Catskill Mountain Railroad grade crossing of Route 28

Has anyone heard anything new about re-installing the public grade crossing across NY 28?

-otto-

I hear that WJ Riegel should be starting work on the track (2000 ties) sometime next week.

1.

Thanks for the pictures!!

I hope to visit the area this summer.

Chris

Looks like things are started. They are digging along the right of way. Drainage I guess. They are finishing up the small bridges. And the road is all marked up where the crossing will be placed.

Took a hike today where they are working. new ties are being put in, all the big washouts have been fixed. Still looks like a ways to go but progress is being made. Anyone know when they are suposed to be running on this track? And how far?

Just to Boiceville.

The Boiceville bridge is in bad condition.

Chris

Has anyone heard anything new about the extension to Cold Brook/Boiceville?

Website says "October."

New for 2004 will be the start of the Catskill Mt. Railroad's Scenic Train. This ride travels along 4 miles of newly restored track for a 14 mile round trip between Phoenicia and Boiceville, N.Y. After years of work, join us in celebrating the operation of this extended ride. View the Esopus Creek and the beautiful Catskill Mountains from our historic 1922 Erie Lackawanna coach for a wonderful railroad excursion. Call for start-up information.

-otto-

I was in the area yesterday. The crossing looks complete. Gates, lights, and track work all done. Could see east from the crossing that ballast had been placed and tamped. Saw the training running west of this point right around 6pm. It did not look like they are running east of the crossing.

Went for a speeder ride on the D&U at Arkville. My first time on the line, very nice.

Chris

Although the Rte. 28 crossing at Mt. Pleasant is able to be crossed, it hasn't been activated or approved by the DOT yet. Also, while progress to Boiceville is a faint hope (or more accurately, a fantasy), it won't happen in the near future for several reasons, not in the least of which is the Boiceville bridge. Said bridge is in need of a major rebuilding(very expensive), but funding for it isn't likely given New York State's present fiscal condition.

That's funny Paul. Everyone said that the Route 28 crossing wouldn't be built either. Stay tuned....

A highway crossing is one thing... replacing a trestle that's been washed out for twenty years is a much more expensive project. Speaking out of class, I would say that if that major obstacle could be overcome, running the rest of the way to Kingston would not be that far fetched...

Today marks the first day that the CMRR started to run trains across Route 28 on the current extention. 3 trips were made to the current end of track, short of cold brook station. The start of fall folliage has made this section of the espopus river a great scenic ride. Continuation of track rehab will most likley be done in the spring. So stay tuned.

The wife and I were crusing up 28 today on a foliage run and just happened by that crossing and caught the train. The tonner was shovin the
open gon/flat and one coach east. Looked like a decent crowd.

STEAM ON
/--OOO--:-oo--oo-

I rode the Catskill Mt. Scenic RR on Aug. 28 and at that time the Rt. 28 crossing was not activated, they were still using a flagman who waved a red flag out the end of the passenger car to stop traffic. The newly renovated part of the track was not yet in service yet either. At the end of the run the engineer was kind enough to invite me into the cab to answer my questions about the engines manual transmission. Here are my picts of the train and the engineer.

http://www.transitgallery.com/data/fc49 ... p20108.jpg