Saturday, July 18th

In Phoenicia, the 702 crew consisted of Al Johnson and Ed Palmatier. They painted more seat frames, and have 5 more ready for installation next weekend. 24 out of 35 have now been painted.

George Peck, Michael Adsit, Jason DiTolla and Dave Mason were at Farmer's Crossing today, repairing a problem with the grade crossing there.

I continued weed wacking and cutting along the retaining wall just east of the Phoenica Station, opening up the direct line of sight from the station to the section house.

Our crews in Kingston were busy providing shuttle service there.


Sunday, July 19th

On Sunday, July 19th, Earl Pardini led a crew consisting of Mark Glaser, Bob Blake, Joe Klapkowski, Dave Hilliard, Al Schoessow, John Patane and Ron Epstein inserting more ties west of Washington Avenue.

They inserted 40 ties, and tamped, plated and spiked 27 of these. This brings our operable track further west by about 225 feet to about MP 4.45.

CMRR 201, the work flat for Kingston, was left at the end of track. Since it has all of our materials and tools on board, we will not need to bring the 401 back to this point next Sunday (we will push the flat with the backhoe).

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Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
CMRR

Saturday, July 25th

Phoenicia

George Peck will lead a crew Saturday morning starting in Phoenicia. He plans to insert ties just east of MP 27. He plans to start at 9am at Phoenicia yard.

The 702 crew will start work at 10am. That plan to paint and install more seat frames in the 702.

Chris Bigham and I will be leading a brush crew on Saturday, continuing work between Phoenicia and Mt. Pleasant. We will start about 10am. Anyone who can bring a blade or line type brush cutter would be very welcome to help.

Kingston

In Kingston, we will be continuing our summer service there with the 11am Teddybear Special. Cornell Street Yard will open about 9:30am for preparation work for the afternoon run.


Sunday, July 26th

George Peck will be working at Phoenicia starting at 9:30am.

In Kingston, Cornell Street yard will open at 9:30am. Earl plans later in the morning to move west of Washington Avenue and continue to replace ties as part of our expansion west towards C9. The crew could really use a few more people, so please come if you are able.



Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
Catskill Mountain RR

Saturday, July 25.

On Saturday, the 702 crew consisted of George Liucci, Al Johnson, Ed Palmatier, Terry W., and Dick Wilhelm. They applied the final coat of paint on the west end of the 702, and installed 4 seat frames, and most of a fifth. There are 11 more to go:

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George Peck's crew consisted of Derek Stapleton, Greg Peck, and Paul Sternitzke. They inserted 5 ties east of MP 27, and repaired the brakes on the tie handler:

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 595319.jpg" target="_blank

Chris Bigham and I cut brush and trees from Sleepy Hollow to Campround Curve, at least 20 feet off of the ROW.

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 594277.jpg" target="_blank

Tom Healy came by at the end of the day with the tie handler and brought all the cut trees to Phoenica for disposition.

In Kingston, the shuttle there ran "Teddy Bear Train Rides" which were welll attended by the local population.

Sunday, July 26th

In Kingston, Earl Pardini led a crew consisting of Al Schoessow, Ron Epstein, Bob Blake and Walt Otto. Earl inserted 32 more ties, and the crew pulled spikes and plates from 67 more ties towards the end of the Holiday Inn property. No ties were tamped or plated.

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 916550.jpg" target="_blank

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Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
Catskill Mountain RR

The Trains Magazine article on the CMRR has been posted on the CMRR website, with permission from Trains Magazine:


http://catskillmtrailroad.com/media/CMR ... ay2009.pdf


EH

Friday, July 31st

In Kingston, Earl Pardini and Win Goodier will lead a crew cleaning and widening the ROW in Kingston starting at Downs Street going out to Route 209. They will meet at 9am at the Cornell Street Yard and work west. Bring brush clearing equipment, weed-wackers, and chainsaws for the work between the Holiday Inn and 209. Win Goodier will have his track car and be running it across C9.


