Catskill Mountain Railroad News - 2008

RussNelson wrote:I was a little dubious of using a flatcar to carry passengers, but looking at what you've done, it's very nicely done. Definitely looks like it's going to be comfortable and safe enough. Well done!

We don't do anything unless it's safe. We've been using flatcars with benches and raised sides in Phoenicia for years without incident.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:CMRR_Car_271.jpg

-otto-
CMRR Volunteer No. 108

Friday, November 14th

Al Schoessow, Todd Syska, Greg Vaughn and Earl worked on flat 213, replaced fan belts on 401 and worked on doors for 675. 213's roof frame is done now except for a couple of corner brackets and end blocks. Will be ready to install cover next weekend (it should be here by then). The A-end railing posts are in and they got the plywood to finish the ends.

Saturday, November 15th

Kingston

Chain link sides were installed on flat 213, and framing continued on the ticket booth. Present were Earl Pardini, Greg Vaughn, Mark Glaser, Jeff Otto, Al Schoessow, Harry Jameson and myself.

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 527397.jpg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_OIiLhXgiE

Phoenicia

In Phoenicia, George Peck, Greg Peck and Derek Stapleton finished the extension of track No. 2. Afterwards, they moved coach 702 onto the new track, and were now able to put the entire passenger train on the siding. Later in the day, they ran No. 29 to the Boiceville trestle, the first trip the 29 has made there.

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 326876.jpg


Sunday, November 16th

There were 18 crew working Sunday, which included Earl Pardini, Greg Vaughn, Ernie Klopping, Dick Ray, Tim Kane, Ron Epstein, Peter Fluchere, Harry Jameson, Jeff Otto, Walt Otto, John Watson, John Tuma, Bob Blake, Mike LaLonde, Raphel DeMeglio, Mark Glaser, Joe Marsh and Chester Hartwell.

On Flat 213, they got the chain link sides completely tied down and started enclosing the west end railing, installed 1/2 of the east end railing. Thet the ticket booth got roof framed, work continued on caboose doors, window sills and end sill. Work continued on the tamper, and they took the train to Westbrook to spot/plan/revise the site during daylight, and went to Picnic Pizza for lunch. The crew also completely scraped/prepped the side dump for paint.

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 583303.jpg

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 133121.jpg

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 482534.jpg

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... 363878.jpg


Monday, November 17th

Earl Pardini, Joe Marsh, and Bob Blake continued work on flat car 213. George Peck stopped by in the afternoon to help out.





Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
CMRR

ALL HANDS FOR KINGSTON!!!!

To all CMRR volunteers: This weekend will be our big push to get our service ready in Kingston. Any of you are able to come on one or more days this weekend will be very helpful for the CMRR to get its Kingston operation started and we strongly ask that if you are able to attend, we need you now.


Thursday, November 20th and Friday, November 21st

Earl Pardini plans to open Cornell Street on Thursday November 20th and Friday, November 21st to work on Flat Car 213 and other items for startup of operations in Kingston. He plans to start at 8am.


Saturday, November 22nd

Kingston

Earl Pardini plans to open Cornell Street on Saturday, November 22nd to work on Flat Car 213 and other items for startup of operations in Kingston. He plans to start at 8am.

George Peck will be working on a special project in Kingston on Saturday morning. He plans to start between 8 and 8:30 at Cornell Street yard, but will be working at a separate location in Kingston and will need help. If you are running late and want to join him, ask Earl for his location.

Phoenicia

The 702 crew may be working Saturday in Phoenicia, but check directly with George Liucci or Al Johnson to be sure.


Sunday, November 23rd

Earl Pardini plans to open Cornell Street on Sunday November 23rd to work on Flat Car 213 and other items for startup of operations in Kingston. He plans to start at 8:00am.


Monday, November 24th and Monday November 25th

Earl Pardini plans to open Cornell Street on Monday November 24th and Tuesday November 25th to continue work on items for startup of operations in Kingston. He plans to start at 8:00am





Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
Catskill Mountain RR

I caught "Extra 401 West" in downtown Kingston on November 9. I took pictures while the girlfriend got to ride in caboose 675. Everyone was happy. The clouds began to part as the train approached Kingston Plaza, making for some dramatic photos! The volunteers have a lot to be proud of!

