Where will all the equipment be stored?

So... It is my understanding that after May 30, 2016 the CMRR will be given 60 days grace and then all of their equipment will be sold or cut up for scrap by Ulster, County.

Where will the CMRR's equipment be moved to or stored in the interim? I know that Phoenicia has historically been very friendly to the CMRR, so would it be possible to store some equipment there? Could equipment be stored on the Trolley Museum's property? I suppose everything would need to be trucked to their location in both instances.

-Andrew

I think they are hoping that they will be granted a new contract to resume operations. They most likely will be the only bidders. But does the awarding of the new contract overlap the grace period, or will the equipment fall into the hands of the county, be confiscated then awarded the contract only to have no equipment and then have to forfeit?

The Ulster County RFP for a new operator seems written to exclude the CMRR or anyone involved in it from being awarded the new franchise:

"Proposals received from responders who have previously failed to successfully fulfill
contracts, or who have previously performed services work in an unsatisfactory
manner, may be rejected."

http://ulstercountyny.gov/sites/default ... 0RFP_0.pdf

I suspect that the county will go through the motions of seeking an operator, and then when no one responds pretend to throw up their hands and say "We tried!" and immediately start to remove the track. Shortly afterward, a proposal for McMansions along the ROW will come forth. Counties care about property tax revenues above all else, and the sort of people who buy McMansions don't want railroad tracks or anything industrial or working-class near them.

Here's my question. If I independently submitted a proposal and it was approved by the county, could I appoint Ernie or any of the former CMRR staff as my own? If so I think that might be our best case scenario for getting over that loophole. I could simply act on my own terms while at the same time privately handing over the actual power to the original recipients.

Cameron

Our last project at Cornell Street was the cosmetic renovation of CMRR RS1-400 (former Soo 2361):

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=230070

EH

A lot of valid questions raised here recently, very few of which have been answered, sadly.

Ulster County does not own the CMRR equipment.

CMRR will make the final decision on what happens to its equipment.

A lot cannot be explained right now.

The CMRR will be operating trains throughout May in Kingston and Phoenicia.

Ulster County cannot just rip up the tracks.

Approval has to go though the Ulster County legislature which knows that the CMRR is a major tourism draw in Ulster County.

http://www.dailyfreeman.com/general-new ... qus_thread

Steam engine will pull Catskill Mountain Railroad trains in Kingston May 7-8
KINGSTON >> The Catskill Mountain Railroad will host train rides pulled by steam locomotive Viscose No. 6 Saturday and Sunday, May 7-8, at Kingston Plaza.

The 0-4-0 locomotive, built in 1924, will pull the Kingston City Limited both days from Westbrook Lane, with five departures each day. The event will mark the first time a steam train has departed from Kingston since the 1940s, when the New York Central Railroad used them daily. Trains will depart Kingston at 10:30 a.m., noon, 1:30, 3 and 4:30 p.m. both days.

Tickets are $20 for adults, $12 for children ages 2-11, and $18 for seniors and military. Tickets can be purchased at Westbrook Station or online at www.CatskillMtRailroad.com.

With the lease between the Catskill Mountain railroad and Ulster County expiring May 31, this month is the last chance for train enthusiasts to ride Catskill Mountain Railroad trains.

Very short-sighted of Ulster County. The CMRR could be pulling sold out trains in Kingston, but instead trains will not be operating.

http://www.dailyfreeman.com/general-new ... oads-lease

Ulster County won’t extend Catskill Mountain Railroad’s lease
By Patricia Doxsey, Daily Freeman
POSTED: 05/04/16, 5:22 PM EDT

KINGSTON >> An effort to keep the Catskill Mountain Railroad chugging past the end of the month was derailed this week when members of an Ulster County Legislature committee postponed action on a resolution that would have extended the lease between the county and scenic train operator.

The move by the Economic Development, Tourism Planning, Housing and Transit Committee blocks any chance that the lease will be extended because the earliest committee members could revisit the measure would be in June, after the lease expires.

Under a lease with the county that expires on May 31, the Catskill Mountain Railroad runs tourist trains on two portions of the tracks within the county-owned Ulster and Delaware rail corridor — one in the Kingston area, the other in the town of Shandaken.

The resolution would have extended the lease until a new operator is chosen or the end of the year, whichever came first, said Legislator David Donaldson, D-Kingston, a sponsor of the measure.

Legislature Chairman Ken Ronk, R-Wallkil, said extending the county’s lease with the railroad could send “the wrong message” to potential new operators of a tourist train.

“We need to keep moving forward,” said Committee Chairman James Maloney, R-town of Ulster. “I don’t know what extending that lease two months more would do to that entire process.”

On Wednesday, Donaldson called the committee’s action “short-sighted” and said it could result in the loss of the Polar Express, a popular wintertime tourist attraction run by the Catskill Mountain Railroad. Such a loss, he said, would hurt nearby businesses in Kingston.

“A continuation of the lease would ensure we could still have the Polar Express this winter,” Donaldson said. “Without the extension, they’re most likely not going to be able to secure the Polar Express, which bought some 30,000 people into the city last year.”

Donaldson said if another vendor is chosen to run a tourist train along the tracks, the licensing agreement for that attraction could have been transferred from the Catskill Mountain Railroad to the new operator.

In April, more than a dozen speakers at a Legislature meeting called on the county to consider extending the lease. City resident Ralph Mitchell submitted a petition signed by 23 city businesses also calling for short-term extension.

