Thursday, April 9th


Earl's Special Project

On ESP, we had a good crew - Earl, Joe Marsh, Joe Klapkowski, Mike LaLonde, Bob Blake, John Patane, Chris Rittner and Jeff Otto.

The crew cut all brush on site, and stacked it for chipping Friday.


Brush crew

The brush crew started at MP 33.5 ar the SR 28 crossing in Shandaken, and cut the ROW open from there west to MP 34. The crew included Peter Fluchere, Chris Bigham, Dave Heick, Dick Ray, and Dave Sigafoose.

This track was cleared 10 years ago by Dave Heick, and will now be added to our 21 miles of OOS service track that is now accessible for maintenance by MOW equipment.


Friday, April 10th

Earl's Project

Friday the crew consisted of Earl, Joe Marsh, Mike LaLonde, Mark Glaser, Bob Blake, and Jeff Otto. The crew chipped all the brush cut yesterday and is ready for the next phase of the project.

Brush Crew

Chris Bigham and Win Goodier continued cutting west from the SR 28 crossing in Shandaken. The crew consisted also of Dick Ray, Dave Sigafoose, Dave Heick, and myself. The crew cut west from MP 34 where they stopped yesterday, to MP 35.83. Only .39 miles more needs to be cut to complete clearing this section of the line.

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Saturday, April 11th

Saturday, the 702 crew installed the window sills and continued work on electrical and the east vestibule. The crew consisted of Terry W., Dick Wilhelm, Ernie Gerhrer, and George Liucci.

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Th stamping and spiking crew tamped and spiked the last 57 ties in the main line replacement project, which was completed today.

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The crew consisted of George Peck, Michael Adsit, Derek Stapleton, Win Goodier, Bob Blake, Mark Glaser, Todd Syska, Dave Sigafoose, Mike LaLonde, Jeff Otto, Tom Healy, Ken Darmstadt, and Steve Kijak.

After lunch, some of the crew cut brush east of Mt. Pleasant:

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And a few others went to Cornell Street to work on our new siding there:

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Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
Catskill Mountain RR

Saturday, April 18th

Phoenicia

George Peck will be working on two projects Saturday - first to continue boltwork and second to eliminate super elevation from the curve in front of the station in Phoenicia (so the high platform can be built this summer). These crews will meet at 9am at the station in Phoenicia.

Anyone who would like to cut brush should focus on the campground curve area at MP 26.4, eliminating the locust trees between the tracks and SR 28.

The 702 crew plan to start work on the 702 about 10am.


Kingston

Cornell Street will be closed Saturday. The crew will work off-site. Please contact Jeff Otto or Joe Marsh for more information.


Sunday, April 19th


Cornell Street will be open at 9:30am on Sunday. Work is planned on the new siding.


Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
Catskill Mountain RR

Saturday, April 18th

On Saturday, the 702 crew continued work. Terry W. worked on finishing the window sills, Ernie Gehrer on the electrical, and George Liucci on the east vestibule, and Dick Wilhelm.

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George Peck led a crew working to jack the inside rail at the Phoenicia station up to eliminate superelevation there. This is so a new high-level platform can be built there this summer. His crew consisted of Dave Mason, Jason DiTolla, Kurt Vandermark, and Michael Adsit.

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Earl Pardini and Gerg Vaughn removed the engine in the old backhoe for use at Cornell Street.


Sunday, April 19th.

In Kingston, Earl led a crew consisting of Jeff Otto, Joe Marsh, Mark Glaser, Bob Blake, John Watson, and George Cook.

They rebuilt the air compressor and the bolt wrenches, cleaned off the dock further, worked on Earl's trailer, and continued work on the new storage track.

Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
Catskill Mountain RR

Saturday, April 25th

Phoenicia

George Peck will be working to continue to eliminate super elevation from the curve in front of the station in Phoenicia (so the high platform can be built this summer). The crews will meet at 9am at the station in Phoenicia. If this project is finished by lunchtime, the worktrain will move to jack and tamp the MP 23.3 area.

Anyone who would like to cut brush should focus on the campground curve area at MP 26.4, eliminating the locust trees between the tracks and SR 28.

The 702 crew plan to start work on the 702 about 10am.


Kingston

Earl will be leading a crew on Saturday off-site. Contact Joe Marsh or Jeff Otto for further information.


