The Messenger - December 1996

The Northeast Reigon (NER) of the National Model Railroaders Association (NMRA) celebrated their 50th anniversary at a convention in the Ramada Inn, Kingston, NY during the last weekend in Ocbtober. On October 26, as part of the convention activities, they sponsored fan trips to the Trolley Museum, CMRR and ESRM or to the U&D in Arkville. ESRM was visited by about 35 NMRA members and their guests and received a donation of $147 from NER. Feedback indicated that visitors enjoyed the museum and carried away a favorable impression of ESRM. The weather was beautiful for their visit and can be seen from the bright sunlight in the photo. More than 200 modelers from northern NJ to the Canadian Maritime provinces attended the convention. ESRM expresses their thanks and appreciation for the generosity of our visitors.

John Sheldon Gift

As reported in our previous issue, John Sheldon, life member and former ESRM president, has donated his steam railroad memorabilia to our museum. We are currently conducting an inventory of his collection which includes slides, videos, books, magazines and assorted paper and photo materials. 27 boxes have been received which will serve as a nucleus of a future ESRM library. The slides are being catalogued and screened for showing at future ESRM meetings. Images from the late sixties onward have been reviewed showing EL and NH diesels at Maybrook and EL elsewhere; the slides promise to provide an exciting and interesting tour of local fallen flags and lost scenes.

Ron Ridolph, president of the Ulster & Delaware Historical Society, phoned the evening of October 23, 1996, to report that Conrail had removed the switch connection from the River Line to the former Ulster and Delaware right-of-way just south of a reenactment of the West Shore/U&D train route from the New Jersey waterfront opposite Manhattan to Kingston and on to Phoenicia was puncutred by the sharp thrust of Conrail's fiscal acuity. The switch was costly to maintain, was taxed as an asset and was not generating revenue. Out came the switch. And there went the dream of Engine 23 backing out onto the River Line to pick up a train which had just come up from New Jersey. The photo shows the location of the missing switch as indicated by the jointed track and fresh ballast.
At the November 6 ESRM members meeting in Kingston, Ron Ridolph reported that Ulster County had paid Conrail $90,000 to have the switch installed. Rudy Husband, representative of the Conrail Public Affairs department in Philadelphia confirmed that the Ulster County Industrial Development Ageny had paid $90,200 for the switch installation in 1986 so that Conrail could deliver cars for Kingston Associates, a recycling firm. Joe Munster, Director of the Ulster county Office of Public Information and Chair of the Ulster County Railroad Advisory Committee, indicated that in the absence of revenue shipments across the switch (minimum of seven cars a year) an annual fee of $5,100 was paid for switch maintenance. Joe Munster confirmed that Ulster County paid one year's fee in 1992, but made it clear that Ulser County would not continue to pay the fee since Ulster County had no budge for such funds. At that time, it appeared that revenu shipments to Boice Dairy were likely and that Catskill Mountain Railroad operations would provide a basis for revenue shipments over the switch; unfortianetly, no shipping customers generating such shipments had been developed in Kingston. Rudy Husband reported that Conrail notified Ulster County in 1995 that the maintenance fee was three years in arrears at which time Ulster County confirmed that the county would not pay the fee. While notice had been given in 1995 and Catskill Mountain Railroad reported that efforts were then being made to develop shipments to Central Hudson at Hurley Flats, it came as a shock that the switch was gone.
In effect, nothing has changed, because it remains neccessary to bring rolling stock into the museum over the highway as was done for our baggage car, box car and bobber caboose. However, being landlocked away from the rest of the railroad world creates an emotional pang. Conrail's Rudy Husband reported that present costs for reinstalling a switch are $150,000. Bringing in the seven or eight passenger cars which Engine 23 could pull up to the reservoir is going to be expensive. It would been great for Engine 23 to do it herself.

