Catskill Mountain Railroad (CMRR) Discussion - 2018

[gamewell]

I drove over the Rt. 209 crossing yesterday and I was really impressed with the quality of work. Good work on that!

[airman00]

Interesting...

https://www.facebook.com/story.php?stor ... 7680330908" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The U&D sure has something interesting going on behind the scenes. I wonder what it is...

[eehiv]

September 4, 2018

Earl Pardini, Todd Syska, Ryan Lennox and Russ Hallock cut trees from the ROW from MP 28a at Stoney Hollow to the Dog Crossing. The tracks are now clear and ready for our expansion west.


September 8, 2018

Earl Pardini led a crew consisting of John Marino, Raphel DeMeglio, Russ Hallocn and Bruce Tuchman who inserted and spiked 25 ties west of the Dog Crossing.

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=245835" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=245836" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=245837" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=245838" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=245839" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


In Kingston, Ernie Klopping and Martin Elbrecht worked on the 2949 generator, and Joe Wolff worked on a new light for the rear of the caboose.

Vince Guido continues work on the Section House:

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=245833" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Ernie Hunt
Staff/Volunteer Coordinator
CMRR

[BandA]

Those ties look very nice; One new tie for every two or three? And were other ties previously replaced? Ready for mainline service

[eehiv]

In this section we did 100% tie replacement. the area previously had drainage problems which are now fixed. EH

[eehiv]

September 13, 2018

Earl Pardini, John Marino and Bryan Van Kirk ballasted and tamped newly reconstructed track west of the Dog Crossing.

September 14, 2018

Earl Pardini Bryan Van Kirk, Ryan Lennox and Russell Hallock moved some equipment up the line to MP 7.5 and moved other equipment to Hurley Mountain Road. Art Vogel assisted with the crane.

September 15, 2018

Earl Pardini, John Marino, Raphael DeMeglio and Ryan Lennox removed OTM west of Hurley Mountain Road in preparation for tie replacements.


Ernie Hunt
Staff/Volunteer Coordinator
CMRR

[eehiv]

Thursday (today) the Ulster County Legislature votes on Resolution 362 which removes the rails from Chandler Drive to Downs Street, permanently severing our connection to CSX:

https://ulstercountyny.gov/sites/defaul ... -%2018.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Although the resolution was defeated in the Energy andEnvironment Committee, a "petition to discharge" was sponsored by Ken Ronk, the UC Legislature Chairman, and it got enough votes to override the committee and move the resolution to the floor for a vote Thursday night. See this Daily Freeman article:

http://www.dailyfreeman.com/general-new ... n-kingston" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The CMRR has written directly to the legislature to ask them topostpone this vote until the UC TRAC Committee can review this resolution as well as a counter-proposal that the CMRR has recommended. This proposal is that the CMRR will constructs the police, EMT and maintenance access road proposed in the resolution on top of the tracks, but leaves the rails in place for now, splitting the cost with the County. The letter and proposal can be viewed here:

https://www.catskillmountainrailroad.co ... 1918-2.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

We are hoping that they will delay the vote until our proposal can be fully reviewed.

EH

[airman00]

What’s the point of having a vote if you’re just going to ignore the result and do an “end-around” just because it didn’t go the way you wanted. They voted in committee and it lost. Just accept the result. You can always rework the bill and try again another time. But this “petition to discharge” sounds like nothing more than a way to get the desired result you want. I hope the floor vote fails!

[lvrr325]

Certain groups in politics believe in any means to an end and will do anything to reach their goal. About the only way to stop them is get them out of office or convince them they will be voted out if they continue their actions.

In this instance they hope to move fast enough to get their way before the railroad and those who object can react.

[BR&P]

What’s the point of having a vote if you’re just going to ignore the result and do an “end-around” just because it didn’t go the way you wanted.

Exactly!

[eehiv]

More tracks are coming up:

https://www.dailyfreeman.com/news/local ... 470e9.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This will permanently sever the CMRR from the national rail network.

EH

[eehiv]

September 17 to 22

Last week the crew inserted nearly 500 ties from Hurley Mountain road to the Dog Crossing, 80 west of the Dog Crossing, and another 15 west of C9.

All the ties are spiked except for 75 between the North Pole and our former endo of track at MP 6.45 and 80 west of the Dog crossing up to MP
6.67. They also laid out 325 ties for insertion between MP 6.67 and 6.85 in October.

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=246073" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=246074" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=246075" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The CMRR crew consisted of Earl Pardini, Tom Whyte, Bryan Van Kirk, Ryan Lennox, Sam Cogan, Raphael DeMeglio, Ken Harris, Sean Newton, Russ Hallock,
and newcomer Dylan Iurato. Many thanks to all!


Ernie Hunt
Staff/Volunteer Coordinator
CMRR

[airman00]

Wow! That tie replacement/track work is really great! It’s a shame ulster county doesn’t see the good work you are doing! However I have to say that IF you guys had this kind of tie replacement capabilities even just 10 years ago, we might very well be looking at a much different outcome to this whole situation. Makes me personally wonder if this new tie replacement ability you have had in the last couple years is the reason the county is rushing to remove tracks as quickly as possible...

[BR&P]

One slight consolation might be the additional regulatory burdens if it was part of the general railroad system. But equipment can be upgraded to comply, while tracks almost NEVER get re-laid after removal. I was really hoping for a different outcome for this situation.

Congrats on the tie replacement - that's an ambitious accomplishment for a week.

[BandA]

I'm surprised that CMRR hasn't been able to rally support from the city of Kingston. It's as if somebody is getting paid off...