Adirondack Scenic Railroad (ADIX) Discussion - 2011

Noel Weaver wrote: In my opinion, this offers the best tourist railroad ride in New York State by miles ahead of the others and we should all wish them well in their efforts to maintain, operate and hopefully extend this operation. This ride probably makes the best impression on the public of any tourist railroad in the state too. The scenery they presently operate through has no real equal and it will only get better as they eventually get more of this splendid route back in operating condition.

While this is an opinion and everyone including you are entitled to one, my opinion would be that I would rather ride behind a steam locomotive through a rural landscape then behind a diesel through the woods. I would think that a working steam locomotive makes a better impression then beautiful painted diesels but who really knows. As for cost, the A&A (which is what my opinion is obviously based on) charges less but you receive a shorter ride.

Regardless, my vote for paint schemes is actually the newer green/yellow/black scheme though I doubt it matters. What matters more is that they maintain some sort of consistency with their passenger coaches. I have been there before and seen several different schemes, but perhaps that was because the cars were waiting their turn in the paint shop.

Benjamin Maggi wrote:

Noel Weaver wrote: In my opinion, this offers the best tourist railroad ride in New York State by miles ahead of the others and we should all wish them well in their efforts to maintain, operate and hopefully extend this operation. This ride probably makes the best impression on the public of any tourist railroad in the state too. The scenery they presently operate through has no real equal and it will only get better as they eventually get more of this splendid route back in operating condition.

While this is an opinion and everyone including you are entitled to one, my opinion would be that I would rather ride behind a steam locomotive through a rural landscape then behind a diesel through the woods. I would think that a working steam locomotive makes a better impression then beautiful painted diesels but who really knows. As for cost, the A&A (which is what my opinion is obviously based on) charges less but you receive a shorter ride.

Regardless, my vote for paint schemes is actually the newer green/yellow/black scheme though I doubt it matters. What matters more is that they maintain some sort of consistency with their passenger coaches. I have been there before and seen several different schemes, but perhaps that was because the cars were waiting their turn in the paint shop.

The last I knew steam locomotives that burn coal were restricted from operation on this line for much of the year. Aside from that, the public wants to ride a train, they don't particularly care whether the cars or locomotives are painted black, red, green or whatever. They simply want to enjoy a train ride.
In this case as in the case of most of these type operations the public provides the dollars for the continued operation, not a bunch of railfans who provide much less dollars but lots of opinion whether it is good or bad or otherwise.
I would suggest that the people who have such strong opinions regarding paint etc pitch in with lots of dollars$$$$$$$, take a ride up to this beautiful part of New York State and offer these dollars along with lots of time with their volunteer help. After you do this, then and only then should you be able to input thoughts regarding paint etc.
Noel Weaver

The Adirondack was painting everything in sight up until a few years ago, so I don't think they were wanting for money for paint... I think everyone is missing my point. The Adirondack Scenic was on its way to establishing a consistently painted fleet of equipment. You don't have to be a railfan to appreciate that. Think folks don't notice? I heard many people ask out loud what the "Timber Train" was when they saw a few mis-matched coaches pull into Thendara. It sends the wrong message. If the new paint scheme is black and green with yellow stripe, then please paint *everything* to match. That would look fantastic, and be a very sharp looking train.

I can't afford to paint the entire Adirondack fleet. I can offer an opinion (not an ultimatum). I am looking for an explanation. If the explanation is "We'll paint our engines now, worry about the fleet later," then that's their choice. I just want someone to say it.

Thank you Noel, well written and 100% fact. I will add a little here. First years back the green and black paint job was discovered by accident and everyone just fell in love with it. Black = locomotives Green = Trees/Adirondacks and it just looks good. So I guess you could say it's now the Offical ADIX paint job. Any coach that the scenic painted got the heritage colors. The F's will stay in heritage as will the 1502 when painted next year The Utica train set should always stay NYC heritage. The timber train was already painted when we got it and there's no talk of changes coach colors at this point in time, we need to paint alot of stuff, loco's this year. The 1845 will most likely get the green and Black and the 1835 could get the same or as tree pointed out a NYC inspired paint job, time will tell. So how this was blown out of perportion so bad I have no idea ?? "" Otto "" There's two paint jobs only that I know of going on our equipment. NYC inspired or the Green and Black. Otto if you would like to know the POLICY just go to the shop or call the shop and ask !!

Ben
I myself love steam, if anyone told me 5 years ago I would be so involved with a RR that's didn't have a steam engine I would have laughed at them. The sad fact is ridership doesn't go up much at all on regular runs with steam ( less then 10% ) as I was there first hand for many tests on this. For a special event you will get a big crowd, but on regular days there's not much difference. All I can say is what I tell my brother engineers at steamtown or on the Bel-Del. " there's no steam, but F units and beautiful 40mph track isn't hard to take "

I was told the no coal burners in the ADK park expired in 2005, don't know if that's currect.

Remember folks this isn't a 10 mile line with one train set, it would be like new with class V railroad if it was. We have 118 miles of track, 9 locomotives, 20 plus cars and so on. There are people working hard at it, and were making good progress.
We could always use more help if you have interest. Bottom line is 99% of the public have NO IDEA how hard it is just to keep the beavers in check on a weekly basis ( as I didn't myself till last year ) With your help there's a lot of people thinking this could be the Grand Canyon Railroad of the East one day.

