Saturday, June 7th

Cold Brook/Iron Bridge

In Cold Brook, on Saturday June 7th, George Peck will be leading a crew leaving Phoenicia with the worktrain between 8:30-9am, with plans to finish up whatever remains to be done to open the Cold Brook extension for regular passenger service. Volunteers should arrive at 9-10am at the iron bridge crossing. This is an "all hands" call so the Cold Brook Extension can be opened for regular passenger service ASAP.

Those who would like to do some tree cutting should bring chainsaws. There are a lot of downed trees along the ROW on the Cold Brook extension that need to be cut up and stacked as part of opening the extension. Free firewood for any who need some!

Phoenicia

In Phoenicia, Al Johnson and Tom Healy will be working on coach 702, continuing work on the windows and vestibules. Work will start at 10am. As always, they can use additional help.

Kingston

There will be no work in Kingston Saturday.


Sunday, June 8th

Phoenicia/Cold Brook

On Sunday June 8th, George Peck, Steve Gollow and Tom Healy will be leading a crew leaving Phoenicia at 9am-9:30am with the worktrain, with plans to continue cut and cleanup fallen trees on the Cold Brook Extension. Volunteers should join them in the Phoenicia yard by 9:30am, or meet with them later near Cold Brook. Bring a chainsaw! Free firewood!

Kingston

In Kingston, on Sunday, June 8th, the Cornell Street yard will open at 9:30am. Plans are to continue work on the new west fence, and other mechanical work in the yard.



Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
Catskill Mountain RR

Saturday, June 7th, 2008

Phoenicia

Today, Ed Palmatier and Al Johnson installed more windows on the 702. 37 of 40 are now complete. Tom Healy needlescaled the vestibules.

Cold Brook

In Cold Brook, George Peck led a crew consisting of Derek Stapleton, Dave Mason, Jeff Otto, Mark Glaser, Peter Fluchere, and Ron Epstein. They inserted and tamped the last ties in the curve west of the iron bridge at MP 22.38, and spiked some of them. This curve is now almost complete and ready for service. Next week, the curve at MP 22.6 will be getting a final round of ties and ballast.

Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
Catskill Mountain RR

Friday, June 13th

Earl Pardini and Jeff Otto plan to open the Cornell Street yard at 9am on Friday June 13th. They plan to work on cleaning up the yard and possibly taking the work train to Washington Avenue to do cleanup work near the Dutch Village area.


Saturday, June 14th

Cold Brook/Iron Bridge

In Cold Brook, on Saturday June 14th, George Peck will be leading a crew leaving Phoenicia with the worktrain between 8:30-9am, with plans to finish up whatever remains to be done to open the Cold Brook extension for regular passenger service. Volunteers should arrive at 9-10am at the iron bridge crossing. This is an "all hands" call so the Cold Brook Extension can be opened for regular passenger service ASAP. First work will be spiking the ties inserted last weekend.

Those who would like to do some tree cutting should bring chainsaws. There are a lot of downed trees along the ROW on the Cold Brook extension that need to be cut up and stacked before opening the extension. Free firewood for any who need some!

Phoenicia

In Phoenicia, Al Johnson, Ed Palmatier and Tom Healy will be working on coach 702, finishing work on the windows and vestibules. Work will start at Phoenicia at 10am. Al and Ed will be working from 9 to 10am at Route 209, taking some window parts from the 703 for use on the 702, so early birds can meet up with them there.

Kingston

There will be no work in Kingston Saturday.


Sunday, June 15th

Phoenicia/Cold Brook

On Sunday June 15th, George Peck will be working in the Phoenicia yard starting about 9:30am. If sufficient crew are available, he will take the work train to do work on the Cold Brook Extension. Volunteers should join him in the Phoenicia yard by about 10am, or meet with him later near Cold Brook.

Kingston

In Kingston, on Sunday, June 15th, the Cornell Street yard will open at 9:30am. Plans are to continue work on the new west fence, and other mechanical work in the yard.



Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
Catskill Mountain RR

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Phoenicia & Mt. Pleasant

Ed Palmatier and al Johnson went to the 703 and got three window assemblies for the 702. Here are photos of the 702:

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 128401.jpg

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 628721.jpg

Ernie Gehrer, Tom Healy, George Liucci and Dick Wilhelm worked in the Phoenicia Yard and at Mt. Pleasant making miscellaneous repairs.


Cold Brook

George Peck led a crew consisting of Greg Peck, Mark Glaser, Jason DiTolla, Jeff Otto, and myself.

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 727799.jpg

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 328274.jpg

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 128342.jpg

The crew spiked up the 50 ties recently inserted in the curve from MP 22.38 (iron bridge) to MP 22.5. This section is now complete and ready for service.

Next week we will be inserting about 45 ties in the curve from MP 22.59 to MP 22.67. This should wrap up our work on this section of the line, allowing us to open this section to the scenic train after we cleanup.

EH

Friday, June 20th

Earl Pardini and Jeff Otto plan to open the Cornell Street yard at 8:30-9am on Friday June 20th. They plan to work on cleaning up the yard and moving later to Washington Avenue to do cleanup work near the Dutch Village area. Late arrivals should go directly to Washington Avenue.


