Catskill Mountain Railroad to cease operations this year

[freebrickproductions]

Because Ulster County, NY wants to build a trail on the line, the county has demanded that the Catskill Mountain Railroad to shut down. While the railroad had tried to fight it (a number of y'all may recall the railroad hit a bulldozer the county left on the tracks on purpose a few years back), they are sadly ceasing their operations on May 30th, 2016, after 30 years of running trains.

[brett nc railfanner]

[ToledoRailfan]

a number of y'all may recall the railroad hit a bulldozer the county left on the tracks on purpose a few years back.

Is that even legal?!

[freebrickproductions]

Their last trains to be run this weekend.
http://www.dailyfreeman.com/general-new ... is-weekend

The Catskill Mountain Railroad's Kingston-area tourist train is shown at the east end of Kingston Plaza, where its trips start and end. (File photo by Tony Adamis)

KINGSTON >> The Catskill Mountain Railroad will operate both its Kingston City Limited and Esopus Creek Scenic Train this weekend, the railroad’s final days of operation.

The Esopus Creek train runs along the creek between Mount Tremper and Phoenicia. The Kingston train runs between Kingston Plaza and Route 209 near the Ulster-Hurley line.

The Kingston train will have live music.

The Kingston train will depart from the Westbrook Lane station at the east end of Kingston Plaza at 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and at 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Monday.

The Esopus Creek Scenic Train will depart from the Route 28 station in Mont Tremper at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. each day.

Tickets are $14 for adults, $8 for children ages 2-11 and $13 for seniors and people who have been in the military.

Veterans can ride for free on Monday.

[freebrickproductions]

Great news! The Catskill Mountain Railroad is coming back! But for about 4 years, it seems.

http://www.dailyfreeman.com/general-new ... rain-rides

The Catskill Mountain Railroad’s ‘Polar Express’ train crosses Washington Avenue in Kingston.
Tania Barricklo — Daily Freeman file

By Freeman staff
POSTED: 07/18/16, 3:06 PM EDT | UPDATED: 1 DAY AGO 37 COMMENTS
KINGSTON >> Ulster County has granted a permit to the Catskill Mountain Railroad that allows the company to resume scenic train rides in the Kingston-Ulster area starting Aug. 1.

The permit, which the railroad has signed, is good through the end of 2020, Ulster County Executive Michael Hein said Monday.

The county also has granted the railroad a short-term permit to provide scenic train rides in the Mount Tremper-Phoenicia area this fall. Starting next year, that stretch of track, plus the section between Boiceville and Mount Tremper, will be used for “rail bike” rides provided by Rail Explorers Corp.

The Rail Explorers permit still must be drawn up, Hein said.

The Catskill Mountain Railroad is to pay the county a $50,000-per-year user fee; the annual fee charged to Rail Explorers will be $20,000.

The two sections of track are part of the former Ulster & Delaware rail corridor, which is owned by the county. The Catskill Mountain Railroad’s 25-year lease to use both sections for scenic train rides expired at the end of May, but in June, the county chose the railroad as one of two vendors to provide rides going forward.

Hein at one time proposed converting most of the 38.6-mile corridor to a recreational trail, with only the Mount Tremper-Phoenica section being used for train operations. But Hein later proposed, and the county Legislature approved, a compromise under which train rides also will continue in the Kingston area.

Theme and seasonal rides offered by the railroad on the Kingston-Ulster section, including “A Day Out With Thomas the Tank Engine” and “The Polar Express,” have been popular among young people and families.

The Kingston-Ulster section of track that will be used by the Catskill Mountain Railroad starts at the east end of Kingston Plaza and ends at Route 28A in Ulster.