Since the recent movement to study the use of the Ulster & Delaware corridor in Ulster County, New York for trail use, several of us from the Ulster & Delaware RR Historical Society have joined forces with the CMRR to help them clear track from Phoenicia to Kingston, starting with a section of track just outside of Kingston where they have stored several passenger cars. The line from Boiceville to Kingston is actually not in bad shape (except the Boiceville bridge, which is still passable for speeders), but needs to be cleared for speeder/maintenance use. After this is reopened we want to clear the Highmount to Pine Hill section also for speeder/maintenance use.

There is a thread of interest here on RAILROAD.NET:

http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopi ... 344593001a


And recent photos of the line here and our clearing so far here:

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

We plan to have a crew working on many Saturdays in March and April, and are happy to have more volunteers. I will post information on RAILROAD.net and the UDRRHS yahoo site here:

http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/udrrhs/

on our workdates and progress. It is a huge undertaking, but we are having a lot of fun while doing it.

Ernie Hunt

You guys have your work cut out for you but you have all of the ingredients right there, track, cars, yard, shop, locos. Who could ask for anything else? Keep us posted.

Later!
Mr. Ed

Who actually owns this section of railroad? This looks almost as bad as the
L & WV When we started.(1993) Our line hadn't seen a train since 1969. You should see Where we haven't got the trees clear yet.
The guys at the shop call that part the "enchanted forest". I was just wondering as I've never realy heard much about this operation in the past.

The tracks from Kingston (MP 3) to Highmount (MP 41.4) are owned by Ulster County, New York. The county has commissioned a study looking at converting the corridor to rail trail use (with or without the railroad). See this link:

http://www.co.ulster.ny.us/planning/rtrail.html

This threat has gotten many of us together to volunteer to work to clear the line and make it passable for speeder/maintenance use, which should hopefully make it less appetizing to the rail trail people. Besides work in Kingston, we should be able to open the line from Phoenicia MP (27.5) to Ashokan (MP 16.2) this spring - most of this section is already clear except for a segment at MP 18.5.

We are also working on a way for tax-deductible donations to be made for puchasing ties, ballast, etc. so that more sections of the line can be reopened for tourist train service. Because the CMRR is for-profit, a non-profit entity will need to be set up for this purpose.

EH

What about the existing Empire State Railway Museum organization? Is it a non-profit that is affiliated with CMRR? And, why is CMRR for-profit? Was there some thought that there was real money to be made running tourist trains in the area?

The situation of people volunteering their resources (time, skills, money, equipment) to a for-profit entity has, in not a few cases over the years, proved to be troublesome.

That said, it is good to see the line being reclaimed from the woods.

CMRR is an S-Corporation. They are not able to retain earnings - they pass directly to the stockholders as income. More importantly, the loses pass through, thus the stockholders get a tax-writeoff.

Several of us over the years have pointed out that being a for-profit has really inhibited a lot of state and Federal money that otherwise might have gone to save and improve the line. Perhaps it is time for the stockholders to get one more tax-writeoff by donating their shares to a non-profit entity.

I think this is a good low cost possibility for keeping the rails down, without major track upgrades. It is only natural for trails groups to want the rails removed when they have lain dormant for so long. I think too often we make big plans for excursion trains, but never get around to doing it, and the rails that were purchased with the promise of that lay dormant and overgrown. Sweden has kept a few dormant rail lines intact by allowing pedalbike operation, with sturdy-looking 4-wheel bikes. The ones made from regular bicycles, with an added outrigger, look pretty dangerous to me. If there is a ruling grade, the bikes could all go in one direction, with a motorcar pulling them back the other way and riders transported back by bus. A few times a day, there should be regular motorcar rides offered for those who do not want to pedal. Whatever happens, there must be something there for the public to participate in and enjoy; it can't just be a place for motorcar operators to play with their machines.

The weather is looking excellent for cutting this weekend (March 11/12), and we will probably be out both Saturday and Sunday. The Saturday location has not yet been decided, but we will be very likely cutting east of Route 209 on Sunday. I will post a final schedule Thursday the 9th. We welcome any additional volunteers who would like to help out!

EH

Love to help but you are just a bit far for me. Besides, with the warm weather this weekend I am planning on sanding and painting the ends of our N5C. The rust just doesn't do justice to the rest of the painted car.

Later!
Mr. Ed

We will be out cutting on the line this weekend, both on Saturday and Sunday.

On Saturday, we will meet at Cold Brook Station (MP 22.1) between 9:30 am and 10 am. Our plan is to work our way south towards the Boiceville Bridge and across it clearing the line as we go. The CMRR people will be bringing some maintenance equipment down the line from Mount Pleasant and will join us around noon. This will be a great chance to see the Boiceville bridge that is in need of renovation, and other points on the line near the Ashokan reservoir. Be sure to bring your lunch.

The directions to Cold Brook station are to take Route 28 west from Kingston to Boiceville; at Boiceville take Route 28A west across the Esopus and over the railroad overpass; after the overpass go right (north) on Cold Brook Road about 1/2 mile to the station. Please park west of the station as it is not owned by the CMRR.

On Sunday, we plan to cut east of Route 209 (MP 5.4) in Kingston. We will meet there between 9:30 and 10am.

As before, any new volunteers are welcome to join us. Be sure to bring whatever equipment you feel comfortable working with (clippers, chainsaw, weedeater).

EH

On Saturday the 11th, we cut 1100 feet from MP 20.8 to MP 20.6 along the Ashokan Reservoir. On Sunday the 12th, we cut about 500 feet from Route 209 (MP 5.4) towards Kingston.

Photos of our work can be fround on NERAIL:

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

and more information on this thread:

http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=21784

We are planning to cut more East of 209 next Saturday the 18th. Any additional volunteers are welcome.

EH

That's a very informative set of photos. Glad to see some progress there before the ever-present trails movement wants it ripped up. It is obvious, from the crossings paved over as if they weren't there, that the highway department does not think the railroad will ever run again.

I hope that when dealing with the media that you stress this effort is unusual in that you have volunteers working to improve and utilize public property - no mega-dollar useless studies that go nowhere, just hard work.

What do you plan after the clearing is done? If the ties are too bad for full-size trains and there is no money yet to replace them, four-wheel pedal-powered railbikes would seem a good unique alternative to allow public access while keeping the rails down. If there is a ruling grade, perhaps one-way travel is more practical, with the bikes towed back to the terminal with a motorcar and the passengers in a bus. Can the extended line be further tied in with rafting or canoeing on the creek?

And when you're done, we have a lot of brush that needs cutting on the D&H...

Great work, I just hope you take advice from someone who has quite a bit of experiance in clearing a rail line out of service longer than this one. Weed spray the line, heavy on the brush mixture. If you don't, you wont be riding much of anything by the end of August. Been there done that.
With out treatment in 3 years you won't be able to tell you did much of anything. It's not cheap but worth every penny!

Great job cutting. I got to looking at the rest of your photos on Nerail. Is this RS-1 ex-Green Mountain?
http://naphotos.nerail.org/photos/20060205233012756.jpg

Yes the RS-1 is ex Green Mountain. Its operable and until recently used
as an air compressor in the CMRR yard right there in Kingston. The ex
LS&I 23 is under restoration there and work is progessing. As for the
brush cutting, I joined the crew in late Feb and had a great time working
on this very worthwhile effort. I hope to make it back this weekend. A
little less computer time is all it takes, the guys are a joy to work with and
you will feel rewarded. The Hudson Valley is ONE beautiful place to be sure.