Sunday, April 26th


Cornell Street will be open at 9:30am on Sunday. Work will continue on the tamper and the new storage track.



Future Dates for your Calendar


Saturday, May 9th - Advanced Rules Class. Required for all train operating personnel. Time and place to be announced.

Saturday, May 16th - Mt. Pleasant Cleanup Day. Brush Cutting, Tree cutting, Mowing and otherwise making the Mt. Pleasant station ready for the operating season. The county chipper will make an appearance.



Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
Catskill Mountain RR

How long has the railroad not seen a real train?

Len.

Last freight run was in 1976.

Tourist trains have run on portions of the line by the CMRR and the DURR since 1983.

EH

Who built the railroad, and how many miles is it washed out?

Len.

Len,

The history of the railroad is listed here:

http://www.railroad.net/articles/railfa ... /index.php

and here

http://www.udrrhs.org/html/udhistory.htm

Also see the May 2009 issue of trains magazine.


As to washouts, the line is basically intact from Kingston, MP 3, to Phoenicia, MP 27.5, with two small washouts at MP 5.5 and 18.6 that are repairable and generally passable by track cars.

West of Phoenicia, there are two large washouts - one at MP 28 and another at MP 28.5, and a missing bridge at MP 28.8. There is a landslide at MP 31.3 and 33, and another washout at MP 32.

From MP 33 west to the interchange at Highmount, MP 41.4, with the DURR, the line is intact though a large bridge at MP 36.7 needs repair and a small bridge has been removed at MP 36.9.

EH

Saturday, April 25th

On Saturday, the 702 crew continued work. Ernie Gehrer and George Liucci worked on the electrical, Ed Palmatier on doors, and Dick Wilhelm did cleanup.

George Peck led a crew working completing jacking the inside rail at the Phoenicia station up to eliminate superelevation there. This is so a new high-level platform can be built there this summer. His crew consisted of George Bain, Paul Hintz, Paul Sternitzke and Michael Adsit. Next week the crew will move to MP 23.3 to jack and tamp the track there.



Sunday, April 26th.

In Kingston, Earl led a crew consisting of Jeff Otto, Walt Otto, Mark Glaser, Bob Blake, John Watson, Ernie Klopping, John Watson and George Cook.

They worked on rebuilding the old backhoe, cleaned off the dock further, worked on Earl's trailer, and worked on a track gauging device.


Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
Catskill Mountain RR

Saturday, May 2nd

Phoenicia

George Peck will be taking the work train down to MP 23.3 for our annual jacking and tamping of this section to prepare it for opening day. George needs as many of our track crew as possible. The work train will leave Phoenicia between 9 and 9:30am. If you miss the train, just drive to end of Cold Brook road, and walk up to MP 23.3.

The 702 crew plan to start work on the 702 about 10am.


Kingston

Cornell Street will be closed Saturday.


Sunday, May 3rd

George Peck continue working at MP 23.3. The work train will leave Phoenicia between 9 and 9:30am. If you miss the train, just drive to end of Cold Brook road, and walk up to MP 23.3.

Cornell Street will be open on Sunday at 9:30am, though any track crew members should go to Phoenicia to help with the 23.3 repair.



Future Dates for your Calendar


Saturday, May 9th - Advanced Rules Class. Required for all train operating personnel. 9am at the Phoenicia Depot.

Saturday, May 16th - Mt. Pleasant Cleanup Day. Brush Cutting, Tree cutting, Mowing and otherwise making the Mt. Pleasant station ready for the operating season. The county chipper will make an appearance.



Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
Catskill Mountain RR

Saturday, May 2nd

The 702 crew today consisted of George Liucci doing touch up welding on the west end, and Ed Palmatier, Al Johnson, and Tom Healy working on seat parts. The window sills are in and the floor will be painted soon. After that, the seat installation will begin.

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The track crew worked at 23.3 jacking and tamping the track there which had sagged over the winter. The crew consisted of George Peck, Derek Stapleton, Al Schoessow, Michael Adsit, PJ Hintz, Paul Sternitzke, and John Patane.

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Sunday, May 3rd

In Phoenicia, George Peck, George Bain, Michael Adsit and PJ Hintz did cleanup around the yard.

At Cornell Street, the crew consisted of Earl Pardini, Greg Vaughn, Mike LaLonde, Jeff Otto, Bob Blake, Walt Otto, John Watson and Al Schoessow.