Saturday, August 1st

Phoenicia

George Peck will lead a crew Saturday morning starting in Phoenicia. He plans to insert ties just east of MP 27. He plans to start at 9am at Phoenicia yard.

The 702 crew will start work at 10am. They plan to paint and install more seat frames in the 702.

Cold Brook

Tom Healy and I will be at Cold Brook Station at 9:30-10am with the tie handler, and will need a crew to help pick up debris along the ROW in the Cold Brook area. Earl and Win will bring the county chipper to chip all the remaining debris at Cold Brook.

Shokan

Earl Pardini and Joe Marsh will lead a crew starting work on the Shokan switch by clearing trees east of the DEC crossing. They will start at 9am. Bring chainsaws.


Sunday, August 2nd

In Kingston, Earl Pardini and Win Goodier will lead a crew continuing trackwork at the Holiday Inn at 9:30am to 10am. Earl needs a tamping crew to tamp the 32 ties inserted last weekend, and plans to continue inserting more ties towards C9. The tamping crew could really use a few more people, so please come if you are able.



Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
Catskill Mountain RR

Friday, July 31st

On Friday, July 31st, Win Goodier and Tom Healy weed-wacked from Downs Street to Elmendorf Street before rain forced them to stop for the day.

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Saturday, August 1st

The 702 crew continued installing 3 more seat frames in the 702. 25 are now installed, and 9 are left. The crew consisted of Terry W., George Liucci, Dick Wilhelm, Al Johnson and Ed Palmatier. George Liucci did more work on the east end, and Terry W. varnished arm rests. Ed, Dick and Terry installed the arm rest covers on the seat frames that are installed.

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 414357.jpg" target="_blank

In Cold Brook, Tom Healy, Derek Stapleton, George Peck, assisted for part of the day by Win Goodier, Mike LaLonde, Paul Sternitzke, Todd Syska, and Bruce Devorkin, chipped almost all the brush at Cold Brook, and picked up debris along the ROW there.

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In Shokan, Joe Marsh led a crew including Steve Gollow, Dave Sigafoose, Steve Kijak, and part of the day by Win Goodier, Mike LaLonde, Paul Sternitzke, Todd Syska, and Bruce Devorkin, cut about 100 trees that were in the way of our future siding at Shokan, kicking off that project.

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Late in the day, the Shokan crew did a maintenance run to Hurley Mountain Road.

In Kingston, our Shuttle train crossed Washington Avenue with passengers for the first time, running to MP 4.45, the limit of our trackwork there so far.


August 2, 2009

In Kingston, Earl led a crew consisting of Ernie Klopping, Al Schoessow, John Patane, John Prestopino, Greg Vaughn, Bob Blake, Joe Klapkowski, and Win Goodier.

They inserted another 30 ties, and tamped, spiked and plated about 35. The track is now complete to MP 4.51, just in front of the Holiday Inn check-in area. Only .49 miles left to C9.


Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
Catskill Mountain RR

Saturday, August 8th

Phoenicia

George Peck will lead a crew Saturday morning starting in Phoenicia. He plans to insert ties just east of MP 27. He plans to start at 9am at Phoenicia yard.

The 702 crew will start work at 10am. They plan to paint and install more seat frames in the 702.

Shokan

Earl Pardini, Joe Marsh and Steve Gallow will lead a crew continuing work on the new Shokan switch by continuing to clear trees east of the DEC crossing. They will start at 9am. Bring chainsaws. Earl plans to bring the county chipper up for tree limb disposal.


Sunday, August 9th

In Phoenicia, George Peck will be at the yard at 9:30am.

In Kingston, Earl Pardini will again lead a crew continuing trackwork at the Holiday Inn beginning between 9:30am and 10am. Earl needs a tamping crew to tamp the 30 ties inserted last weekend, and plans to continue inserting more ties towards C9. The tamping crew could really use a few more people, so please come if you are able.



Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
Catskill Mountain RR

Saturday, August 8th:

Shokan

On Saturday, the Shokan switch project crew consisted of Steve Gollow, Joe Marsh, Tom Healy, Thom Johnson, Gary Lowe, George Cook and Paul Sternitzke. They chipped up all the trees cut last week east of the DEP crossing:

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 322134.jpg

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 822314.jpg

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 422485.jpg

Next is stump removal.

Phoenicia

Also on Saturday, on the 702 crew, Al Johnson, Gary Lowe, Ed Palmatier worked on seat parts, and painted 4 more seat frames which Ed Palmatier installed in the coach:

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 723189.jpg

There are 5 more left to install.

Ernie Gehrer and George Liucci continued work on the east end vestibule:

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 523089.jpg


Also near Phoenicia, George Peck, Dave Mason, Derek Stapleton and Michael Adsit replaced 10 ties at about MP 26.8:

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 822744.jpg


Sunday, August 9th

On Sunday, Earl Pardini led a crew consisting of Joe Klapkowski, Bob Blake, Ernie Klopping, Al Schoessow and Mark Glaser doing trackwork near the Holiday Inn. Earl inserted another 19 ties, and the crew tamped 46.


Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
Catskill Mountain RR

Thursday, August 13th

On Thursday, August 13th, Joe Klapkowski and Burr Hubbell plan to work at the Holiday Inn about 10am and will plate, guage and spike the 46 ties tamped there last Sunday. They could use more help if you can join them.


Saturday, August 15th

In Phoenicia, the 702 crew will start about 10am, and continue work on seat frame painting and installation.

Also in Phoenicia, George Peck will be organizing a crew to go insert ties between MP 27 and Campground Curve. They will start at the section house in Phoenicia at about 9am.

In Mt. Pleasant, Steve Gollow will be cutting the grass and cutting back vegetation with his brush hog.

There will be no work in Shokan Saturday.


Sunday, August 16th

On Sunday, George Peck will be at Phoenicia at 9:30am.

Also on Sunday, Earl Pardini will return to the Holiday Inn in Kingston to continue inserting ties towards C9. He will start around 9:30 to 10am. He needs a large crew to tamp, plate and spike the ties he will be inserting, so please come if you are able to.

Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
Catskill Mountain RR

Thursday, August 13th

On Thursday, August 13th, Joe Klapkowski led a crew consisting of John Patane and Al Schoessow, plating the 46 ties tamped last Sunday at the Holiday Inn. They fully spiked 8 ties and set spikes for 38. They also tamped and reset spikes for 6 older ties.

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 115900.jpg" target="_blank


Saturday, August 15th

First crossbuck went up today on Washington Avenue:

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 213401.jpg" target="_blank

In Phoenicia, the 702 crew consisted of George Liucci, Ernie Gehrer, Al Johnston, Ed Palmatier, Terry W., Dick Wilhelm, and Thom Johnson.

From Al Johnson:

"Ed, and Terry installed additional seat parts and 1 frame, Dick worked on the steps, George Liucci and Ernie welded on the East end vestibule and Thom [Johnson] and I worked on wire brushing additional seat frames. We then installed both step units on the East end. "

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 214852.jpg" target="_blank

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Sunday, August 16th

On Sunday, Earl Pardini led a crew consisting or Al Schoessow, Mark Glaser, John Patane, Bob Blake, John Conte, Eric, and Thom Johnson. They spiked up the 46 ties previously setup, and another 20 of the 30 ties inserted by Earl Pardini today. The track is now complete to about MP 4.6, near the end of the Holiday Inn parking lot. We plan to start service on this new segment next weekend.

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 927385.jpg" target="_blank

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Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
Catskill Mountain RR

Saturday, August 22nd

In Phoenicia, the 702 crew will start about 10am, and continue work on seat frame painting and installation.

Also in Phoenicia, George Peck will be organizing a crew to go insert ties between MP 27 and Campground Curve. George could use a large crew for trackwork. He will start at the section house in Phoenicia at about 9am.



