Catskill Mountain Railroad (CMRR) Discussion - 2017

Photo of unused tracks in Phoenicia by Ernie Hunt:

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=238053" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

NHV669, you have to keep in mind all the backstory here, with the money and legal (or is it illegal?) favors between the County and City re: the reservoir, etc.

I don't think much of this in actuality has anything to do with rails OR trails.

Just dollars, get-out-of-jail-free cards, political favors, and personal agendas... with whatever ruses, covers, distractions, and occasional sharing of small tasty morsels it takes to keep those outside of the war room from asking too many questions.

Rails and trails are just the helpless pawns in the game while the kings and queens pull their strings.

Sad.

Oh, I've been following both the CMRR and ADIX situations for some time, seeing the dirty tricks being pulled against the RR's on both sides. They don't want trains in their woods, simple as that. I guess the failed 2017 Railbike start-up just makes me shake my head at how easily the locals let pols pull their economy from right underneath them...

Posted on Facebook today

Notice that the (now non-existent) train is prominently featured on the Phoenicia town sign!

Hopefully Ulster CO. residents are going to start digging deeper into their elected officials' shenanigans as they realize this is an issue that impacts much more than just a few railfans or "grown men playing with trains", and is in fact a local economy and policy issue.

Friday, May 26th

Ear Pardini, Tom Whyte, Vince Guido and Mark Glaser, did track work Friday.

Jim Bruck and John Prestopino worked on putting the roof on the 50 foot flat.

Joe Wolff painted the work flat in Kingston and the signal box.


Saturday May 27th

We ran three trains and had about 300 passengers. John Marino was Engineer, Karl Wick was Brakeman, and Fred Ehren and Russ Hallock were flaggers. Peter Fluchere was ticket agent and Dave Hilliard assisted.

Joe Wolff worked on painting the side dump in Phoenicia.

Al Johnson and Bill Kaba worked on the loading ramp in Phoenicia.


Sunday May 28th

Joe Wolff worked on painting the side dump in Phoenicia.


Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
CMRR

Saturday June 3rd

On Saturday, John Marino was engineer, Neil Isabelle was conductor, Martin Elbrecht was brakeman, and Tom Whyte was flagger. Earl Pardini assisted. Peter Fluchere was ticket agent.

Joe Wolff weed-wacked the yard in Phoenicia.


Sunday, June 4th

Ernie Klopping worked on the scarifier.

Joe Wolff painted the work flat and container in Kingston.

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=238236" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
CMRR

Thursday June 8th

On Thursday, Earl Pardini organized a track crew consisting of Tom Whyte, John Marino, Bryan Wade, Bryan Van Kirk, Vince Guido and Russ Hallock. They mostly did maintenance work on the C9 bridge.


Saturday June 10th

Track crew cleared vegetation around the C9 bridge and inserted 3 ties near Hurley Mountain road. Crew consisted of John Marino, Vince Guido and Mark Glaser.

Ernie Klopping and John Marino worked on the scarifier.

Train crew consisted of Tom Whyte, Engineer, John Prestopino, Conductor, Karl Wick, brakeman, Mark Glaser, Al Schoessow and John Marino, flaggers. Pat Smalley was car attendant. Peter Fluchere was ticket agent.

Scott Symans brought his mowing rig and started work east of 209. He was assisted by 2 CMRR volunteers.


Sunday, June 11th

Scott Symans cleared brush from 209 to the Holiday Inn.

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=238297" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Monday, June 12th

Scott Symans cleared brush near the Holiday Inn and Dutch Village, and then worked from 209 to Hurley Mountain Road. He was assisted by Tom Whyte.

Be sure to see the newly cleared ROW.


Tuesday, June 13th

Scott Symans did ditching work from Hurley Mountain Road to the end of track. He was assisted by Earl Pardini, Tom Whyte, Vince Guido, and Dave Hilliard.


Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
CMRR

thebigham wrote:Photo of unused tracks in Phoenicia by Ernie Hunt:

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=238053" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That looks like some kind of diamond where another railroad crossed the U&D? Since one set of tracks is continuous, a train trying to cross would probably derail!

Those are set-off tracks, not a crossing diamond. No railroad crossed the U&D here.

BandA wrote:

thebigham wrote:Photo of unused tracks in Phoenicia by Ernie Hunt:

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=238053" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That looks like some kind of diamond where another railroad crossed the U&D? Since one set of tracks is continuous, a train trying to cross would probably derail!

most likely these track are for the speeder that people would roll speeder from shed or storage to the track. You would see several pictures showing that the men moved speeder from track to track similar to this.

Its a set-off for MOW equipment that have turntables. EH

cool

The county "leaders" may be underhanded but they are not stupid. I think things are exactly the way they want them (with the exception of the CMRR being in Kingston).

It would not surprise me if this "public outcry" against the rail bikers is totally orchestrated and purposely blown out of proportion and "taken seriously". The line is completely inactive. They got what they want. And what does Hein care? He got re-elected.

Anyway this is just speculation on my part.

Saturday June 17th

Ernie Klopping worked on the generator for coach 2911.

Train crew consisted of Ear Pardini, Engineer, Bryan Van Kirk, engineer trainee, John Prestopino, Conductor, Karl Wick, brakeman, Vince Guido was point protection, Martin Elbrecht, Fred Ehren and John Marino, flaggers. Pat Smalley was car attendant. Peter Fluchere and Marcia Roosa were ticket agents.

Al Johnson and Bill Kaba finished working on the platform for the box car in PA.

Joe Wolff primed the north side of the side dump in PA.

I disassembled seat frames from the 703 and put them in storage in the green trailer.


Sunday, June 18th

Joe Wolff painted the north side of the side dump and started priming the north side of the LV box car in PA.


Tuesday, June 20th

Tom Whyte worked in Phoenicia with Ray's and got all the ties in the side dump picked up and sent off for disposal.


Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
CMRR