Catskill Mountain Railroad (CMRR) Discussion - 2018

[eehiv]

August 11, 2018

On August 4th, the PEACE TRAIN ran in Kingston. Brian Van Kirk, was engineer, Tony Bocchino was conductor, Karl Wick was brakeman, Fred Ehren and Martin Elbrecht were flaggers. Marcia Roosa was in the ticket booth with Peter Fluchere.

At 209 the contractor has removed the old crossing and has already poured out the base for the new crossing!


Ernie Hunt
Staff/Volunteer Coordinator
CMRR

[eehiv]

August 18, 2018

On August 18th, the PEACE TRAIN ran in Kingston. Brian Van Kirk, was engineer, Tony Bocchino was conductor, Karl Wick was brakeman, Joe Wolff and Martin Elbrecht were flagmen, with Ken Harris flagman trainee. Marcia Roosa was in the ticket booth with Peter Fluchere. Joe Wolff also worked on upgrading the electrical in the caboose.


August 19, 2018

On August 19th, we had the 2nd rules class of the year. 14 CMRR members and 4 of our employees passed the test.



Route 209 Crossing nears completion:

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=245532" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=245533" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Ernie Hunt
Staff/Volunteer Coordinator
CMRR

[Otto Vondrak]

Route 209 Crossing nears completion...

That's gotta be the nicest crossing in Ulster County! Are the crossing gates getting installed this year?

-otto-

[eehiv]

There is no set date yet, but design will likely start one this project is closed out. EH

[BandA]

Oh wow. So the track is affixed to the pre-stressed cement base, no ties per se? I assume there are drain holes

[TrainDetainer]

There are no ties or other fasteners attached to the rail within the concrete. The rails are wrapped with a rubber boot that encapsulates the web and base and then simply wedged into the concrete panels by the 2-part gauge panels, which are then bolted in to hold the rail in place. The panels sit directly, without attachment, on a thick concrete slab. Water drains out the flangeways and between the panels (there's a slight gap between them).

[airman00]

Very interesting Facebook post by the U&D Railway group! Perhaps a glimmer of hope??

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

Edit... not an article just a short post. We’ll have to wait and see what it means. I for one am still holding out hope!

[Otto Vondrak]

Very interesting Facebook post by the U&D Railway group! Perhaps a glimmer of hope??

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

Edit... not an article just a short post. We’ll have to wait and see what it means. I for one am still holding out hope!

There was no information in that post? "Something?" Post when you have something to concrete say!

-otto-

[eehiv]

August 20, 2018

Ryan Lennox weed-wacked the Phoenicia Yard.

August 23, 2018

On August 23 we ran a charter. Bryan Van Kirk was Engineer, Walt Otto was conductor, Fred Ehren was brakeman, Ryan Lennox and Ken Harris were flaggers.

August 25, 2018

On August 25th, the PEACE TRAIN ran in Kingston. Brian Van Kirk, was engineer, Tony Bocchino was conductor, Tom Whyte was brakeman, and Martin Elbrecht was flagman. Joe Wolff worked on the caboose. Marcia Roosa was in the ticket booth with Peter Fluchere.

Additionally, the work on the 209 crossing is nearly complete. Below is a photo from Friday August 24th:

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=245591" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Ernie Hunt
Staff/Volunteer Coordinator
CMRR

[eehiv]

The CMRR completed its rebuild of the "Dog Crossing" yesterday and of about 500 feet of track east and west of the crossing:

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=245682" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=245683" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=245684" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Many thanks to all who worked on this project this year.

Ernie Hunt
President
CMRR

[BandA]

why is it called the dog crossing? It looks perfect! Ready for high-speed!

[MARKON]

A great way of experiencing (last week) what is left of this section of rail. An 8 mile round trip, mostly under cover of shade and stream views (in 90+degree). The best part was paralleling RT 28 and then crossing RT28 with activated gates. The look on motorists and truckers wad priceless. I truly hope this type of activity expands to the Adirondack and the ADSR proposed rail-bike alternative (Saranac Lake) with Utica made bikes supporting an alternative to SKIDOOS and foot traffic that is available everywhere else..

[MARKON]

Did the county force the placement of equipment on SEVERED rail (land locked) in Phoenicia outside the museum station.? There seems to be plenty of attached track that would have supported storage. Also a two track covered storage facility is visible. Is this empty? That ALCO switcher outside is not going to last in the elements...

[Otto Vondrak]

Did the county force the placement of equipment on SEVERED rail (land locked) in Phoenicia outside the museum station.? There seems to be plenty of attached track that would have supported storage. Also a two track covered storage facility is visible. Is this empty? That ALCO switcher outside is not going to last in the elements...

County required all CMRR equipment to be moved off county-owned property, so CMRR built a siding on its own property and moved the equipment there to comply. The CMRR track is not allowed to connect to the county-owned track. The two-track shed belongs to the Empire State Railway Museum and houses some of their equipment they are considering for restoration. There is no connection between ESRM and CMRR, they are separate entities with different missions.

-otto-

[eehiv]

August 26-31, 2018

Earl Pardini, John Marino, Bryan Van Kirk and Vince Guido completed the Dog Crossing project.


September 1, 2018

On September 1, the GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY ran in Kingston. Earl Pardini and John Marino were engineers, Tony Bocchino was conductor, John Marino and Ed Winstanley were brakeman, and Martin Elbrecht, Ken Harris and Russell Hallock were flagmen. Marcia Roosa was in the ticket booth with Peter Fluchere.

The train went all the way to the Dog Crossing for the first time. We also crossed the new 209 crossing for the first time.


September 4, 2018

Earl Pardini, Todd Syska, Russ Hallock and Ryan Lennox opened up the track from the Dog Crossing to MP 8.33.



Ernie Hunt
Staff/Volunteer Coordinator
CMRR