The Education, Cultural and Economic Affairs Committee of the Ulster County Legislature convened at our museum at 5:00pm on October 16, 1996, to hear a presentation from Mr. Joseph Munster, Director of the Ulster County Office of Tourism and Public Information. The meeting followed a ride on The Catskill Mountain Railroad from Mt. Pleasant. After the ttain ride, the legislators and their guests enjoyed a tour of the museum and a viewing of our summer exhibit on Phoenicia and its role as a U&D junction. Dexter Jeannotte spoke to the assembly about the role of the museum as a preserver and interpreter of railroad history for the local and regional community and the large audience of tourists and its role as an educational and historicial resource for local schools, and other historical societies.Earl Pardini, president of the Catskill Mountain Railroad, spoke about the important role that a revitalized rail rorridor could play in tourism development and economic benefit to the community. He noted that the scenic beauty of the railroad right-of-way along the Ashokan Reservoir is competitive nationally as a rail tourist attraction.
At the legislative committee meeting which followed, Joe Munster's most significant announcement reported that final funding autorization had been received from the federal government for the ISTEA grant for the Rte 288 RR crossing at Mt. Pleasant. The actual constructio nwork is expected to begin next spring. Completion of the crossing will more than double the length of ride available to tourist passengers of the Catskill Mountain Rail Road. The total cost of the crossing project is estimated to be $98,000, funded 80% by the federal government and 15% by Ulster County and 5% jointly by ESRM and CMRR. The museum has joined the funding effort at the request of Ulster County since our station forms one end of the train ride which will extend east of the Rt 28 crossing after completion of the installation. A significant increase in tourist traffic is expected at the station and our current effort to acuire adjacent property for additional parking area is key to supporting the increased traffic.
Partly due to the enthusiasm aroused by the legislators' train ride, tour of the museum, and joe munster, both Ulster County District 2 legislators, Sam Magarelli and Ward Todd, called for additionall county funding for the museum to promote increased tourism. At Mr. Todd's instigation, a letter was sent from Vinnie Dunn, chair of the Education, Culture and Economic Affiars Committee, to the Ulster County Legislature Ways and Means Committee seeking a 280% increase over the funding level the museum requested for 1997. The museum is delighted at the interest that our legislators are taking in our activities.

Former ESRM member, Carl Lathrop, who recently staged an incredible recovery from a near fatal bout with cancer, was honored at a Catskill Mountain Railroad volunteers recognition dinner on November 9th, 1996. Earl Pardini announced that CMRR engine number 29 has been named the Carl Latrop in honor of Carl's long and important service to CMRR.

The property east of the museum on both sides of High Street which borders the Catskill Mountain Railroad (CMRR) on Northern boundary and Rte 28 on its southern boundary has an asking price of $45,000, not $37,500 as reported in the last newsletter. However, the owner is willing to sell the piece adjacent to CMRR for $7,500 since it is in the Esopus Creek flood plain. This and another smaller piece adjacent to the museum have a total asking price of $15,000. Ralph Goneau and Dick Wilhelm have committed to donate $12,000 this year for the purchase of the two parcels on this basis. Purche is contingent upon receiving subdivision approval from the Town of Shandaken Planning Board. Both of these parcels are gegarded as key to the future of the museum. They are needed for parking expansion and for other facilities such as a shop for restoration of our antique equipment. It is expected that up to another $4,500 may be required to complete the purchase depending on final purchase price, subdivison, and closing costs. The response to the appeal for pledges for mortgage amortization has been gratifying but limited (less than $1,000 total annual pledge) and does not permit purchase of the entire parcel east of the museum. Please write to Bob Angyal, ESRM Treasurer, 852 Buck Road, Stone Ride, NY 12484 with your commitment of a donation pledge or loan to assist with these land purchases.

The Board resolved to enter into negotiations to purchase two parcels east and west of the station which will be used for museum expansion and sufficient parking facilities to allow excursion buses to park at the museum. The Board resolved to pursue station heating and insulation installation to permit year-round use of the station. Funding assistance (50%) will be sought thruough the New York State Environmental Protection Fund program which supports preservation efforts such as our museum. Listing on the National Register of Historic Places is required to qualify for such funding. Total project cost is expected to be less than $15,000.

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