This weekend the Catskill Mountain RR will be having workdays on Saturday, February 3rd and Sunday, February 4th.

Saturday, February 3rd.

On Saturday, February 3rd, Earl Pardini will lead a crew brushcutting in Kingston, and otherwise clearing the right of way. We will meet at 9am at the Cornell Street yard. You may enter from Tremper Avenue, between Cornell Street and O'Neil Street. Bring any brushcutting tools you may have.

If the weather is inclement, we will have a rules class in one of the boxcars in the yard.

Also on Saturday, the Phoenicia Track gang will be meeting at the Trolley Museum in Kingston, assisting the museum in getting their car 120 back together. Though no volunteers are needed, visitors are welcome. Some of us working with Earl plan to visit the team at the Trolley Museum on our lunch break.

Sunday, February 4th

On Sunday, February 4th, the "steam team" will meet in Kingston at the Cornell Street yard at 9:30am. Plans are to continue work on No. 23, the Davenport 0-4-0, and the container for the work train.


Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
Catskill Mountain Railroad

Last Saturday, February 3rd, we had three crews working simultaneously.

The Phoenicia Track Gang was at the Trolley Museum, and made progress on restoring the 120, their self-propelled Brill 55, back to service.

In Phoenicia, Ernie Gehrer, George Liucci, Thom Johnson and Tom Healy spent time getting a work area set up for the 702 restoration in Phoenicia, and later did some brush cutting west of Mt. Pleasant.

In Kingston, Earl Pardini, George Cook, Ed and Eric Palmatier, Ron Epstein, Peter Fluchere, Mike LaLonde, myself and new volunteers John Patane and Rob Blake helped cleanup the Kingston Yard. We cut trees and brush at the back of the yard near the rail pile and the 2361, opening up this area for the first time in many years. We also built storage racks opposite the box cars on the IDA dock.

Tentative plans are to have crews working next Saturday 2/10 and Sunday 2/11.

Those who would like to join us as new volunteers are welcome to join our sessions. Please contact me with a private message and I will send you our volunteer signup form.

EH

This weekend the Catskill Mountain RR will be having workdays on Saturday, February 10th and Sunday, February 11th.

Saturday, February 10th.

On Saturday, February 10th, we will have crews working in Phoenicia and Kingston.

In Phoenicia, the Phoenicia Track Gang will be starting at 9am, bringing the passenger train stored at Mt. Pleasant back to Phoenicia. After switching in the yard, they will be doing more trackwork, and Dave Mason plans to restore the piston on the scarifier.

Also in Phoenicia, Tom Healy and George Liucci plan on working on the Phoenicia trailer, cleaning it up and setting it up for a shop and proper storage for coach 702 parts. This will help in continuing the coach 702 project. They will be looking to set up some shelving and a worktable or two in order to start work on restoring seat parts. They will also be running the electric to the coach. They be starting at 10:30am, and those interested in the 702 restoration project are encouraged to join them.

In Kingston, Earl Pardini will lead a crew finishing our yard cleanup started last week, including sorting out the “mystery pile” of rail we uncovered last week. Earl will be bringing a chipper on loan from the County to chip what we cut last weekend, and any more we cut Saturday. If we have time, we will do some brush cutting out on the right of way. We will meet at 9am at the Cornell Street yard. You may enter from Tremper Avenue, between Cornell Street and O'Neil Street. Bring any brushcutting tools you may have.

If the weather is inclement, we will have a rules class in one of the boxcars in the yard.


Sunday, February 11th

On Sunday, February 11th, the "steam team" will meet in Kingston at the Cornell Street yard at 9:30am. Plans are to continue work on No. 23, the Davenport 0-4-0, the container for the work train, and the hi-rail dump truck.


February 17th and 24th

On February 17th, our brush crews plan to continue in Kingston, but on February 24th, our plans are to run a work train on the main line out of Phoenicia to cut brush along the operating section. There will be no work session in Kingston on the 24th.


As always, new volunteers are welcome to join us.


Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
Catskill Mountain Railroad

Yesterday, February 10th, we had three workcrews - two in Phoenicia and one in Kingston. All got a lot done:

In Phoenicia, George Liucci, Tom Healy, Neil and Kathy Isabelle, and Dick Wilhelm finished setting up the container/shop for the 702 restoration. They got a lot of shelving up and it will soon be ready for use as a sand blast/paint shop for seat parts for 702. Parts for the sand blast cabinet are on order.