Saturday, June 21st

Cold Brook/Iron Bridge

In Cold Brook, on Saturday June 21st, George Peck will be leading a crew leaving Phoenicia with the worktrain between 8:30-9am, with plans to insert the last 45 ties on the curve from MP 22.59 to 22.67, the last part of the Cold Brook extension. Volunteers should arrive by 10am at the curve 1/4 mile west of the iron bridge crossing. This is an "all hands" call so the Cold Brook Extension can be opened for regular passenger service ASAP.

Tom Healy will also be working with the tie handler doing cleanup on the Cold Brook Extension from Cold Brook Station to where the track crew will be working. He will need helpers to cut some trees so they can be picked up by the tie handler, so bring a chain saw if you have one.

Phoenicia

In Phoenicia, Ed Palmatier will be working on coach 702, finishing work on the windows and vestibules. Work will start at Phoenicia at 10am.


Kingston

There will be no work in Kingston Saturday.


Sunday, June 22nd

Phoenicia/Cold Brook

On Sunday June 22nd, George Peck will be working in the Phoenicia yard starting about 9:30am. If sufficient crew are available, he will take the work train and tie handler to do finish work on the Cold Brook Extension. Volunteers should join him in the Phoenicia yard by about 10am, or meet with him later near Cold Brook.

Kingston

In Kingston, on Sunday, June 22nd, the Cornell Street yard will open at 9:30am. Plans are to do finish work on the new fence, and begin preparation for siding installation.



Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
Catskill Mountain RR

June 20, 2008

The CMRR's Cornell Street crew cleaned up the tracks near Washington Avenue, putting the finishing touches on this extension of the RR:

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 082016.jpg

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 041971.jpg

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 161944.jpg

The crew consisted of Earl Pardini, Jeff Otto, Al Schoessow, Paul Hintz, John Patane and Joe Marsh.

June 21, 2008

Phoenicia

The 702 crew continued work on the window frames, installing one, and doing most work on the remaining two.

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 720920.jpg

Present were Al Johnson, Ed Palmatier, Thom Johnson and Gary Lowe.

Next steps will be painting the interior.

Cold Brook

In Cold Brook, George Peck led a crew installing the final ties in the Cold Brook extension. Present were Derek Stapleton, Jason DiTolla, Peter Fluchere, Ron Epstein, Mark Glaser, Jeff Otto, Joe Marsh, Tom Healy and myself.

Some photos:

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 920983.jpg

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 021020.jpg

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 421058.jpg

About 50 ties were removed from MP 22.59 to 22.67. About 25 new ties were installed and plated and some spiked. The remainder will be installed next weekend.

Tom Healy worked extensively with the tie handler cleaning up old ties on the extension as well as trees and brush.

Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
Catskill Mountain RR

Saturday, June 28th

Cold Brook/Iron Bridge

In Cold Brook, on Saturday June 28th, George Peck will be leading a crew leaving Phoenicia with the worktrain between 8:30-9am, with plans to insert, tamp and spike the last 25 ties on the curve from MP 22.59 to 22.67, the last part of the Cold Brook extension. Volunteers should arrive by 10am at the curve 1/4 mile west of the iron bridge crossing. This is an "ALL HANDS" call so the Cold Brook Extension can be opened for regular passenger service by July 4th.

Tom Healy will also be working with the tie handler doing cleanup on the Cold Brook Extension from Cold Brook Station to where the track crew will be working. He will need a helper to cut some trees so they can be picked up by the tie handler, so bring a chain saw if you have one.

Phoenicia

In Phoenicia, the 702 crew will do finishing work on the windows and vestibules. Work will start at Phoenicia at 10am.


Kingston

There will be no work in Kingston Saturday.


Sunday, June 29th

Phoenicia/Cold Brook

On Sunday June 29th, George Peck will be working in the Phoenicia yard starting about 9:30am. If sufficient crew are available, he will take the work train and tie handler to do finish work on the Cold Brook Extension. Volunteers should join him in the Phoenicia yard by about 10am, or meet with him later near Cold Brook.

This is also an "ALL HANDS" call, as plans are to swap out two rails that need replacement on the extension, and do a test run of the 29 and the 702 to Cold Brook at the end of the day.


Kingston

In Kingston, on Sunday, June 29th, the Cornell Street yard will open at 9:30am. Plans are to do finish work on the new fence, and begin preparation for siding installation.



Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
Catskill Mountain RR

Saturday June 28th

Phoenicia

Ed Palmatier and Al Johnson worked on preparation of the interior surfaces of the 702 for painting.


Cold Brook

In Cold Brook, George Peck led a crew inserting and spiking the last ties for the Cold Brook extension. Present were John Tuma, Mark Glaser, Jeff Otto, Derek Stapleton, Tom Healy, Zef Fessendon, and myself. 20 ties were inserted and tamped and about 50 were spiked.

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 013667.jpg

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 714274.jpg

Additionally, several rails were prepositioned for replacement of some defective rail:

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 315338.jpg

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 315854.jpg

Once these rails are changed out, the extension should be ready for passenger traffic.

Tom Healy, with assistance from Zef Fessendon, cleared debris (cut trees and brush) off the right of way to prepare for opening of the Cold Brook extension.

Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
Catskill Mountain RR