Sunday, August 23rd

On Sunday, George Peck will be at Phoenicia at 9:30am.

Also on Sunday, Earl Pardini will return to the Holiday Inn in Kingston to continue inserting ties towards C9. He will start around 9:30 to 10am. He needs a large crew to tamp, plate and spike the ties he will be inserting, so please come if you are able to.


Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
Catskill Mountain RR

Friday, August 21st

On Friday, August 21st, Earl Pardini and John Patane installed the east crossbuck at Washington Avenue. The west crossbuck was installed the week before.


Saturday, August 22nd

In Phoenicia, George Peck and Greg Peck replaced washers and bolts between Sleepy Hollow and MP 27. Newcomer Shaun Murphy manned the ticket booth at Mt. Pleasant.

Also in Phoenicia, the 702 crew, which consisted of Ed Palmatier, Terry W. and Dick Wilhelm, worked on the last 4 seat frames. 2 are completely painted and up in 702 (not Installed) and 2 need another coat of paint. All should be installed next weekend. Next, they will clean the seat cushions and install them.

In Kingston, the CMRR ran its first trains across Washington Avenue, extending service in Kingston another .23 miles to MP 4.6. Here are some photos from Saturday:

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Sunday, August 23rd.


On Sunday, August 23rd, Earl Pardini led a crew consisting of Joe Klapkowski, John Patane, Al Schoessow, Bob Blake and Dave Hilliard, and continued work west towards C9. They inserted another 42 ties just up to the culvert at MP 4.66.

They also went back to Washington Avenue, and tamped up a low joint on the east side and inserted two ties on the west side.

Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
Catskill Mountain RR

Saturday, August 29th

In Phoenicia, the 702 crew will start about 10am. They will finish installing the last seat frames on the 702, and continue seat installation.

Also in Phoenicia, George Peck will be organizing a crew to go insert ties between MP 27 and Campground Curve. George could use a large crew for trackwork. He will start at the section house in Phoenicia at about 9am.

In Shokan, Joe Marsh will lead a crew starting about 9:30am continuing site preparation for the new switch at Shokan. Bring chainsaws and brush cutting equipment.



Sunday, August 30th

On Sunday, George Peck will be at Phoenicia at 9:30am.

Also on Sunday, Earl Pardini will return to the west end of the Holiday Inn in Kingston to continue inserting ties towards C9. He will start around 9:30 to 10am. He needs a large crew to tamp, plate and spike the ties inserted last weekend, so please come if you are able to.


Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
Catskill Mountain RR

Wednesday August 26th

Ed Palmatier and Dick Wilhelm installed three more seat frames in the 702.


Saturday, August 29th

On coach 702, Terry W. and Dick Wilhelm installed the last seat frame and worked on other seat frame parts. In addition, they worked on prep for the brake rigging installation. George Liucci and Ernie Gehrer welded on the East end vestibule. Al Johnson started the prep of the cabinet doors for the electrical cabinet and the cabinet at the West end of the car.

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 628390.jpg" target="_blank

Also in Phoenicia, George Peck, Dave Mason, Jason DiTolla and Derek Stapleton installed florescent lighting in the section house.


Sunday, August 30th

On Sunday, Earl Pardini led a crew consisting of Ernie Klopping, Mark Glaser, Bob Blake, and Dave Hilliard working west of the Holiday Inn in Kingston. They inserted 32 ties from MP 4.65 to 4.68, and tamped 28 ties from MP 4.6 to 4.63.

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 714424.jpg" target="_blank


Monday, August 31st

In Phoenicia, Ed Palmatier and Dick Wilhelm cleaned, painted and installed the brackets for the seat back for the fixed seat near the bathroom on the 702.


In Kingston, Joe Marsh and Dick Ray continued work on the CMRR tamper:

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 724560.jpg" target="_blank


Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
CMRR

What is the origin of that boiler behind the tamper? Is it repairable? Is the rest of the locomotive there?

Bernie Perch