Also in Phoenicia, George Peck, Dave Mason, Jason DiTolla, Derek Stapleton, Dennis Michela, and Dave Baker continued a general yard and trailer cleanup and moved the passenger train from Mt. Pleasant to Phoenicia. After that, they switched out the work train and passenger train, then made the work train ready for next weekend. They also reinstalled the piston on the scarifier, except for the bolts, and moved the tie handler to the museum siding. Also burned more wood and paper rubbish in the yard.

In Kingston, Earl Pardini, Rob Blake, Ed Palmatier, Ron Epstein, Peter Fluchere, John Patane, Jr., and I completed the cleanup of the yard in Kingston. We borrowed the County's industrial chipper, chipped all the brush and trees we cut last weekend, and cut and chipped additional areas all around the yard. The yard looks the best it has looked in years. Next weekend we intend to take the chipper out onto the right of way and continue cutting and chipping.

Here is a picture of the chipper we used:

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 723616.jpg



EH

Burr Hubbell sent me this report on Sunday's activities at the CMRR's yard on Cornell Street:

Burr said 15 people were there Sunday. He continued work on the container with help from several people including Bob Blake, Earl Pardini and Peter Hubbell. Replaced rivets where patches had been made and fit tool rack inside.

Ernie Klopping continued work on the hi-rail dump truck body.

Walter Otto worked on the back trailer, installing electric and wood stove.

Several people worked on pulling rail and setting it on the flat trailer.

Jordan Cerniglia was welding on Enginer 23's tender.

EH

Saturday, February 17th

Although the regular workday was cancelled due to heavy snow, the Phoenicia Track Gang were in Phoenicia clearing the yard in Phoenicia and the main line to MP 26.09.

Present were George Peck, Jason DiTolla, Dave Mason, John Isaksen, Tom Healy and Dave Baker.

Pictures of their work can be seen here:

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?pho ... 110733.jpg

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?pho ... 410864.jpg


Sunday, February 18th

On Sunday, February 18th, the Steam Team met in the Cornell Street Yards in Kingston. The morning was spent plowing the yard and removing snow, and in the afternoon Earl Pardini, Burr Hubbell and Rob Blake installed shelving in the box car and reorganized some of the tools to provide more space. Ernie Klopping continued to work on the Hi-Rail dump truck, and Walter Otto continued work on the trailer.


Rules Class - Saturday March 10th

Please mark on your calendars Saturday March 10th.

From 10am to 4pm, Earl Pardini will hold a rules class for all volunteers who have not yet had operational and safety training. This will be held at the Romer Mountain Park in Phoenicia, the same place we had our annual volunteer meeting. A light lunch will be served. It is highly recommended that all volunteers without prior safety training attend, as the CMRR considers safety to be its number one priority with all work crews. A rules class for members who have already had safety training will be held later in the Spring.


Article in Railroad.net

An article I wrote about our progress on the CMRR in 2006 was recently published on Railroad.net.

The address for the article is:

http://www.railroad.net/articles/railfanning/cmrr/




Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
Catskill Mountain RR

Saturday, February 24th

Once again, due to significant snow still being on the ground in Kingston, Ashokan, and Phoenicia, our brush cutting scheduled for Saturday is cancelled.

However, the Phoenicia Track Gang will be working to clear snow again on the main line, and will be meeting in Phoenicia about 9:30 to 10am. Dave Mason plans to work on the scarifier.

For those interested in the Coach 702 project, Tom Healy and George Liucci will be sandblasting seat parts in the trailer in the Phoenicia Yard, starting around 10:30am.

Any volunteers who would like to help out on these two projects are welcome to attend.

The Kingston yard will be closed on Saturday.

Sunday, February 25th

On Sunday, the Steam Team will be meeting in the Kingston yard off of Cornell Street at 10am. They plan to continue to work on Engine 23's tender, the NYC container, and the hi-rail dump truck. All volunteers are welcome to attend.


Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
Catskill Mountain RR

On Saturday, 2/24, in Phoenicia Yard:

The Phoenicia Track Gang moved more snow. They also moved the scarifier from the setoff track to main line. Flushed and filled main drive gearbox in scarifier. Re-welded exhaust pipe on JD410 backhoe. Went out on main line with BR64 and Scarifier. Due to mechanical difficulties with BR64, crew returned to yard without doing any snow clearing. Volunteers present included George Peck, Dave Mason, John Isaksen, Derek Stapleton and Dennis Michela.

