Catskill Mountain Railroad (CMRR) Discussion - 2013

The question is... can "they" stop CMRR from crossing 209? I'm sure they'll try. But I don't see how they can really.

In the meantime what happens with the coach they just moved from 209? It is blocking the line. Is there some kind of a hearing re. this court order? What is the next step?

I'm feeling very encouraged when I read the comments to the Daily Freeman and various online news sources as sentiment seems to be running heavily in favor of the railroad, with the train haters coming off as badly misinformed or obvious "sock puppets" for these politicos. These guys seem to be making big PR fiascos and look like heavy handed dictators.
Sun Tzu said something like "when your enemy is making dumb mistakes, don't interfere" but these guys need to be overwhelmed with a wave of good publicity for the railroad. Of course keep up the tactical legal fight and refute every bogus charge, but a reservoir of good will from the public will inoculate the railroad from present and future BS. Publicize every good action by the railroad, every piece of trash picked up along the ROW, every volunteer effort, every special event. Kids...does the CMRR do one of those Day Out With Thomas the Tank Engine things? Hmm...cute kids in engineer's caps vs. the Grinch That Killed Thomas? Neighbors, schools, community groups...get them on your side.
I learned a lot of this in fighting for community gardens in New York City against sleazy real estate speculators and their political allies. You don't win over the neighbors with trashy gardens where the gate is always locked. Make it a community asset with public events, get as many people involved as possible, give away plants, clean up the area, bring in seniors, kids, schools, etc. and the haters come off as cartoon villains.
I rode the CMRR a few times out of Phoenicia but now I'm living out of state, so I'm wondering exactly what's in all this for Gallo, Hein, et al. Knowing how local politics works, is someone's brother in law or poker buddy in the rail trail contracting bidniss or something? Probably nothing that sinister, just some grandiose delusions that a trail will be some economic miracle and the CMRR is in the way of their master plan.
Oh yeah, and speaking of community coalition building, rail plus trail!!! Try and win over the bikers and hikers and anyone who's not an abject train bashing toady. I like that people are citing the Western Maryland and other examples as places where both can coexist. Train up, hike or bike down. I've stated in previous posts that I enjoy hiking and I can appreciate rail trails when a ROW has no common carrier or tourist potential. The region is loaded with such trails, some of which are incomplete. I wish these clowns were as passionate about working on the O & W or Walkill Valley rather than ripping up a working railroad.
I sense the tide of public opinion is turning but anything could happen. Keep up the good fight!!

chefwrg wrote:To emphasis how much of this is politics, Hein says it's ok for the train to run between Phoenicia and Boiceville. So ok, why aren't you releasing the FEMA money to fix the damage in that area?

The county will keep stalling and the feds will take the money back I am not sure of the exact time line but they will take it after some time

scoostraw wrote:In the meantime what happens with the coach they just moved from 209? It is blocking the line. Is there some kind of a hearing re. this court order? What is the next step?

I don't know when the TRO expires. Certainly the CMRR will have an opportunity to propose a remedy to the courts, such as simply continuing to move the cars into the city, shrink-wrapping the cars, or removing loose paint on the spot. Certainly moving them to a controlled location behind a fence will make them less dangerous than leaving them out there where anybody can get at them! It's in the lawyer's hands now.

I'm honestly amazed that asinine TRO is still in place. Especially given one of the cars will leave the property once it's moved.

Saturday, May 4th

Saturday we will have three crews working.

In Kingston, we will continue trackwork in the operating section getting the track ready for opening day. Crews will meet at Cornell Street at 8am. Projects include changing rails at Westbrook Station, finishing the guard rails at Pardini Bridge (C9), realigning the track at the bridge, and to insert ties as needed on the line.

In Mt. Tremper, with Longyear siding complete, George Peck will continue with other trackwork. They will meet at Longyear siding at 9am.

Al Johnson will again be working readying the 701 and 702 for service at Mt. Tremper Saturday starting around 10am. He could use help over the next few weeks to clean the coaches and install celestory windows and lettering on the 702.


Sunday, May 5th

In Kingston, crews will meet at Cornell Street at 9am to continue track repairs on the in-service section of the line in Kingston.

In Mt. Tremper, George Peck will meet at the Longyear siding starting at 10am to do trackwork.


Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
CMRR

Yeah and there are 4 more after these two get put to bed. The washout west of 209 and needed culvert will slow them down a bit. It may be Fall before they reach Hurley Mnt Rd.

scoostraw wrote:The question is... can "they" stop CMRR from crossing 209? I'm sure they'll try. But I don't see how they can really.

In the meantime what happens with the coach they just moved from 209? It is blocking the line. Is there some kind of a hearing re. this court order? What is the next step?

crossing 209 a snap the washout is a pipe and some fill a weekend ?

Crossing 209 and crossing 209 legally are two different things. It's a busy enough road that flagging will get impractical and some sort of gates will be necessary. The CMRR will not be fitting the bill for gates and flashers (nor should they). That will be the next road block the local politicians will try to throw up. Most people are right though, with C9 now done the major milestone is now passed and reaching the reservoir will now be (relatively) smother sailing.

Depends who maintains 209. If it's a state maintained road, then the state should be footing the bill for signals. Now it's signed as a state route, but the state doesn't do the maintenance on all of them, so...

If it were up to me (and it isn't of course), I'd put yellow rotating lights on a couple of vehicles (one for each side of the tracks). And have flagmen on both - maybe even holding lighted fusees. Then have the train stop and proceed. Piece of cake.

Well here's another thought as far as crossing protection. To make it perhaps easier. Just have the flashing red lights and bells, but no gates that come down. And then the train could proceed at reduced speed through the crossing.

My bad. 209 is a US Route, not a state route. Maintenance should be by NYSDOT as for other US routes in New York. That may simplify getting some lights and/or gates up there.

You can cross some pretty major highways with limited crossing protection. The Lodi Branch off the NYS&W in Lodi, NJ crosses extremely busy Route 17. That's 6 lanes of heavy traffic, with no gates. Of course movements are very limited. I think I remember seeing a video of a crossing during rush hour.

The Bath * Hammondsport RR's original mainline crossed State Route 54 in Bath and State Route 54A with no lights or gates. The conductor or brakeman would flag both crossings- Route 54 had a 55 mph speed limit for road vehicles! Unless federal or state regulations have changed since then, I suppose it could be done elsewhere.