Cooperstown & Charlotte Valley (CACV) discussion 2008-2011

Hi All,

I've placed a few new vids of the CACV on YouTube. Hopefully this will generate some new interest in this railroad.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjV8KthnK78
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lp0QTjLMee0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZCWBpCckNw

older but pretty neat...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdhYQ8fsvBE

I've also created a photoblog with photos I've taken since the new CACV began operating with just a handful of volunteers. A new photo will be automatically posted every week rain or shine with about 52 weeks queued up so far. So, check back often or subscribe to the rss feed....

http://www.ericbechtold.net/cacv

Remember to check http://www.lrhs.com for ways to help out and to learn about this interesting little railroad!!

Thanks,
Eric

The #3051 is OOS at the moment pending repairs to its Air Compressor.

EricB wrote:... since the new CACV began operating with just a handful of volunteers.

But hasn't this always been the case on the CACV?

Are NYSW 116 and VTR 801 now part of the CACV fleet?

Thanks for posting the pictures!

But hasn't this always been the case on the CACV?

Absolutely... It's amazing what a few determined people can do.

Are NYSW 116 and VTR 801 now part of the CACV fleet?

116 and 801 are long gone... They went back when the MLWs where purchased

The #3051 is OOS at the moment pending repairs to its Air Compressor.

How bad is it?
Trying to find parts, funds, or just time consuming work?

EricB wrote:

Are NYSW 116 and VTR 801 now part of the CACV fleet?

116 and 801 are long gone... They went back when the MLWs where purchased

Ah, I didn't realize these were older pictures. Nice shots!

Some new CACV pics have been posted at the The NERAIL North American Railroad Photo Archive:

http://photos.greatrails.net/show/?orde ... e%20Valley

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=189909

Cooperstown and Charlotte Valley extra with MLW 3051 is seen at the current end of the line at Glen Avenue/ State Rt 80 in Cooperstown. The line used to continue across the street to the former Agway and Cooperstown train station until the Village of Cooperstown, during a sewer rehab, decided to remove the tracks in the street. The CACV is trying to get the rails put back to begin downtown passenger service but it is a difficult process since the road is a State Highway.

I don't get it. How can the town decide they just want to remove the rails? Or did they do this before CACV resumed operation?

-otto-

I am sure that the railroad knows what it is doing, but since they don't run any weekend trains it is very difficult to get down there to ride. Even if they did just one or two fall trains would be fine, but always running Tuesday-Thursday keeps the working-class folks away.

^They operate mid-week due to all the baseball camps that are in the area during summer vacation.

Benjamin Maggi wrote:I am sure that the railroad knows what it is doing, but since they don't run any weekend trains it is very difficult to get down there to ride. Even if they did just one or two fall trains would be fine, but always running Tuesday-Thursday keeps the working-class folks away.

Interesting! I wonder if there just isn't enough traffic to justify weekend trains... It seems to me a tourist mecca like Cooperstown would have plenty of folks around on a weekend who would like to take a ride. Maybe I am completely off base.

Addition: Looking at their schedule, it looks like they have a number of special events planned for Fridays and Saturdays, but no regular operation scheduled for weekends.

http://www.lrhs.com/sched2011.htm

* Un-named source hearsay alert *

From what I have heard, many tourist trains that specialize in areas for campers don't like to run on the weekends because that is typically the "move in, move out" times. Saturdays and Sundays are when people first arrive in an area, unpack, get settled in, and relax with visitors. During the week, when interesting things on the weekend are done and the kids get bored or it rains... then people say "let's go on a train ride!" In remote areas like where the UHRR runs it imagine it is probably worse. With most of the Cooperstown business coming for the baseball stuff and (I would bet) much of that on weekends, people are there to go to the games or the museum, not the train.

It doesn't help that the train doesn't run out of downtown Cooperstown, and the only recognition it can get is from pamphlets and the occasional railroad nut. I didn't know it existed until I stumbled upon, STUMBLED UPON, the GG1s in Cooperstown Junction after attending a convention in Cooperstown and getting lost on the way home!

I wish them well... if they survived this long they must be doing something right, and they have some cool things (join their NRHS and get free rides for the year, Engineer for a day programs, etc.) but what I wouldn't give for an actual summertime Saturday or Sunday trip.

I guess it depends on where you look, they get regular coverage in the magazines and such. Someone should explain to me why they never set up shop at Cooperstown Junction, there on heavily-traveled Route 7. I think there's a lot about CACV I don't understand.