2008-2009 at theEmpire State Railway Museum

25 Years on the Catskill Mt R.R.

The ESRM honors it's sister organization, the 'Catskill Mountain Railroad' with our 2008 photo exhibit reflecting on 25 years spent bringing the old 'U&D R.R.' back from an overgrown and abandoned railway, to a point where track cars can now traverse from Phoenicia clear in to Kingston.  The CMRR Tourist Trains depart from Phoenicia and now go to the (privately owned) Coldbrook Station and back stopping both ways at the Mt. Pleasant Station. 

The rail ride follows the beautiful Esopus whitewater with its fishermen and tubers, through 'rock cut' where the bank steeps sharply down to the Creek to the north and steeply up the mountain on the south side with cascading little waterfalls when it has rained.         

The recently restored 1917 coach protects tourists from the weather while the flatcars provide the more adventurous with an exhilarating trip as Engine 29, an 0-4-4-0 diesel-electric pulls the up and down the track along highway, creek and farms.

 In the Phoenicia Yard a second 1917 coach is being restored while in the Kingston yard two steam engines are being restored.  Kingston tracks are nearly refurbished for local service in the fall. 

And all exclusively with volunteers!  To volunteer for either organization simply contact us and you will experience the thrill of helping revive a far more economic and 'green' method of travel.

Exhibits

Exhibit panels include:  1- Intro with old brochures;  2- Early 'Tube Train' days;  3- Kingston Yard works,  4- Phoenicia Yard works;  5- the Problems;  6- the Solutions;  7- Recent Tourist RR;  8- the Future across the Reservoir;  and in the hallway- the old U&D.

The Phoenicia Station Review the history of the rail station that now houses the ESRM The Messenger View current and past issues of our quarterly newsletter. Historic Video for Sale! A combination of 6 short movie films mostly taken on the tracks and trains of the U&D Railroad in April 1906.