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?pho ... 819119.jpg

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?pho ... 118971.jpg

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?pho ... 518760.jpg

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?pho ... 818541.jpg

http://flickr.com/photos/ottomatic77/3044074188/

Enjoy!

-otto-
(CMRR Volunteer No. 108)

I have been going to Kingston for 3 years on my ship been to the shopping center so many times to go to Hannofords and never saw any of this. Maybe I am just in trolley mode while i am intown or heading to the downtown cafe for a gussiness or 12 but wow I have to join this group.
Olaf The Red

Nice photos, Otto........thanx for sharing!

Hauspiper wrote:I have been going to Kingston for 3 years on my ship been to the shopping center so many times to go to Hannofords and never saw any of this. Maybe I am just in trolley mode while i am intown or heading to the downtown cafe for a gussiness or 12 but wow I have to join this group.
Olaf The Red

You know what they say. Miss three years, miss a lot. Come on out!

http://railroad.net/articles/railfanning/cmrr/

-otto-

New Time we will be in the Roundout again is in the Spring on the way to Chicago if I am off duty and it is a saterday I will be over there. It all depends but look foward to it, I mean I heard deezel horns I just assumed it was the CSX line and not the Catskill Mountain. Is there any chance someday that trains could run all the way to the point? Traction is good to the point but would love a first generation RS1 trip would be even awesome.
Olaf The Red

Hauspiper wrote:Is there any chance someday that trains could run all the way to the point?

There is no physical connection between the CMRR and the tracks owned by the Kingston Trolley Museum (Rondout to Kingston Point). You'd have to figure out how to cross the CSX River Line, too.

Of course you'll never get across CSX, but let's just imagine it was possible....how much track is missing between the old depot site and the end of the museum trackage?

Great photos, Otto!
Two questions:
- How far east into Kingston will the holiday specials run?
- Looking at the photos, it appears that there are several large evergreens in the ROW just west of the restored track, near the Holiday Inn. Is this so, and will they need to be removed to extend the operating section westward?

David

RE: CMRR Kingston Holiday Train 2008 Schedule

Catskill Mountain Railroad presents 2008 Winter Holiday Train

Fares: Adults $6
Children (4-11): $4
Children under 4: Free

The train will be unveiled (posed for display) at the annual tree lighting ceremony at Kingston Plaza on FRIDAY NOVEMBER 28, 2008.

The schedule of operations for the Holiday train will be as follows:

Service will start on Saturday DECEMBER 6, 2008.

Departures will be as follows:

Saturdays & Sundays 12/6-12/28 with departures on the hour from 13:00-19:00 (1 PM - 7 PM).

Train will also run Fridays 12/12, 12/19, 12/26 with departures on the hour from 15:00-19:00 (3 PM - 7 PM).

Trains depart on the hour from Kingston Plaza on Westbrook Lane for a 2 mile round trip in the City of Kingston - on tracks which have not hosted a scheduled passenger train since 1954. Take the NYS Thruway to exit 19.

Also of note: on December 21st, 50% of all proceeds will benefit Queen Galley, a Soup Kitchen in Kingston.

For more info see http://catskillmtrailroad.com/

Otto Vondrak wrote:

Hauspiper wrote:Is there any chance someday that trains could run all the way to the point?

There is no physical connection between the CMRR and the tracks owned by the Kingston Trolley Museum (Rondout to Kingston Point). You'd have to figure out how to cross the CSX River Line, too.

I know Otto's gonna get mad at this one, but I can't resist:

"The westernmost 500' of TMNY track needs to be a jump, with double the normal current (picture sparks flying as the trolley grazes the top of a doublestack)...........Weeeeeeeeeeeee......

Ok, no seriously, the best scenario to "comment the dots" in Kingston in MY opinion would be to build a CMRR station by the Ambulance Corps and build a pedestrian overpass over the Riverline and then have the TMNY use the U&D alignment to where Jansen Ave is, to behind the hospital then skirt the hospital parking lot and cut over to Hasbruck Ave and terminate in the area of Grand Street, requiring about a 500' walk to the aforementioned pedestrian bridge.

