Catskill Mountain Railroad

Infobox SG rail
railroad_name=Catskill Mountain Railroad
logo_filename=Catskill_Mountain_Railroad_logo.gif
logo_size=
old_gauge=
marks=CMRR
locale=Mount Pleasant, New York
start_year=1982
end_year=present
hq_city=Shokan, New YorkThe Catskill Mountain Railroad reporting mark|CMRR, is a heritage railroad based in Shokan, New York, United States.

It leases from Ulster County the former Ulster and Delaware Railroad tracks from Mile Post (MP) 2.8 in Kingston to MP 41.4 in Highmount, where it connects with the Delaware and Ulster Railroad.

The CMRR operates a tourist excursion train from Phoenicia Railroad Station, Phoenicia, MP 27.5 to Cold Brook Railroad Station, MP 22.1. Its trains originate from the former Ulster & Delaware station in Phoenicia, which is also home to the Empire State Railway Museum. Passengers may board trains at Phoenicia or Mount Pleasant Railroad Station, MP 25.2.

CMRR also has a yard in Kingston, referred to as "Cornell Street Yard." As of 2008, construction is underway to expand the yard facilities to allow for the storage and restoration of passenger cars for a planned start-up of tourist train operations. The CMRR is renovating its tracks in Kingston, which are currently operable from MP 2.8 to MP 4.37, and plans to start tourist train operations there in 2008.

The CMRR's long term goal is to run tourist trains on the entire 25 mile run from Kingston to Phoenicia, which will include lengthy views of the Ashokan Reservoir, and a stop at Ashokan Railroad Station. Currently, two bridges in need of repair, one at MP 5 and the other at MP 21.32, separate the two ends of the railroad. Funds are being sought to repair these bridges. The CMRR has been isolated from the national network since Conrail removed their Kingston interchange in 1996.

Roster of Equipment

CMRR owns two American Locomotive Company (ALCO) RS-1 locomotives, No. 401 (Ex-Green Mountain Railroad (GMRC) No. 401, Ex Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad (GM&O) No. 1052, Ex Illinois Terminal Railroad No. 1056, nee 756); and No. 2361 (former Alter Scrap No. 2361, Ex-Soo Line Railroad (SOO) 2361). Only 401 is operational at this time. As of 2008, 2361 will be evaluated for reactivation. Also stored west of Kingston at MP 5.5 are several passenger cars, including former EL MU Trailer 4322 and former Central Railroad of New Jersey (CNJ) Coaches 1198 and 1204, awaiting restoration for future tourist train use in the Kingston area.

Trains out of Phoenicia are powered by No. 29, an Ex-Navy 50 ton H. K. Porter, Inc, and No. 1, "The Duck", an Ex-Army 38 ton Davenport Locomotive Works locomotive. Two Ex-Navy 50 foot flatcars have been converted to open-air passenger service with the addition of side walls and benches. Former Erie Lackawanna Railway (EL) Multiple unit (MU) trailer No. 4321 was completely renovated and renumbered in 2004 as CMRR 701. Volunteers are completing renovations of a second coach, CMRR 702, former EL MU Trailer 4332, scheduled to enter service in late 2008.

CMRR also rosters several pieces of freight equipment used in work train and storage service. This includes two 50-foot boxcars, a former Conrail Difco dump car, a 40-foot flatcar, and an ex-Conrail transfer caboose. An ex-D&H wooden caboose awaits restoration in Phoenicia after floodwaters damaged the car in 2005. An ex-LV steel caboose is used in Mount Pleasant as a gift shop, stored off the active mainline on panel track.

External links

* [http://www.catskillmtrailroad.com/ Catskill Mountain Railroad Company]
* [http://www.catskillmtrailroad.com/media/CMRR_Timetable_2008.pdf CMRR 2008 Timetable]
* [http://www.durr.org/ Delaware and Ulster Railroad]
* [http://www.esrm.org/ Empire State Railway Museum]
* [http://www.vratrips.org/ Volunteer Railroaders Association - has done some mowing for the CMRR]

Photo gallery