If you would like to get move information on what's going on, join APRS for $30 per year and recieve the railroad news letter, spring 2011 went out today. wwwAdirondackrr.com or call Linda Ellison 1-315-369-6290

Be Safe
DC

I agree that the Adirondack could become the Grand Canyon Railway of the east. The rest of the stuff in New York State all combined don't even come close in comparison.
Noel Weaver

So it appears the policy is "no policy" in terms of paint, so that's okay... Just wanted someone to come out and say it so we wouldn't have to guess about it. And now we know that there wont be any new equipment painted New York Central, which was my other question. Black and green it is. I hope the whole fleet eventually gets the same treatment so stuff will start to match again.

And Noel, we know you like Adirondack best, you inject that statement into every conversation. Fund Adirondack only, junk every other railroad in the state. We know. We get it.

Otto Vondrak wrote:So it appears the policy is "no policy" in terms of paint, so that's okay... Just wanted someone to come out and say it so we wouldn't have to guess about it. And now we know that there wont be any new equipment painted New York Central, which was my other question. Black and green it is. I hope the whole fleet eventually gets the same treatment so stuff will start to match again.

And Noel, we know you like Adirondack best, you inject that statement into every conversation. Fund Adirondack only, junk every other railroad in the state. We know. We get it.

It isn't what I like the best but WHAT IS THE BEST. What else is there? A couple of disjointed lines from the old CMB, a trolley museum of sorts that is in line to get a bundle of federal dollars for something that at least I consider questionable at best, a steam tourist line in Western New York that I consider a valuable attraction but the ride is nowhere near the ride on the Adirondack in the mountains, a line in the North Creek area which could become a very valuable attraction as well and a little bit more here and there.
I love the Cooperstown Line, have memories of it as a child but the ride doesn't nearly compare to the ride out of Utica.
If I could I would support all of the lines in New York State but of course i do not have the means to do that. Having said that the Adirondack has the potential to rival the Grand Canyon and maybe some of the other biggies IF they can get help in reopening the entire line. Any government help should go toward this end and not for something else regardless of what else it might be.
One line in New York State stands out with outstanding potential and the Adirondack is the one.
Noel Weaver

Ah, subjective and debatable viewpoints stated as fact. This is almost like politics is these days.

I'm going to agree with Otto on this one. Though I love the Adirondack, I hardly think it will ever come close to the Grand Canyon's appeal to the common tourist. It will also never come close to having as much of a nearby population base to support its ridership goals that other lines in the state do.

The Catskill Mountain Railroad and the DURR have potential not only in tourism, but also in Marcellus Shale freight (and I've been working with them, CSX and the State on that). Why on Earth should ALL funding go to one line, pretty as it might be? Logically, in a time when jobs are rather scarce, should not funding go to a line like the Catskill Mountain that could potentially be used to support industrial jobs?

Though it's not quite true to say that there's plenty of money to go around in these hard times, there's no reason for the State of New York to pick one operation to fund at the cost of the others.

SemperFidelis wrote:Ah, subjective and debatable viewpoints stated as fact. This is almost like politics is these days.

I'm going to agree with Otto on this one. Though I love the Adirondack, I hardly think it will ever come close to the Grand Canyon's appeal to the common tourist. It will also never come close to having as much of a nearby population base to support its ridership goals that other lines in the state do.

The Catskill Mountain Railroad and the DURR have potential not only in tourism, but also in Marcellus Shale freight (and I've been working with them, CSX and the State on that). Why on Earth should ALL funding go to one line, pretty as it might be? Logically, in a time when jobs are rather scarce, should not funding go to a line like the Catskill Mountain that could potentially be used to support industrial jobs?

Though it's not quite true to say that there's plenty of money to go around in these hard times, there's no reason for the State of New York to pick one operation to fund at the cost of the others.

I think the state of New York literally owes the year around residents of the Adirondack Park, due to the employment and development opportunties that are routinely denied by the infamous Adirondack Park Agency. When you have a group of unelected, unrepresentative, unresponsive and unsympathetic appointees making economic decisions to the detriment of isolated and economically depressed communities, there should be some sort of economic compensation. If the Adirondack Park Agency board members were elected by the legal residents of the Adirondack park, the situation might be far different. As it is, New York State has a responsibility for the damage done by state appointees and regulations.

Fair enough. As a very proud, big government type of liberal, I agree. If government caused the economic woes of a people, then government should do all it can to make things right. However, I do not think that compensation should exclude the State from offering assistance to other railroad operations within the state.

Welcome to this week's episode of Irrational Railfan Theatre. I hope you all enjoyed my performance. Tune in next week when I pick on the Cooperstown & Charlotte Valley mercilessly until they decide to paint another locomotive.

It's odd, but I reached out to the Adirondack a few months ago to discuss their railroad's potential to support a portion of my business' operations. I had a nice conversation with one person who said he'd forward the messgae upstairs, but I guess it got stuck in the pneumatic tube because I never herad back from them.

SemperFidelis wrote:It's odd, but I reached out to the Adirondack a few months ago to discuss their railroad's potential to support a portion of my business' operations. I had a nice conversation with one person who said he'd forward the messgae upstairs, but I guess it got stuck in the pneumatic tube because I never herad back from them.

PM me.

And I though choosing a color for my living room was hard.

I was in Utica yesterday, and noticed a group of engines over by the "Silver Spring Siding", under the Genesee Street Bridge. I walked over and there was the "New" RS18u #1835, along with 1508 and an old FL9 with boarded up windows, #2007. This unit has been at the NYS&W Shops for quite some time....Anyone know what they are doing with it? My guess is that they are bringing it to Rome for some reason.

http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPictur ... id=2449984