Walt Otto did finish up work on passenger flat 278, Earl worked on his trailer, and the rest of the crew sorted and sized switch timbers.

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Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
CMRR

Saturday, May 9th

Phoenicia

On Saturday, May 9th, the CMRR will hold its advanced rules class for train operating personnel at 9am at the Phoenicia Station. This class is mandatory for train operating personel, though a make-up class will be held later for those unable to attend.

For those not taking the class, George Peck will be taking the work train down to MP 23.3 to complete jacking and tamping of this section to prepare it for opening day. The work train will leave Phoenicia between 9 and 9:30am. If you miss the train, just drive to end of Cold Brook road, and walk up to MP 23.3.

The 702 crew plan to start work on the 702 about 10am.


Kingston

Cornell Street will be closed Saturday.


Sunday, May 10th

George Peck will continue working at MP 23.3. The work train will leave Phoenicia between 9 and 9:30am. If you miss the train, just drive to end of Cold Brook road, and walk up to MP 23.3.

Cornell Street yard will be closed on Sunday.



Future Dates for your Calendar

Saturday, May 16th - Mt. Pleasant Cleanup Day. Brush Cutting, Tree cutting, Mowing and otherwise making the Mt. Pleasant station ready for the operating season. The county chipper will make an appearance.



Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
Catskill Mountain RR

Saturday, May 9th


Today, George Peck led a crew at MP 23.3 continuing to jack and tamp the line there. His crew consisted of Jason DiTolla, Mike Adsit, Dave Mason, Derek Stapleton, and Joe Mitchell.

The annual advanced rules class was held today with a good turnout of 25. Everyone passed the test. Date for a makeup class is tentatively scheduled for June 14th.

The 702 crew continued to work today on electrical and seat frames. Crew consisted of Ernie Gehrer, George Liucci, Dick Wilhelm, and Al Johnson.

Sunday, May 10th

George Peck and Mike Adsit did cleanup around the Phoenicia yard.


Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
CMRR

Saturday, May 16th

Phoenicia/Mt. Pleasant


On Saturday, George Peck will be taking the work train down to MP 23.3 to finish jacking and tamping of this section to prepare it for opening day. The work train will leave Phoenicia between 9 and 9:30am. If you miss the train, just drive to end of Cold Brook road, and walk up to MP 23.3.

The rest of the crew will be working at Mt. Pleasant to get it in shape for opening day. This work will be led by George Liucci.

George Liucci asked that volunteers bring spade shovels, chain saws, weed wackers, leaf rakes, brush clippers, and a broom and some paper towels to clean the station.

Plans are to:

1 install the new sign
2 install flag pole base
3 repair north/ west side of the roof
4 clean the station
5 mow grass/weedwack
6 cut brush and trees east/ west of the station
7 grade parking lot ( EARL)


Kingston

Cornell Street will be closed Saturday.


Sunday, May 17th

George Peck will continue working on the line in preparation for opening day on 5/23. The work train will leave Phoenicia between 9 and 10:00am.

It is not yet certain if Cornell Street will be open next weekend. Please check for updates.




Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
Catskill Mountain RR

Saturday, May 16th

There was a big crew working at Mt. Pleasant today. Ernie Gehrer, George Liucci, George Bain, Al Johnson, and Ed Palmatier worked on the Mt. Pleasant station, making roof repairs and cleaning out the interior. They also installed the new flagpole.

Earl Pardini, Chester Hartwell, Paul Hintz, Greg Vaughn, and Al Schoessow installed the Mt. Pleasant new sign. Neil and Kathy Isabelle, Mike LaLonde and I did brush cutting through the station area, clearing the line of site for the train crew around the curve. Earl also did some grading in the parking lot.

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George Peck and crew went down to MP 23.3 and completed jacking and tamping there and did culvert repairs elsewhere down the line. Besides George, the crew consisted of Greg Peck, Jason DiTolla, Kurt Van DeMark, Joe Mitchell and Mike Adsit.

Sunday, May 17th

In Phoenicia, George Peck and Michael Adsit performed miscellaneous repairs on the equipment.

In Kingston, Earl and Al Schoessow worked on Earl's trailer, Walt Otto, worked on coach 278, Ernie Klopping on the old backhoe, and Greg Vaughn weed-wacked the yard.




Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
Catskill Mountain RR