This would:

A) alleviate the problem of crossing CSX.
B) Provide at least the illusion of streetcars (which could be extended to other parts of the city as time, money, demand, and public response warrant).
C) Serve to keep peds off the Riverline ROW.
D) Relieve worries of TMNY vs Railroad (CMRR or any other) issues.
E) Reduce the extent of electrification needed (assuming the TMNY does electrify and therefore would electrify their entire territory).
F) Be cool.

Now that I have typed all of this and after reading it back think I sound like I'm intoxicated, although I'm completely sober, I'm gonna go get a beer......

To answer a few questions:

TMNY Gap with the CMRR

The TMNY ROW which is leased from the city of Kingston goes from Kingston Point, MP 0, to 100 feet west of East Chester Street, which is station 126 + 51 or MP 2.396.

The former crossing with CSX was at station 152 + 00 (centerline) or MP 2.879.

So, there is 2,549 ft of ROW missing, or .483 miles.

The TMNY has a long range plan which states:

http://tmny.org/MasterPlan.html

"Extend line along original U&D alignment to behind City Hall. This requires coordination with the planned parking structure construction. The City Hall trolley stop would be in the lower level of the structure.

Reopen trolley tunnel under CSX line: Shunt from where U&D alignment approaches Grand Street to south of the NYDEP building (formerly Micronetics) to connect to original subway alignment at Canfield Lane (the end of Dederick Street). New road access will also need to be provided for access to the buildings on Canfield Lane.

Potential traffic congestion is a concern to maintain a regular trolley schedule. Following the original U&D and trolley tunnel alignments as much as possible avoids Broadway congestion. The trolley tunnel will not be inexpensive to build, but overall cost should not be significantly different from the cost of installing track in Broadway under the CSX and Railroad Avenue bridges. The U&D alignment also has the benefit of avoiding extremely sharp curves, at least until Grand St. Trolley cars can accommodate a radius as small as 35’, whereas the subway and railroad equipment in the museum collection, being longer and heavier, must have wider turns with a 90’ [?] minimum radius.

Once the trolley line is extended to the west side of the CSX tracks, it has been suggested that the line be continued to Kingston Plaza. The former U&D line is still intact in this stretch and is currently leased to the Catskill Mountain Railroad (CMRR). "

This however, is in the far distant future for the TMNY. If the TMNY ever connects to the CMRR, it will probably not be able to handle full-length railroad equipment.

CMRR Westward Expansion

The Kingston shuttle will go as far west as Washington Avenue, but will not cross it. The other way (east), it will go to either Downs Street or O'Neil Street.

We plan to start working west of Washington Avenue once the CMRR Kingston Shuttle starts service. We will at some point be shut out of trackwork while the ground freezes, but will then restart in the spring. There are 4-5 pine trees that need to come down for us to expand westward, and they will come down shortly. The rest can stay for now as the clearance is adequate, though minimal.

The Kingston Shuttle will be expanded west to the bridge over the Esopus at MP 5 when the tracks are ready. At that point, after replaceing many timbers in the bridge, the train will continue westwards as tie replacements continue west.

EH

ddk375 wrote:Great photos, Otto!
- Looking at the photos, it appears that there are several large evergreens in the ROW just west of the restored track, near the Holiday Inn. Is this so, and will they need to be removed to extend the operating section westward?

Paleeeze. We got enough to do now.. 23, chitty, coaches, scrap lion, c9, wash out 209, butternutcove, boiceville Bridge, roadbed west of phoenica, two more crossings to big indian, another bridge to Highmount
buy out Arkville operation, relay the track from hubbel corners to oneonta then continue line to Oswego as the original promotors of the line "promised". After lunch we gotta get passenger service from Bingo to Scranton started, build park st bridge in syracuse, finish double tracking riverline and make Amtrak self sufficent. Then we'll build the pedestrian bridge over to the trolley museum if there is any money left.