Catskill Mountain Railroad (CMRR) Discussion - 2013

That's good to hear, Ernie.

There's also one stick of rail removed at Station Road, as well as the Lasher Road bridge, preventing the DURR from running trains all the way down to Big Indian.

Russ,

The rail at Station Road was removed by the town because of snowplows. The Town is amenable to having the crossing reinstalled. At Lasher Road, the plan is to replace the narrow underpass with a grade crossing (which was there originally). There is funding available for both projects through the Town of Shandaken if the DURR can establish an agreement with Ulster County. The CMRR will support the DURR's efforts to restore the line to Big Indian and or Shandaken in any way it can.

EH

Someone from the CMRR should see if they can't get on the ballot for the next mayoral election for Kingston.

lvrr325 wrote:Someone from the CMRR should see if they can't get on the ballot for the next mayoral election for Kingston.

I understand what you're trying to communicate, but I don't think it's that easy. Merely filling the slate with a bunch of folks sympathetic to the cause is not the answer. The New York State political machine is a very complicated animal with far-reaching tentacles. What seems like a local tempest in a teacup may actually run farther and deeper than anyone can imagine...

But let's not get into a political discussion, please. Let's continue to discuss the real and the tangible. CMRR will continue to march westward towards the reservoir as much as the company's resources will allow. Ernie will elaborate and keep everyone updated as to our progress. Remember that every ticket purchased is reinvested back into the railroad, and the results of your support are shown every week as one more tie gets inserted and another tenth-mile of track is reopened to regular service... This is real. Politics are not.

-otto-

Yes, I meant that mostly tongue in cheek, but... I was just thinking the standards for getting elected down there can't be very high - look who they have now - how hard can it be? A lot of times local elections end up with no opposition or just a token candidate anyways. Here, you have some actual issues to use against the incumbent, he has a bad reputation already. I figure one of three things happens - either your guy wins, your guy loses but scares the incumbent by showing he has a lot of support, or whatever else is behind the other guy will make itself more obvious by how they support the current guy. All of which ultimately can help in the fight to keep the railroad.

So Hein's hand is shown. He's backed by the democratic machine of New York City, and they want an ecotrail next to their reservoir. These people have no respect for upstate New Yorkers' heritage. Sadly, Hein could only get $2.5MM out of them? What a loser.

How much snow did you guys get up there? Any pics?

Saturday, December 14th

In Kingston, Earl Pardini was Engineer, Ray Farrell was Conductor, Mark Glaser was brakeman, Fred Rasmussen & Neil Remsen were Flagmen, Walt Otto, Alex Sorenson, and Smalley were Car Attendants, and Jim Bruck was ticket agent.

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=212847" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=212836" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=212836" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Work at Mt. Tremper was cancelled due to snow.


Sunday, December 15th

Trains were cancelled due to bad weather.


Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
CMRR

eehiv wrote:To all:

The announcement on Thursday was made by the outgoing NYC DEP commissioner. A new one under a new Mayor will be appointed in January, who will likely want to work on a completely different agreement.

Bloomberg and his cronies are in exit mode trying to advertise their 'legacy' which they can use in finding their next jobs. Now Strickland can claim he built a trail upstate on his resume even though it's a lie.

It'll be interesting to see who takes over the post under the new nyc mayor (DeBlasio). Unfortunately DeB' expressed some misguided support for a trail to be built on the old LIRR rockaway ROW, which would have a far better environmental impact if it were reactivated. Though he did win under a rather hard left agenda and maybe was misinformed. I'll give the benefit of a doubt for a minute & see what comes when he's in office.

Water rates for homeowners in NYC have really skyrocketed over the last 12 years - it wouldn't be hard to get some really negative press about this proposal with quotes from homeowners pissed that one dime of their water rate bill is being spent on a trail and not just refunded. I believe the last rate increase was something to the tune of 17%. It's not like they're replacing the pipes with all that money...

Surprised no one has posted this yet.

http://www.dailyfreeman.com/general-new ... enic-train

“We support the creation of the Ashokan Rail Trail, once an agreement is fully executed between the county and New York City,” Harry Jameson, chairman of the Catskill Mountain Railroad’s board of directors, wrote in a Dec. 13 press release sent to the Freeman.

Still, Jameson said, there is room for expanded train operations along the line.

Press Release: http://www.scribd.com/doc/191864626/Cat ... Trail-Plan

This article is better than the Freeman's:

http://www.watershedpost.com/2013/catsk ... -make-deal" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

EH

This is from Trains Magazine Newswire Today.
http://trn.trains.com/Railroad%20News/N ... trail.aspx

So CMRR has agreed relinquish it's rights to the line from Hurley to Boiceville? Of note, Ulster County Executive Michael Hein when questioned if CMRR will remain on the Mount Tremper to Phoenicia portion of the line after 2016 says, “I don’t think the county is bound to any particular for-profit company.” This someday soon become a game of give an inch, and lose everything.

This is very sad news.

jakirk wrote:So CMRR has agreed relinquish it's rights to the line from Hurley to Boiceville?

No, the CMRR's lease remains fully in effect through 2016, including the railroad's easement through the reservoir. The media will distort facts at will to make a more compelling story to sell papers.

Of note, Ulster County Executive Michael Hein when questioned if CMRR will remain on the Mount Tremper to Phoenicia portion of the line after 2016 says, “I don’t think the county is bound to any particular for-profit company.”

You know what's funny? I don't think Ulster County is bound to any particular county executive in the coming election...

-otto-