Trip Report: July 10 Ulster & Delaware Tour

The July 10 tour of the former Ulster & Delaware sponsored by the U&DRRHS was great, one of the better planned and executed tours I have been on in a long time. The folks worked hard to coordinate with three railroad operations and numerous private property owners to give us a complete tour and history of the U&D. The tour schedule was adhered to well, and the information packet provided was informative and well-writted and illustrated.

BTW_ here is a map of the U&D: http://udrrhs.org/html/udmapjs.htm

There were a few "surprises" on the trip, and I will outline them. Here is my review of the trip:

The tour started at the Kingston Trolley Museum on the waterfront in Rondout. I must say that this was the low point of the tour, and it was no fault of the tour promoters whatsoever. The flyer advertised "rare mileage west of the museum on the Rondout grade." I was excited about this. Well, two things happened there: while moving one of their locomotives earlier in the day, a section of rail had rolled over, causing serious damage to the turnout at the yard throat- essentially severing the Kingston Point section of the line from the rest of the museum trackage (and stranding diesel #9). That was surprise number one, but really no one's fault- you cant forsee an incident like that. So we pile into the motorized Johnstown car for the publicized run up the grade (after they remember they left a hi-rail truck fouling the switch)... after two tries, the Johnstown car could not make the grade. We found out that they had never tested the car on the grade (let alone with a full load). Surprise #2! We walked the track up the grade and found that the gate wasn't even unlocked (the trackage up the grade lies beyond this gate). Then some volunteers from the museum told us the track up the grade was washed out, and that there hadn't been a train up there since 1999. Surprise #3! I got the feeling that the trolley museum people were not prepared for our visit, and actually had no intention of taking us west of Rondout. I was disappointed we couldnt do the regular run to Kingston Point (my last visit was in 1990), but there wasnt much we could do about that. No one from the museum seemed to be in charge... No one offered to lead us around the yard (didnt know if it was allowed or not, but I explored the yard anyway with a friend), no one directed us to check out the museum displays or the gift shop, and the rides on the museum grounds didn't seem to coordinate with anything else going on (like our schedule)... Also alarmed that the work area around the damaged switch was not protected. Volunteers were working on the switch, and there wasn't so much as a traffic cone protecting them when our Johnstown car lumbered up to the work site.

The trip did get better from there. Next we headed to Mount Pleasant to check out the Catskill Mountain Railroad. It was exciting to see the new grade crossing in place and ready to go. Contractors still had not released the line back to the CMRR, so we could not run on the new extension. But who cares? The CMRR train was clean and presentable, the crew and numerous staff present was courteous, professional, knowledgable... the ex-DL&W MU trailer has been meticulously restored by the CMRR crew- they will be ready for the crowds that will come once the extension opens in the fall (another MU trailer was in the midst of restoration in the yard at Phonecia). Everyone was excited, and this portion of the trip helped us forget this morning's rough start.

Then we visited some more ruins and the narrow guage branch line remains... (some of this stuff I could have skipped, but it was still interesting). We stopped for our lunch break at the restored depot at Haines Falls. Hrmm... "Haines Falls" doesn't sound like a dining car to me... what happened to the advertised "box lunch served on board the dining car East Branch?" Surpise #4! (more on that later). After a very good box lunch (no one went hungry) and some more driving around looking at abandoned narrow guage grades and bridge abutments, we ended up at the preserved depot at Stamford. A grain company has been using it for an office, yet the structure appears more or less as it did when it was in service.

Then we ended up at Roxbury Depot for our ride on the Delaware & Ulster Rail Ride. Huh? We'ren't we starting at "Highmount and riding through to Roxbury," where there would be "a photo meet with opposing train?" Turns out that some washouts up the line have the DURR out of service between Arkville and Highmount (Surprise #5!), and that volunteers were doing work on the dining car "East Branch" and it was not available for our lunch appointment (re:Surprise #4!)... the "opposing train?" Well, I never got an answer on that (Surprise #6!). Oh well. But... seeing the Roxbury depot was amazing!! The fact that this building has been "preserved" inside a feedmill warehouse is incredible! I didnt get the name of the fellow who gave the tour, but it was very informative, and the displays inside the depot are great. As soon as they secure funding, they will be able to add another historic structure to the line. They were "complaining" about having to restore the structure to its Ulster & Delaware colors of brown with orange trim. Restoration is a couple of years off until grants and full funding are secured.

The ride into Arkville was great... (my first ride since 1991 or so) I was wondering though where the washouts were, and if they would have prevented us from running to Fleischmanns (there is a runaround there, and the freight house was a stop on our tour)... but the ride was still good.

We made a tour stop at Fleischmanns on the DURR, then at Cold Brook on the segment of the CMRR to be reopened. Then it was bus back to the parking lot at Kingston Trolley Museum. The only things I might have added to the tour- a stop at the crane and shanty along Route 28 at West Hurley. I think they belong to CMRR, and they try to keep the lower end of the line clear of brush with that equipment. Also, CMRR keeps some equipment (RS-1's and a caboose) in downtown Kingston, and have a short section of track open there are well. Would have been neat to see these two "extensions" of the CMRR.

