Some people just don't like us, or what we do.

In this case, it's the Delaware River Railroad, although to be fair, it's about a specific activity, not the whole railroad (yet):

http://www.my9nj.com/story/29298467/rai ... s-shutdown

reminds me of building houses in a flood plain...nyah it'll never flood...

mother natures see it differrent....

or the airport then houses build around it and the neighbors complain about the noise...

Or around a freight railroad that sees an increase in business, and thus more trains than before.

That's part of what's driving some nasty (and often silly) protests against the return of double track and passenger service on the Florida East Coast Railway, through a subsidiary company called All Aboard Florida.

I have to wonder, by the way, about the double standard we have to live with. For instance, we have to show a "profit" or go away, but it's OK to use tax money to pay for a trail or road, and even to say it's "free."

If you ran a red light and got T-boned by a big truck on a ROAD, you would be called an idiot and worse. But if you in effect run a red light and get hit by a locomotive on a rail ROAD, then that's a tragedy at the hands of the railroad, which is an obsolete and dangerous thing that should be moved or forced to close.

And what about the noise complaints? A railroad does have noise when a train is around, but even a busy railroad, with 40 or 50 trains per day, has long periods in which nothing is around. But that interstate highway roars all day and all night, and nobody seems to complain about it or about the constant dust the traffic raises.

I wish I could understand this, but I don't, not entirely, and often not at all.

Actually as a traffic signal designer for a government agency in my professional career we get dragged into lawsuits claiming faulty design or signal timing just as much as the railroads do. Remember the lawyers go after anyone and everyone.

In regard to this specific railroad's issues. I wonder if the farm runs the "amusement" or the railroad. In NJ they /we do promote agro-tourism but sometimes its a bit of a stretch when amusement type rides show up in the peach or apple orchard. I am not claiming that is what is going on here.

In this case the railroad and farm need to get ahead of the issue and look to educate the mayor (his is only 24 years old) and seek a zoning change, if needed to include their use. Hell the existing zoning allows "adult entertainment" so this should be a no brainer for the zoning board.

An update on the events at the Delaware River Railroad Excursions in NJ:

A week ago I sent out an email requesting help. The original email is below.
Since then, Fox TV has visited us and done a great investigative report on the situation.
It can bee seen here:
http://www.my9nj.com/story/29298467/rai ... s-shutdown

Please support the Delaware River Railroad Excursions / New York Susquehanna & Western Technical & Historical Society and make your opinion known.

There will be a hearing before the County Agricultural Development Board this Thursday night at 7:30 PM.
They will be discussing the matter, and will decide if the state will protect the Ol' Susquehanna Mine at the Snyder Farm under the states agricultural tourism laws.
If they do the town will not be able to shut down the Ol' Susquehanna mine.

The Meeting will be held at:

Department of Land Preservation
500 Mt. Pisgah Ave.
PO Box 179
Oxford, NJ 07863

7:30 PM

Here is a map to the location:

https://goo.gl/maps/KyWkL

Alternately you can write the Mayor of Pohatcong and tell him how you feel.

The towns website list his contact information as follows:
James R. Kern III
Mayor
P: (908) 827-1881
E: mayorjamesrkerniii@gmail.com


Thank you,
Chris Cotty
VP & GM
The New York Susquehanna & Western Technical & Historical Society Inc.
The Delaware River Railroad Excursions


If you are not familiar with this, a nice video of the operation can be viewed here: http://877trainride.com/minetrain.htm

This attraction makes our weekly trips sustainable.

As nothing on the mine site has a foundation, and is movable, we did not obtain permits as we believed we had the blessing of the town. They knew we were there, and never interfered because they knew what we were doing was good for the farm, the town and the county.

About 6 months ago, we received a notice of zoning violation. At one point they even threatened me with arrest.

It seems that two family's that live almost a 1/4 of a mile away, have a long standing feud with the Snyder Family.

It is basically because of this they complained about the mine operation.

After meeting with the Mayor and land use board the town told us they were very supportive of the railroad and the Snyder Farm. They promised to work with us to keep the mine site open.

Every time they moved in a direction to put this issue to rest, they went back on their word.

Finally it was agreed that we should have the mine considered as agricultural tourism. The state just passed several laws to protect farms and their ability to be self sustainable through agricultural tourism.

This would work perfectly, as the Mayor promised a letter of support, after all, it was their idea.

Rather than sending a letter of support, the Mayor sent a letter to the County Agricultural Development Board ( who presides over the right to farm decisions as well as agricultural tourism) stating that the Snyder Farm and the railroad should have nothing to do with each other.

This is the third time the Mayor showed poor character and went against his word.

On June 18th at 7:30 PM there will be a meeting of the County Agricultural Development Board.

They will be deciding if the Ol' Susquehanna mine can be considered a legitimate method of attracting customers to the Snyder farm.

If they decide that it is, we will fall under State protection and the town can not close down the mine.

Our train passengers are responsible for the consumption of 10 acres of corn ( corn maze) and 4,000 pumpkins each year.

Without the train, the Snyder farm would not be self sustainable.

Because of a few vengeful people, and a very young and inexperienced mayor, our operation and the self sustainability of the Snyder Farm is at risk.

PLEASE come to the meeting on the 18th and stand in support of the Snyder farm and the New York Susquehanna & Western Technical & Historical Society Inc. The mayor will be sending representatives to the meeting with the intent of slandering our operation and the Snyder farm.

We need our friends and supporters to make it clear that they believe the Snyder farm has the right to make itself self sustainable by its unique relationship with our tourist railroad.

YOUR PRESENCE WILL MATTER.

The Meeting will be held at:

Department of Land Preservation

500 Mt. Pisgah Ave.
PO Box 179
Oxford, NJ 07863

7:30 PM



--
Chris Cotty
President
Boardwalk Empire LLC
VP & GM
New York Susquehanna & Western Technical & Historical Society Inc.
Delaware River Railroad Excursions
Belvidere & Delaware River Railway

If you lose (hopefully not going to happen) can they shut down the railroad or only the mine?

Does the mayor have a dedicated Facebook page? I have learned through contacting hundreds and hundreds of people and organizations to get votes for my Golden Spike Ceremony Lego project that the #1 most effective way to reach someone you don't know and get an actual response from them is to message them on Facebook.

I have been led to believe that this item has been removed from tonight's agenda. That may or may not indicate anything significant.

Is anyone with actual knowledge free to disclose the reason?

GME

We had planned on being at the meeting this evening and were already on our way... until we received the message below:

To all our friends and supporters. The Snyder Farm application before
the County Agricultural Development Board (CADB) will not be heard
tonight. Due to an obscure technicality, proper notice was not given
when the farm was accepted as a commercial farm last month by the CADB.
The CADB board thought it was processed properly, and in fact published
that the farm was accepted. We think the CADB folks are good people, and
this was not done to throw off our supporters. I will be in attendance
this evening just in case everyone who was to attend doesn't get notice
of the cancellation.
The application should be heard again in July or August.
Thank you for your support.
Chris Cotty
VP & GM
The Delaware River Railroad Excursions

I reflexively refuse to believe any such claim. I've been played before with the dirty trick of leading the opposition to believe the meeting is canceled.

Fortunately such things can usually be confirmed with a phone call or a look at the website. This sounds like a simple administrative screw-up. It does allow a bit more time to put the arguments together and to work out some form of an agreement with the mayor.

GME