Question for those involved, but can anyone glean some information on the Otto Chemical engine up in Kingston? I'm rather curious...

The Otto engine is at Cornell Street, disassembled. Boiler thickness turned out to be a problem, so restoration is on hold. Engine is the personal property of Earl Pardini, former President of the CMRR.

EH

Saturday, May 31st

On Saturday in Phoenicia, train crew was Walt Otto, engineer, Ray Farrell, Conductor, Tyler Carelli, brakeman trainee, and Bruce Devorkin ticket agent.

George Peck and Art Vogel did trackwork in Phoenicia.

In Kingston on Saturday, track work continued on the CR-5 extension. 11 ties were inserted, 17 plated and spiked,and OTM pulled on 17 ties east of the farm crossing. Working today were: Rick Desir, Tom Whyte, John Patane, Jesse Gabron, and Mark Glaser.

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=216378

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=216379

At 209, George Bain worked on coach 1204.

In Kingston, Al Schoessow was engineer. John Prestopino was conductor. Flaggers were John Marino and Fred Rasmussen. Peter Fluchere was ticket agent.


Sunday, June 1st

On Sunday, a crew consisting of Tom Whyte, John Marino, and John Patane worked toward the farm crossing and did mechanical work on the backhoe. 12 ties were plated and spiked. First round tie replacement and heavy brush clearing is now complete from Hurley Mountain Road (MP 5.94) to the MP 5.68 crossing.


Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
CMRR

So your track team is working from Hurley Mountain road back towards 209? Is the portion of that section that has been worked on now ready for service (once the additional section from 209 is open) or does the section from Hurley Mountain road still require additional work before it can be opened?

Do you think you will be able to extend the run to Hurley Mountain Road this summer?

Open for work trains, not passengers. Still have to do from 5.53 to 5.68. EH

Friday, June 6th

Mark Glaser will lead a track crew Friday. Meet at 10am at Cornell Street.


Saturday, June 7th

On Saturday we will be running in Mt. Tremper and in Kingston.

In Phoenicia, George Peck will lead a crew starting at 9:30am at Phoenicia for trackwork.

In Kingston, Mark Glaser will be working in Cornell Street yard starting at 9:30am. Plans are to do track work at Hurley Mountain Road.

At MP 6.5 Ryan Lennox plans to lead a brush crew working towards MP 7. They will start at 12 noon.



Sunday, June 8th

There will be a track crew working out of Cornell Street yard. The yard will open at 9:30am.

We will be running in Mt. Tremper only on Sunday.


Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
CMRR

Friday, June 6th

On Friday, Tom Whyte and Mark Glaser jacked and leveled track west of Holiday Inn and replaced a tie. Other track work was done near Albany Ave.


Saturday, June 7th

On Saturday in Phoenicia, train crew was Dave Heick, engineer, Ray Farrell, Conductor, Bill Kaba, brakeman, and Peter Fluchere ticket agent.

In Phoenicia, Al Johnson worked on flat 35111.

George Peck, Joe Michaels, Jarrett May and Art Vogel worked on Engine 407.

Saturday, Jim Bruck cut grass east of Washington Ave. John Patane worked on the backhoe at HMR. A track crew consisting of Rick Desir, Tom Whyte, and Mark Glaser weed wacked from MP 5.68 east to the culvert wash. 42 ties were marked for replacement and OTM was removed all the way to the washout.

Ryan Lennox led a crew consisting of Christian Cole, Tyler Larose, Harrison and George Balduf clearing track near MP 6.5.

In Kingston, Al Schoessow was engineer. John Prestopino was conductor. Flagger was John Marino. Ron Epstein was car attendant. Russ Hallock was ticket agent.


Sunday, June 8th

On Sunday in Kingston,track work west of C-9 was done. Working today were John Marino and Mark Glaser.

At Mt. Tremper, George Peck led a crew consisting of Tom Whyte and Harrison Balduf who worked on track.

At Mt. Tremper, John Patane ran engine #1, Neil Remsen was brakeman, and Walt Otto was conductor. Peter Fluchere was ticket agent.


Monday, June 9th

In Kingston on Monday, Al Schoessow and Mark Glaser did track work just west of Fair St. Later in the day,Cornell St. Yard was weedwacked and a general cleanup done.




Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
CMRR

Keeping an eye on the opposition:

http://www.dailyfreeman.com/general-new ... ll-june-19

And some background on this featured speaker:

http://www.greenwaysolutions.org/aboutus.html

In back-channel conversations with some of the people at Catskill Mountain (who provided these links), it has been suggested that this fellow is being brought in to offer a lot of lobbying advice to the trail crowd. His list of associations certainly suggests he is a lobbyist himself.

One of the fellows in the conversation said this erased any doubt for him that the Rails to Trails Conservancy has definitely morphed into a predator organization.

I certainly expect the battle to heat up even more in Ulster County.

This guy is from my area.
-Ask him why if trails are such an economic boom the Hampshire Mall hasn't built an entrance on it's property to the trail give cyclist easer access to the mall.
-Ask him why people prefer to ride there bikes along Root 9 despite the bike trail and Root 9 being dangerous.
-Ask him how much tax payers money is going into this.
-Ask him why the locally owned drive up restaurant that built a paved hook up to the trail and offered bike parking and free air fills for bikes closed down.

From my observations the Norwottuck Rail Trail is not used very often and is costing tax payers money.

Saturday, June 14th

On Saturday we will be running in Mt. Tremper and in Kingston.

In Phoenicia, George Peck will lead a crew starting at 9:30am at Phoenicia for trackwork.

In Kingston, Mark Glaser will be working in Cornell Street yard starting at 9:30am. Plans are to do track work at Hurley Mountain Road.


Sunday, June 15th

There will be a track crew working out of Cornell Street yard. The yard will open at 9:30am.

We will be running in Mt. Tremper only on Sunday.




Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
CMRR

Saturday, June 14th

On Saturday in Phoenicia, train crew was John Prestopino, engineer, Neil Isabelle, Conductor, Neil Remsen, brakeman, Tyler Carelli, car attendant, and Russ Hallock ticket agent.

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=216666

In Phoenicia, Al Johnson worked on flat 35111.

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=216665


George Peck and Joe Michaels worked on Engine 407.

In Kingston on Saturday, Tom Whyte and Mark Glaser continued working on the Hurley Mountain Rd. track upgrade. The ROW was weed wacked from CR-5 to MP 6 and ties marked for changeout to that point.

In Kingston, Al Schoessow was engineer. Ray Farrell was conductor. Tony Bocchino was brakeman, Flagger was Fred Rasmussen. Ron Epstein was car attendant. Jim Bruck was ticket agent.


Sunday, June 15th

On Sunday, Al Schoessow and John Marino worked on 401 and the MOW Pickup at Cornell St. Mark Glaser did track inspections on the eastern end of our operating section in Kingston. John Marino and Bob Blake worked on the east end backhoe near Hurley Mtn. Rd. Later,they trimmed all overhanging branches from the NYST overpass to Wash. Ave. I primed the D&H box car.

At Phoenicia, George Peck led a crew consisting of Tom Whyte who worked on track.

At Mt. Tremper, Walt Otto was engineer, Neil Remsen was brakeman, Ray Farrell was conductor. Bruce Devorkin was ticket agent.


Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
CMRR

Saturday, June 21st

On Saturday we will be running in Mt. Tremper and in Kingston.

In Phoenicia, George Peck will lead a crew starting at 9:30am at Phoenicia for trackwork. He needs a large crew to plate and spike all ties from the section house to farmer's crossing.

In Kingston, Mark Glaser will be working in Cornell Street yard starting at 9:30am. Plans are to insert and spike ties all the way to the washout near near Hurley Mountain Road.

Ryan Lennox plans to lead a brush crew going from MP 6.5 west starting at 12:30pm. Park on Route 28.


Sunday, June 22nd

There will be a track crew working out of Cornell Street yard. The yard will open at 9:30am.

In Phoenicia, George Peck will lead a crew starting at 9:30am at Phoenicia for trackwork. Plans are to complete renovation of the track from the section house to farmer's crossing.

We will be running in Mt. Tremper only on Sunday.




Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
CMRR

Saturday, June 21st

On Saturday in Phoenicia, train crew was John Prestopino, engineer, Ray Farrell, Conductor, Dan Howard, brakeman, and Peter Fluchere ticket agent.

