Linda Marino, Gladys Gilbert, Mary Certoma, Ralph Goneau, Nancy Michaels, Ernie Klopping, Holly Hunt, Jan Harrison, Thom Johnson, Burr Hubbell, Anne, Karin Vogel

Imagination Station: Harrison and George Balduf, Bruce Devorkin, Christine, Noel

Security: Tom Whyte, Al Johnson, Jim Bruck, John Prestopino, Russ Hallock, Franc Libihoul, George Peck, Alex Sorenson, Karl Wick, Bob Blake, Chris Burtt, Ryan Lennox, Tyler Carelli, Stephen Porter, Freddie Rasmussen, Greg Vaughn, Dave Heick, Jesse Gabron. Rich Desir, Tobey Carey, Art Vogel, Ryan Lennox, Brianna Wittl, Elissa Hilliard

PA System: Ken Drao and Craig

We also want to thank Eleanor Friery, Penny Slingerland, Kathy Ferreira, Jane Kraayenbrink, Mary Paccione, Judie Marsden, Brandon Stanton and friend, Kyle, for all their work in the gift shop and elsewhere.

We also wanted to thank the crews that got former LIRR 2962 and CMRR flat 274 into service, doubling our capacity in Kingston.

We have had wonderful feedback from the business community who saw the swarms of children with Thomas teeshirts enter their establishments, as well as participants in the "Railroad Dollars" program and the vendors who worked with us on-site.

This was one of the largest events held in Kingston in 2014, done entirely by the dedicated volunteers of the CMRR and friends under the most adverse of conditions. It proves once and for all what the CMRR is capable of but also how much tourist railroads can contribute to the economy of the communities they reside in. Many thanks to all for a job well done.

Ernie Hunt
President
Catskill Mountain Railroad

Friday, September 19th

Mark Glaser will lead a track crew working at Hurley Mountain Road. Weed wack,cut brush as required from east to west. Meet Cornell St. 12:00 noon. Late arrivals go to HMR.

Greg Vaugn and Jim Bruck will be installing the permanent canopy on the new Kingston flat car in the mid to late afternoon.


Saturday, September 20th

We will be running at Mt. Tremper starting at 11am.

Mark Glaser will lead a track crew at Hurley Mountain Road. They will start at 10am at Cornell Street.

I will lead a crew working on the cars on 209 at about 10:30am.


Sunday, September 21st

We will be running at Mt. Tremper starting at 11am.

Mark Glaser will lead a track crew at Hurley Mountain Road. They will start at 10am at Cornell Street.


Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
CMRR

http://www.dailyfreeman.com/opinion/201 ... s-movement

LETTER: Trail advocates pervert rails-to-trails movement

Posted: 09/21/14, 10:50 PM EDT |

Dear Editor,

In the words of one observer: “The rails-to-trails movement, in its initial concept, was a wonderful thing and has preserved many miles of former railbed that otherwise would have been lost. But in the case of the Catskill Mountain Railroad, the idea of removing an active railroad perverts what the original rails-to-trails movement was all about. ...”

That’s at the heart of the fight between trail advocates and rail supporters over the future of the Catskill Mountain Railroad. This is not an abandoned railbed that hasn’t been used for years. It’s an active railroad with tracks in place and trains running on them. This is where I and other supporters draw the line. I like trails and I think they have a place in the community, but not at the expense of tearing up an existing railroad.

The last two weekends have shown that a large number of people will ride and that confounds trail types who continue to insist — more stridently than ever — that the railroad has no place in Kingston. I beg to differ. The huge turnout the first time around suggests that even more could be in the offing, the mere thought of which is an anathema to trail supporters...

The trail advocates and Ulster County Executive Mike Hein threw down the gauntlet to the railroad in hopes that it and its supporters would simply give up and fade away. They gambled that a campaign of bullying, legal threats and smear tactics would push the railroad out. They lost. They lost by seriously underestimating the dedication of the railroad and its supporters. They lost when they bet the railroad would be a failure. They lost when thousands showed up to ride Thomas. They lost in the courts. Now they are losing the battle of public opinion.

Here’s a thought for trail supporters: Work with the railroad for the common good. Swallow your stubborn insistence that the railroad be torn out. You might find a willing ally in the railroad in spite of what has gone on in the past.

Bill Hutchison

Stamford, N.Y.
and Largo, Fla.

http://www.dailyfreeman.com/opinion/201 ... an-a-trail

LETTER: Train would serve more people than a trail

Posted: 09/21/14, 10:49 PM EDT |

Dear Editor,

Which would attract a more people — a scenic walking trail, a scenic train ride, or an unsegmented scenic walking trail and unsegmented scenic train ride both working together? Think what could have been accomplished with the money both sides wasted on legal fees!

Which generates more income for a county — a tax-paying railroad or a walking trail?

Would the walking trail have attracted the hundreds of people from out of the county that events like Thomas did?

Why would the county kill the Catskill Mountain Railroad, a tax-paying business, in favor of a walking trail?

The train goes well with a package, including multinight stays at motels, the Hudson River Maritime Museum and a boat ride, the Trolley Museum and a trolley ride to Kingston Point/Rotary Park for a tour-provided picnic.

At the Ulster County Executive Senior Citizens Summit, Ulster County Executive Michael Hein professed to be interested in seniors and veterans, two groups who often have physical limitations for walking trails. Seniors especially have time and money to travel spring through fall. The county tourism director spoke at length about Phoenicia. The railroad is the perfect solution.

The Ulster County Legislature is taking away your train.

How can we care so little about Kingstonians and tourists who can’t walk trails or aren’t interested? It slams the door in the face of a whole large group of people. Do we only want to attract walkers? Do walking trails pay taxes? We would want to offer the greatest number of choices for activities to attract the greatest diversity of people.

We need a new executive and new legislators with a bigger, more inclusive view for the future.

Martha Pearson

Kingston, N.Y