As part of a settlement in April ending the Catskill Mountain Railroad’s lawsuit against the county, the railroad agreed to end its scenic train operations at the end of the lease, vacate the Cornell Street rail yard in Kingston and forfeit a bond in order to cover the county’s legal expenses in the matter.

A battle over control over the county’s tracks, largely along and near the Route 28 corridor, erupted in 2012 when County Executive Michael Hein announced plans to convert most of the 38.6-mile right-of-way to a recreational trail. Under Hein’s initial plan, only the section in Shandaken was to continue being used for train operations.

Shortly after making that announcement, the county served the railroad with legal papers claiming the railroad was in violation of its lease and demanding it immediately remedy the deficiencies. That action sparked the 2013 lawsuit by the railroad.

Hein later proposed, and the county Legislature approved, a compromise under which train rides would continue to be allowed on the two sections of track currently used by the railroad.

The county now is soliciting proposals from tourist train operators interested in operating along the rail line. The submission deadline is May 20.

This has discrimination legal ramifications if this is the case. I thought about this comment all day and reminded me of similar attitudes of business I know of, some things are buried in nonmentclare with underlying discrimination but doesnt look like it.

CMRR is not guilty of discrimination, but its making me get pointy fingered at the county and the land owners or potential landowners, there are laws about home buying, land buying and you cannot have certain discrimination. When I hear this "industrial or working class", I see what they may be thinking, and this is going down as discrimination.

These "Ritchie People" have to remember what made this nation and what made them. People are still out there working the farms, moving the product and stuff that lands in your home. Hate them, you start an isolationism. I am reminded of the 3 or so eastern states that passed resolutions to educate the public about the railroads and I think the NS is doing a great job on that and PFFT on CSX.

It seems the county wants the operating railroad but not CMRR for some reason.
CMRR is proving time and time again they can do it, if there are problems you make steps to fix them but don't look at the like their the bad guys, these guys have volunteers from the community helping out and if some other operator comes in its just going to be the same ole same ole. Dojn't blame the CMRR. If anything if they don't like the "CMRR" they can just create another namesake operator as a business, transfer everything to it and be done with "CMRR", its still the same people running it, whoopee. Its time to take off the gloves and move on.

The CMRR's Phoenicia "boss" passed away Friday. George Peck did everything in Phoenicia! It's a major loss for the CMRR:

George's obituary is here:

http://www.gjmoylanfuneralhome.com/fh/o ... h_id=13795

George Peck was a good man. One of the first people I ever met at CMRR. Always ready to work. Always ready to make you laugh. If you didn't have George's respect, you might as well pack it in.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ottomatic77/3483380690/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ottomatic77/6122182459/

Rest easy, friend.

-otto-

Hundreds take steam train rides in Kingston

http://www.dailyfreeman.com/lifestyle/2 ... n-kingston

Kingston - Jim Ford said he could almost hear the Viscose No. 6 steam locomotive calling out “I think I can, I think I can,” as it chugged along the Ulster & Delware railroad tracks Saturday.

Leaning over the rail of one of the Catskill Mountain Railroad’s open air cars, the Albany resident, who described himself as an old-timer with a love affair for trains, said, almost wistfully, “the sound of that whistle, that little girl chugging along ...”

Ford was one of hundreds of visitors from near and far to flock to the Kingston Plaza for the chance to ride the rails aboard the Catskill Mountain Railroad’s Kingston City Limited, which for the weekend will be pulled by the vintage 0-4-0 steam engine built in 1924.

It was the first time for many to ride the rails on a steam engine. According to the Catskill Mountain Railroad, the last time a steam engine departed from Kingston was 67 years ago, in 1949.

Mike Conners traveled from Coeymans so he and his 3-year-old grandson, Ryan George Forgea, could ride the rails.

“I have a long history with the railroad,” he said. “I wanted to come down and see a part of history and to experience this.”

As the train departed the station, passengers gathered near the locomotive to watch as the stoker fed coal into the firebox.

At times, bits of the coal would fly back into the passenger car to the delight of the children who strained to see the flames.

When the engineer sounded the whistle and smoke billowed from the smokestack, the youngsters squealed with delight.

Christine and Eric Reyes, of New Windsor, were on board with their two sons, niece, nephew and Christine’s parents Joe and Theresa Tetro. “It’s a family day,” said Christine Reyes. “We heard May might be the last trip for this and we thought it would be fun.”

Eric Reyes said the train ride was something the couple’s youngest son, Matteo, had been looking forward to for weeks. “For about the past two weeks that’s all he’s talked about.

“He really likes trains, he plays with toy trains all the time,” Eric Reyes said.

David Sior of Connolly said he was out running errands when he spotted the steam engine locomotive in the Kingston Plaza and decided to stop over for a look. “I’m a huge fan of steam to begin with and a strong supporter of rail in the area,” he said. “This is something that is great for kids all the way up to seniors,” he said.

The Catskill Mountain Railroad will host train rides pulled by the steam locomotive again Sunday at 10:30 a.m., noon, 1:30, 3 and 4:30 p.m.

Tickets are $20 for adults, $12 for children ages 2-11, and $18 for seniors and military. Tickets can be purchased at Westbrook Station or online at www.CatskillMtRailroad.com.

With the lease between the Catskill Mountain railroad and Ulster County expiring May 31, this month is the last chance for train enthusiasts to ride Catskill Mountain Railroad trains until the county chooses a operator to again run passenger trains along portions of the rail line.