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=216828


George Peck and Art Vogel did trackwork along with Al Johnson and Harrison and George Balduf. John Pickett weed-wacked the station and yard area. Dave Cenova painted CMRR 697:

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=216827

Ryan Lennox, Tyler LaRose and Chris Cole cleaned up and reopened the Dog crossing at MP 6.55.

On Saturday in Kingston- John Patane cleared a crossing west of MP 6 and did shoulder work east of Rte.209 with the backhoe. Tom Whyte assisted w/machine repairs and movement as required. Mark Glaser weed wacked areas between Rte.209 and Trailway's crossing.

In Kingston, Al Schoessow was engineer and John Marino was engineer trainee. Tyler Carelli was brakeman, Ron Epstein was flagger, and Walt Otto was conductor. Jim Bruck was ticket agent.



Sunday, June 22nd

Sunday, a crew consisting of George Peck,John Patane,Tom Whyte,John Marino,Bob Blake, Al Schoessow, Harrison and George Balduf,Jesse Gabron, and Mark Glaser did trackwork west of Trailway's crossing.

At Mt. Tremper, Tony Bocchino was brakeman, Dave Heick was engineer, and Walt Otto was conductor.
Bruce Devorkin was ticket agent.



Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
CMRR

Saturday, June 28th

On Saturday we will be running in Mt. Tremper and in Kingston.

In Phoenicia, George Peck will lead a crew starting at 9:30am at Phoenicia for trackwork. He needs a large crew to plate and spike all ties from the section house to farmer's crossing.

In Kingston, Mark Glaser will be working in Cornell Street yard starting at 9:30am. Plans are to insert and spike ties all the way to the washout near near Hurley Mountain Road.



Sunday, June 29th

There will be a track crew working out of Cornell Street yard. The yard will open at 9:30am.

In Phoenicia, George Peck will lead a crew starting at 9:30am at Phoenicia for trackwork. Plans are to complete renovation of the track from the section house to farmer's crossing.

We will be running in Mt. Tremper only on Sunday.




Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
CMRR

Thursday June 26th

Tom Whyte and John Patane worked on the backhoe.

On Thursday, a brush crew was run from Mt. Tremper Station to the east end of operable track at MP 23.3. From that location, brush encroaching along the sides and overhead was cut all the way to the west end of Rock Cut Curve. The Foreman/Conductor was Dan Howard, Brush Crew Member/Engineer was Dave Heick, and Brush Crew Member/Brakeman was Bill Kaba.


Friday, June 27th

In Kingston on Friday, Al Schoessow, Alex Sorenson, and Mark Glaser did bolt work on the tangent behind Herzog's at the Kingston Plaza. A cleanup of the ROW in that area was also done.

At Mt. Tremper, John Prestopino was engineer, Neil Isabelle conductor, and Kathy Isabelle brakeman.


Saturday, June 28th

On Saturday in Phoenicia, train crew was Dave Heick, engineer, Ray Farrell, Conductor, Neil Remsen, brakeman, and Ryan Lennox and Brianna Wittl ticket agents.

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=216944

George Peck and Art Vogel did trackwork along with Al Johnson and Rick Desir.

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=216943

I painted the LG and 1198 in Kingston.

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=216950

On Saturday in Kingston- John Patane, Mark Glaser and Tom Whyte inserted 32 ties east of the Farmer's crossing at MP 5.68 and spiked 10.

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=216945

in Kingston we ran four trains. Al Schoessow was engineer, John Marino and Dave Hilliard were engineer trainees, Tyler Carelli was brakeman, Freddie Rasmussen was flagger, and Alex Sorenson was car attendant. Walt Otto was conductor and Pat Smalley was ticket agent.

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=216947

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=216948


Sunday, June 29th

Sunday, a crew consisting of John Patane, Tom Whyte, John Marino, Bob Blake and Mark Glaser did trackwork near the Farmer's crossing at MP 5.68, spiking up 22 more ties inserted the day before.

George Peck worked on trackwork in Phoenicia.

At Mt. Tremper, Al Schoessow was engineer and John Marino was again engineer trainee. Tony Bocchino was brakeman. Walt Otto was conductor, and Russ Hallock was ticket agent.




Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
CMRR