So all in all, the tour was great. There was plenty of water and drinks and snacks and fruit available during the course of the trip- no one went hungry! Our tour bus was great, and the driver was awesome. I was glad someone else was doing the driving that day. My only complaint about the tour- I would have liked it if there was some update on the UDRRHS web site if they knew that some of the advertised events were not going to happen (the "surprises" I mentioned)... it appears that the information was not updated. These washouts and trip and equipment changes occured a couple of weeks before the tour operated- it would have been nice to know about these changes before I arrived in Kingston. That was my only disappointment.

-otto-

Thanks, Otto!

Wish I could have made it.

I'm surprised they didn't stop at the RS1s in Kingston or the crane at Woodstock.

Chris

Re the Catskill Mountain RR, does anyone know if the upcoming enlarged trips will require use of their RS-1? Or is their critter up to the task? And what's the status of the RS-1? (Do I understand right that it isn't on-line and would require trucking to the railroad?)

RS

I visited the two RS-1's on my own after we got back to Kingston. Looks like they haven't left the fenced-in area in a couple of years. Track looks in relatively good shape through the city. Maybe a short one-mile caboose hop west is in in our future sometime?

I just wanted to state again that the ex-DL&W MU trailer in use on the CMRR is an amazing piece of restoration work. This was a "frame-off" restoration. No Krylon quickie paint job either- it appears the car was sandblasted, and a new coat of burgandy was applied. Windows were completely rebuilt- each one opened and closed smoothly and had the glass replaced. Every seat was re-upholstered with some sort of vinyl material (understandable, since the original cane rattan seats were probably very brittle by this time). I was told that the interior electrical functioned, powered by an on-board gasoline generator. My only suggestion- replace the glass on the ends over the cab window positions, and replace the roof-top headlight (this car leads during the long back-up move from Mount Pleasant to Phonecia). And now a question- since they will now be crossing a public grade on a state highway, will they need to install ditch lights on the MU and on the locomotives? At Phonecia, I saw more evidence of the extensive restoration work- the body of the second MU was already sandblasted and primered, and we could see a partially disassembled truck getting an overhaul.... I don't know how many folks actively volunteer with CMRR, but I'm sure it's not many. They should be proud of their accomplishments, and I look forward to future developments.

-otto-

I hardly think the CMRR approaches the speeds required for ditch lights.

Joshua

The CMRR cirtters can adequately pull the existing train... the RS-1's are in Kingston on severed track. One runs, the other one is capable of running. There has to be a real need before they go to the expense of trucking in either engine to Mount Pleasant... maybe in a few more years when the washed out trestle is repaired!

What I would really like to see operate again is the M-405 Brill doodlebug on the DURR... in dark green paint with white safety stripes and fully NYC lettering!

-otto-

I understand that only one of the RS-1's is in operating..or semi-operating condition. One of them has a cracked block. I am not sure which one is the better of the two. Since the RS-1's have not been run in quite a while, there would have to be some prep work done even before they are fired up.

Regarding the D&U line to Highmount. I was out there less than a month ago and was told about these "washouts" However, several years ago, I was told the same thing! I was also told that the train had difficulty climbing the hill.
Since they don't run over that section of track often, the rails are rusty which adds to traction problems.
When the railroad started operating back in 1979, they doubled headed the two switchers to highmont all the time. Yes, in wet weather, they would have to "double" the hill, but that added to the adventure of the railroad.
Now, they have 3 locomotives with a total of 3,800 horsepower and I am sure climing the hill would not be a problem that it once was.

The old Catskill Mountain Branch is certainly a challenging railroad... and no doubt falls prey to washouts quite frequently. I hope DURR can resolve their drainage issues and resume regular operations to Highmount soon.

I count the following runaround areas on the DURR: Highmount, Fleischmanns, Arkville, Roxbury. Did I miss any? Seems like there might be opportunities for other trips, not always all the way to Highmount. Does anyone have an NYC-era track map for the Catskill Mountain Branch?

Anyone have more information on DURR's M-405 (nicknamed the Red Heifer)? Can it run? Will it run again? Can I paint it dark green?

-otto-

Don't forget the run around at Halcotsville.

Anything new on the 2-8-0 #23 in Kingston. News on it's restoration is
hard to find. Thanks.

STEAM ON
/--OOO--;-oo--oo-

This is the last update on Locomotive 23 (from 2002):

http://www.esrm.com/esrm/engine_23.htm

The folks who volunteer are brave and dedicated. This project runs on a shoestring... keep in mind that locomotives like these are usually large undertakings and can approach $1 million in restoration costs. I'm not sure where the work takes place, but it does not appear to be Phonecia. I could be wrong. There has been no news posted since 2002.



-otto-