Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Mike Hein embraces the success of the Catskill Mt.Railroad Events

Due to the overwhelming success of Thomas the Train and Polar Express and due to the monetary benefits to Ulster County businesses from train riders, the county executive has committed to keeping the Kingston Plaza to Hurley Mt.Road tracks in place.  However, he currently wants to truncate the rails 5 miles short of the Glenford Dike at the edge of the Ashokan reservoir.  Railroaders at the Catskill Mt. RR say their volunteers can easily repair this 5 mile stretch.  They say that Glenford is the right stopping point for now, since the extra uphill 5 miles from the Hurly Mountain Road to Glenford gets people up the long hill to the trail and the great views at the flat plateau at the reservoir.  From Glenford to Mt.Pleasant, there are storm related washouts at Phoenicia and Cold Brook that will take county help to repair.  Presently, Catskill Mt. Railroad runs a second scenic 5 mile round trip from Mt.Tremper to Boiceville. 


There is no good rationale for not completing the railroad tracks to Glenford.  This extra 5 miles will allow the Catskill Mt.Railroad to run "Dinner Train Rides to the Reservoir"  year round, bringing in more money for the county and its businesses.  The extra 5 miles will also allow the transport of bikers and their bikes on the train from Kingston to Glenford.  People could take the train up the hill to the reservoir and bike the trail up there and then ride the bike down the hill back to Kingston where their cars are parked.  The key point is to encourage tourists to drive to Kingston, park at the Kingston Plaza, go to the reservoir trail, and then take the train, or bike or walk back to Kingston where their cars are parked.  Kingston has the amenities that tourists want and enjoy.  Let's bring in the tourists and money to Kingston to benefit our residents and businesses.

Sunday, November 16, 2014

To Mike Hein - Polar Express Not Interested in Sites Away from Kingston

On the Kingston Plaza section of the tracks, I want to refute Mike Hein's statement that the wildly successful Thomas The Train & Polar Express events could be held at Mt.Tremper.  After showing event planners the sites away from Kingston, CMRR has documentation that they are not interested in the sites away from Kingston, because there are not enough businesses to cater to the event visitors. The event planners indicated that the Kingston Plaza railroad track location is ideal for these events. Train visitors get the added benefit of visiting "Historic Kingston" with all its unique amenities. Please join us in concluding that we should Keep the Kingston Plaza railroad tracks in place so our local businesses can continue to thrive from the CMRR events which are on track of drawing 30,000 visitors per year to the Kingston Plaza railroad tracks.

Friday, October 31, 2014

WGHQ - KCR - Pushing Back on Hein's Plan to Rip up Kingston Plaza RR Tracks

This morning, I talked with Mike Hein about how I disagreed with his plan to rip up the Kingston Plaza railroad tracks.  I mentioned 2 points. 1)  The City of Kingston residents and businesses will definitely be hurt by Hein's plan to rip up the Plaza tracks and end the Thomas the Train, Peanuts and the Pumpkin rides and the Polar Express events and 2) the many visitors from out of town and in town to the Plaza train events may include business leaders who begin to like the Kingston area and the train and may want to move a business with jobs to Kingston.  However, they will hear local news and people talk about how local leaders, Mike Hein and Shayne Gallo want to rip up the Kingston Plaza tracks and effectively end the fantastic train events, such as Polar Express.  Why would businesses want to locate here when they find out that Mike Hein and Shayne Gallo are making plans that will Hurt City of Kingston businesses and residents?  Let's tell Mike Hein and Shayne Gallo that we want to keep our railroad tracks at the Kingston Plaza.
 

Friday, September 12, 2014

Headline - Ulster County Lawsuit against Wildly Successful Business

Headline ----- Ulster County Government Lawsuit against Wildly Successful Tourist Train at Exit 19 on New York Thruway.  ------- This is real good for attracting business to Kingston and Ulster County.

Monday, September 8, 2014

Catskill Mt. Train Rides - Kingston & Ulster County's new visible, high power tourist attraction

Congratulations to the Catskill Mt. Railroad on the resounding success this past weekend of attracting over 4000 riders to their Thomas the Train ride at the Kingston Plaza railroad tracks.  Kingston has finally found a high power, visible Tourist attraction that will continue to draw new people and new money to Kingston and Ulster County, year-round.  Let's urge Mayor Gallo and County Executive Hein and the Ulster County Legislature to get On-board the tremendous Tourism Attraction.

Thursday, September 4, 2014

Thomas the Train railroad ride

Thomas the Train railroad ride and tent activities this Fri,Sat,Sun at Kingston Plaza. Let's roll out the friendly welcoming mat to the over 3000 ticket holders, many of whom are coming to this area for the first time.

Monday, September 1, 2014

Here is an Agenda to Vote For

Here is an Agenda to Vote For ( ask your candidates how they stand before you vote this November ).

1) Repel Immigration Amnesty,
2) Repeal Obamacare,
3) Repel ISIS in Iraq, &
4) Repeal Common Core

Monday, August 11, 2014

Keep the Kingston Plaza Railroad Open

I respectfully disagree with the Kingston Land Trust.  My top priority is to keep the railroad operating as it does now from the Kingston Plaza to the the Hurley Corn fields.  I urge residents that agree with me to call their county legislators to tell them to Leave the Kingston Plaza railroad in operation.  Tell them to vote NO next Tuesday, August 19, 2014 on Lynn. Archer's Ulster Legislature Resolution 275 which wants to rip up the Kingston Plaza railroad for a hiking, biking trail.  Vote NO on 275 which will allow our children, disabled, seniors, parents and tourists to enjoy the short train ride from the Kingston Plaza to the Hurley Flats.
Remember the old Broadway Kingston Post Office that was torn down for a Jack in the Box.
Let's not make another foolish mistake with the Kingston Plaza Train Ride.