Sunday January 3rd

On Sunday, January 3rd, George Bain, Hunter Downie and Ryan Lennox cleared the line from Highmount to Pine Hill (1.5 miles) of fallen trees and debris. This area contains the famous "Horseshoe Curves". They also videoed the line so others can share the experience.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... 702&type=3

They will be clearing other sections of OOS track over the winter, depending on snow. Contact the crew directly if you want to join them.


Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
CMRR

Saturday, January 9th

Joe Michaels worked on Engine 407.

In Kingston, Dave Hilliard and Earl Pardini led a crew at Cornell Street consisting of Jim Bruck, Tom Whyte, Walt and Jeff Otto, Tyler Carelli, Franc Libihoul and Ernie Klopping. John Marino joined after lunch. The crew cleaned up the yard and hauled off trash.

At Pine Hill, Ryan Lennox, Hunter Downie and Christian Cole cleared the track from Pine Hill to Giggle Hollow.

Sunday, January 10th

At Pine Hill, Ryan Lennox, Hunter Downie, Christian Cole, Victor and Derek Lane continued cutting around the Giggle Hollow bridge cutting east to about MP 38.75.

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=227625


Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
CMRR

Saturday, January 16th

In Kingston, Dave Hilliard and Earl Pardini led a crew at Cornell Street consisting of Jim Bruck, Tom Whyte, Jeff Otto, Tyler Carelli, John Marino, Vince Guido and myself . The crew cleaned up the yard and loaded the old tamper frame, dump body and the 703 step-boxes on Vince's trailer for the move to Phoenicia. Earl's tractor and trailer were moved to the end of the yard for the move to his property.

At Pine Hill, Ryan Lennox, Hunter Downie, Victosand Derek Lane and Christian Cole cleared the track to MP 38.65 just east of Giggle Hollow.



Sunday, January 17th

George Peck and Vince Guido unloaded the dump body, old tamper frame and 703 step boxes in Phoenicia.

At Pine Hill, Ryan Lennox, Hunter Downie, Christian Cole, Victor and Derek Lane, George Bain and I continued cutting around the Giggle Hollow bridge cutting east to about MP 38.45. They also excavated a washover at MP 38.65. The track is now open to MP 38.65 for track cars. You can see photos at Ryan's facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/RyanL3NNOX



Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
CMRR

Saturday, January 23rd

In Kingston, Dave Hilliard and Earl Pardini led a crew at Cornell Street consisting of Jim Bruck, Tom Whyte, Jeff Otto, George and Harrison Balduf, Tyler Carelli, Franc Libihoul, Paul Payton, Hunter Downie, Gary Lowe, Al Johnson, Vince Guido, Peter Fluchere, and myself. The crew cleaned up the yard and hauled off trash.

At 2pm we held the CMRR's annual volunteer meeting followed by dinner at Little Italy at 6:30pm. In attendance were Hunter Downie, Ryan Lennox, Tyler Carelli, Harrison Balduf, Jordan Torregrossa, Neil Remsen, Dave and Elissa Hilliard, Tom Whyte, Franc Libihoul, Peter Fluchere, Gary Lowe, Bruce Devorkin, Matt Gillis, George Balduf, Burr Hubbell, Walt Otto, Jeff Otto, Joe Wolff, Robert Shuman, George Bain, Al Johnson, Earl Pardini, Dave Heick, George Peck and Jody, Meg Carey, Todd Syska, Ernie Klopping, Neil and Kathy Isabelle, Tom Healy, Paul Payton, Jim Bruck, Tony Bocchino, Dakin and Doris Morehouse, Vince Guido, myself, Harry Jameson, Karl Wick, Art Vogel, Karin Vogel, the Ryders, Fred Rasmussen, Evan Jennings, Joe Michaels, Chester Hartwell, John and Linda Marino, Bill Hayes and Greg Peck.



Sunday, January 24th

At Pine Hill, Ryan Lennox, Hunter Downie, Victor and Evan Lane, Paul Payton and I continued cutting around MP 38.5 east of the Giggle Hollow bridge.

In Kingston, Dave Hilliard led a cleanup crew at Cornell Street yard consisting of John Marino, Tony Bocchino and Matt Gillis.


Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
CMRR

This is absolutely some great news Hunt, I can't wait to see the whole railroad open one day. By chance may I ask what's the purpose of further clearing the line? I thought the railroad previously signed off on some sort of compromise with the county that limited track expansion, no? Either way if you keep on going to your goal I'm sure the trail guys will have had enough of you to the point where they'll just move on hopefully.

Cameron

Yes, I too am interested to see that you guys have been working on that part of the line recently. I don't recall you ever mentioning any work on that section of track in any of your updates over the past few years. What is the impetus for this work?

Saturday, January 30th

Tom Whyte led a crew cleaning out the cut between Elmendorf Street and Chandler Drive. Present were Walt and Jeff Otto, Vince Guido, John Marino, Jim Bruck, and Franc Libihoul. The cut is now completely free of trash.

Earl Pardini worked on Engine 23, getting it ready for transport.

George Peck, Greg Peck, Art Vogel and Dave Heick worked in Phoenicia preparing for ESRM 23's move there.

Ryan Lennox and the Lane brothers worked near MP 38.5.


Sunday, January 31st.

Ryan Lennox and Hunter Downie cleared brush from MP 29 to 31.

Many volunteers went to the train show in Massachusetts.


Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
CMRR

Ernie, No.23 is the ex LS&I 2-8-0, correct? Where is it being moved to?

Rob Gardner

Rob, that answer the question?

If I remember correctly, plans were to restore the engine - but the last "Progress Report" on the ESRM website is from 2002. So what's the latest on the project other than an upcoming move?

The guys that have been working on the Highmount - Big Indian line are doing it for a combination of personal pride and also fulfilling lease obligations

They live in the area and enjoy running the track car.

We had previously cleared down to the Giggle Hollow bridge years ago. The line is in very good shape.

The guys have been working past Giggle Hollow:

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=227625

They'll eventually come to the Lasher Road bridge which has been removed:

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=64035

Great to see the further clearing of the line. I would strongly encourage them to someone get a ballast regulator on these newly cleared sections to broom off all the vegetation and leaves to prolong the decay of the ties.

Rob Gardner

Saturday, February 6th

In Kingston, Jim Bruck, Peter Fluchere, Franc Libihoul, Martin Elbrecht, Jeff and Walt Otto, John Marino, Vince Guido, Russ Hallock, Dave Hilliard and Earl Pardini continued cleanout of Cornell Street yard. The scrap pile near the gate was loaded up and sent for recycling. The old 23 parts near Boices dairy were loaded up for the move to Phoenicia. The side dump was emptied into the dumpster.

In Phoenicia, Dave Heick, Joe Michaels, George Peck, Greg Peck and Rick Desir assisted the ESRM in digging out space for a second track in the ESRM carbarn for future storage of Engine 23.

West of Phoenicia, Ryan Lennox, Hunter Downie and the Lane brothers continued cutting open the tracks west of Herdman Road all the way to the boulder on the tracks just past MP 31.


Ernie Hunt
Volunteer Coordinator
CMRR

I've been following this railroad for a long while, but I must say that I'm still confused. How is the CMRR related to the Empire State Railway Museum? If the CMRR loses its ability to operate out of Kingston, could they move to Phonecia and run from there toward the reservoir?

ESRM is an independent non-profit museum based in Phoenicia. They own land in Phoenicia where they have a carbarn but all the mainline is owned by Ulster County from Kingston to Highmount. EH