In addition, George Liucci, Dick Wilhelm and Tom Healy continued to work on setting up the sandblasting shop in the trailer for the 702 seat parts.


On Sunday, 2/25

Cornell St. Report from Burr Hubbell:

Container: Installed tool rack and shelving, caulked exterior, finished welding on patches.

Flat car: Shoveled out switch, cleaned flangeways of ice. Started 401, removed ice and snow from 401, then used 401 and crane to move flat car into yard. Removed deck timbers from flat and began stripping decking.

Hi-Rail Dump: Ernie Klopping and Walt Otto continued work on the hi-rail dump truck.

Volunteers present included Earl Pardini, Walt Otto, Peter Fluchere, Al, Bob Blake, Mimi Pardini, Ernie Klopping, Tom Healy and Burr Hubbell.


EH

Saturday, March 3rd

On Saturday, March 3rd, Earl Pardini will be leading a crew in the Kingston yard off of Cornell Street starting at 9am. Plans are to lift the container onto the work flat, and install decking on the flat around the container. Also, plans are to mount the air compressor on the work train. Once the container is securely mounted to the flat, we will put our worktools in the container for future use on the work train. This will complete the container project, except for a final coat of paint which will be applied in warmer weather. Our worktrain will be ready for further tie replacements when the ground thaws. If there is extra time, the crew will continue to sort out the rail pile in the back of the yard.

The Phoenicia Track Gang will be working to clear snow again on the main line, and will be meeting in Phoenicia about 9:30 to 10am.

For those interested in the Coach 702 project, Tom Healy and possibly George Liucci will be sandblasting seat parts in the trailer in the Phoenicia Yard.

Weather is expected to by cloudy Saturday with a high of 48 degrees.

Sunday, March 4th

On Sunday, the Steam Team will be meeting in the Kingston yard off of Cornell Street at 9:30am. They plan to continue to work on Engine 23's tender, the hi-rail dump truck, and continuing to sort out the rail/switch pile. All volunteers are welcome to attend.

Weather Sunday is expected to be cloudy and a high of 38 degrees.



Ernie Hunt

Saturday, March 3rd

PHOENICIA - Report from John Isaksen:

"Saturday, March 3 found the Phoenicia Track Gang out clearing crossings and doing a general inspection of the in-service track. After clearing several crossings, the Work Train had proceeded east to Milepost 24.1, where another one of Mother Nature's challenges laid in wait:

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 910197.jpg

This large-diameter tree had been perched in a precarious position in the fall, and was on the agenda for removal. The recent storms seem to have accelerated that schedule!

Upon closer inspection, the entire remaining root structure of the tree was still embedded in the ice flow created by the washout uphill that had uprooted it. Discretion being the better part of valor, the Track Gang decided to see if warmer weather predicted for later this week allowed the tree to drop from the hill altogether.

Saturday's crew consisted of George Peck, Dave Mason, Jason Ditolla, John Isaksen, Dave Baker and newcomer Jason Markowitz.

Meantime, back at Phoenicia Yard, the Car Department was busy sandblasting seat frames for Coach 702." The crew consisted of Tom Healy and Ed Palmatier.


KINGSTON

On Saturday, March 3rd, there was a good turnout in Kingston as well. Present were Earl Pardini, Jimmy Kinns, Jeff Otto, Ron Epstein, Peter Fluchere, Bob Blake, and John Patane.

The crew completed loading rail from the rail pile onto the trailer, and stripped the deck of flat car 213 in preparation for installing the container on that car.


Sunday, March 4th - KINGSTON

On Sunday, March 4th, the steam team had a good turnout. Present were Earl Pardini, Jimmy Kinns, Walt Otto, Bob Blake, Greg Vaughn, Burr Hubbell, Peter Hubbell, and John Patane.

The crew started needle scaling flat 213 in preparation for repainting and redecking. Work on the hi-rail dump truck continued, and work was done on the tender for Engine 23.


All in all a productive weekend, especially given the rain on Saturday.


For next weekend, current plans are for the entry-level Rules Class at Romer Mountain Park in Phoenicia from 10-4pm on Saturday March 10th. The Phoenicia Track Gang will also be meeting on Saturday in Phoenicia as well as the Steam Team on Sunday in Kingston.

Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
Catskill Mountain Railroad

CMRR Rules Class 3/10/07

The CMRR will hold its "entry level" rules class on Saturday, March 10, 2007 at Romer Mountain Park in Phoenicia from 10am to 4pm. Provisional Volunteers are especially encouraged to attend, as well as full volunteers with no prior safety training.

Directions are as follows: From Exit 19 of the New York Thruway, head west on Route 28 about 22 miles to Phoenicia. Go past all the Phoenicia entrances (the last being the one with the Eagle on the right). Approximately 3/4 of a mile past Phoenicia and make the first left onto Woodland Valley Road (there is a sign that says "Woodland Valley" with an arrow). Proceed approximately 1/8 of a mile across the Woodland Valley Bridge. At the stop sign turn right, drive 500 feet and it’s the first building on the left. Barn red with white trim with a Romer Mountain Park sign on the building. The address is 355 Woodland Valley Road.

Refreshments and a light lunch will be served.

From 4 to 6 pm, several of us will pay a visit to the Phoenicia Yard or down the line to help out the Phoenicia Track Gang on whatever they are working on.

At 6pm we will meet for supper at Russ's Country Kitchen, 5567 State Route 28, 845-688-2337 which is on the west side of Route 28 between Phoenicia and Mt. Pleasant, at about MP 26.2 between Campground Curve and the 26 Curve.


Steam Team, 3/11/07

On Sunday, March 11th, the Steam Team will be meeting in the Kingston yard off of Cornell Street at 9:30am. They plan to continue to work on Engine 23's tender, the hi-rail dump truck, and needle scaling flat car 213. All volunteers are welcome to attend.


Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
Catskill Mountain Railroad

Saturday, March 17th

On Saturday, March 17th, we will have two crews working:


PHOENICIA

From Jason DiTolla: "The Phoenicia Track Gang will be returning to MilePost 24.1 this Saturday, March 17 with Earl Pardini to assess the situation there and to make final plans as to the removal of the tree at the eastern end of Rock Cut. The Work Train will be leaving Phoenicia at 9:30 AM. It is recommended that all who wish to participate be at Phoenicia NO LATER THAN 9:15AM! The Sign In sheet will be located in the Transfer Caboose and this is where our Pre Trip Meeting will take place. We would like to keep the number of people small this trip so we are asking only for those who usually participate in the Brush Cutting Parties, as we will also be designating areas along the route to be cut back......"


ASHOKAN

In Ashokan, I will be leading a crew to finish the cutting around the station area we started last fall. We plan to meet between 9:30 and 10am. Earl will be coming in the afternoon with the county chipper (after he has finished cutting the tree at 24.1), so we can chip everything at Ashokan and finish our work there. The major part of the cutting will be cutting trees where we will be placing a new siding just east of the DEP crossing. Bring chain saws!!!!!

Joe Marsh has offered to bring his track car to run volunteers west of Ashokan along the reservoir to cut downed trees that have fallen over the winter. New volunteers who have not seen this section of the line are encouraged to go with Joe. Joe will be running his track car out of Ashokan. Any volunteers who own track cars and would like to join us should contact me directly.

For those who have not yet been to Ashokan it is located 11 miles west of Exit 19 from the Thruway on Route 28. We will park just west of the crane near the tool house, or just east of the crane at the DEP crossing. Be sure to bring your CMRR IDs as this area is heavily patrolled by the DEP Police. Those of you who need IDs please contact me ahead of time and I will provide them for you.

Weather is expected to be a high of 34 degrees on Saturday and cloudy.


Sunday, March 18th

On Sunday, the Steam Team will be meeting in the Kingston yard off of Cornell Street at 9:30am. They plan to continue to work on Engine 23's tender, the hi-rail dump truck, and redecking flat 213. All volunteers are welcome to attend.

Weather Sunday is expected to be cloudy and a high of 40 degrees and sunny.


Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
Catskill Mountain RR

Too bad that the Kingston Model RR show was canceled this year. So much for getting the word out at Tech City!

Due to heavy snows in Kingston (8 inches as of 6pm), and expected additional snow tonight, both workparties scheduled for tomorrow, in Phoenicia and Ashokan, have been cancelled. The Phoenicia Track Gang will not be meeting at all in Phoenicia tomorrow.

On the plus side, the steam team will be meeting in Kingston as scheduled on Sunday, March 18th. Earl picked up all the new decking for the 213 flat car, so he plans to continue work on the flat on Sunday.

Ernie Hunt