Use "Trail-Walk-Arounds" when necessary, but do not rip up the railroad tracks

Let's Clear the Haze. Mike Hein and his staff used a wide-ranging "Trail-Walk-Around" to get the trail to the other side of Route 209 without building a bridge. Therefore, between Hurley Mt.Road and the Glenford Dike at the Ashokan Reservoir, Use "Trail-Walk-Arounds" if there is not room for the trail next to a section of railroad track. Most logical people would agree that under no circumstance do you rip up the railroad tracks.

The Catskill Mt.Railroad deserves to win the Pride of Ulster County Award

I agree that Catskill Mt.Railroad deserves to win the Pride of Ulster County Award from the UC Chamber of Commerce.  Let all Ulster County Businesses tell Ward Todd that we want to give the Pride of Ulster County Award to the Catskill Mt.Railroad.  I want to urge local citizens and businesses to get involved and take back our Ulster County business climate.  Some local environmentalists and trail advocates are destroying are business climate by sending the message that Ulster County politicians and leaders are not fighting and pushing back on the unreasonable demands of environmentalists and trail advocates.  Ulster County's average wages are $13,000 lower than Dutchess County.  Ulster County's wages are going to remain low if we citizens and businesses don't get involved and tell our politicians and leaders that we want them to push back against environmentalists and trail advocate and to allow private developers and the Catskill Mt.Railroad people to help grow our local economy and grow our local wages.

Ulster County - Let's bring in Larger Firms for Higher Wages

Today on KCR, talking with Ward Todd, I mentioned that the average wage for Ulster County residents is very low, about $13,000 less than Dutchess County residents.  I told Ward that we need to do more to attract medium to large companies to the county, using the SUNY Ulster College's Start Up NY designation at TechCity (former IBM site). I mentioned that we are emphasizing small business and tourism development almost exclusively.  This results in low average wages compared to Dutchess County.  We have very visible evidence of our low Ulster County wages........Look at the Hudson Valley Mall where one by one stores are closing at the mall.  The lack of Ulster County and City of Kingston having an aggressive plan for attracting medium to large companies to the area is hurting the lives of our residents, especially our young people looking for good-paying jobs for raising a family.  The Start Up NY program at SUNY Ulster-TechCity offers
10 years of no income taxes for companies moving from out of state.  Why don't our leaders aggressively use this Start Up NY designation to bring medium and large companies to the area?

On Air Suggestions to Mike Hein - Meet with CMRR & Use Trail Walk-Arounds

On Friday, Jan.23rd, Mike Hein and I discussed the Catskill Mt.Railroad. In the 4 short audio links below, I asked Mike to let Ward Todd broker a meeting with him and the Catskill Mt.Railroad. Also, I asked Mike why Trail Walk-arounds could not be used between the Hurley Flats and the Glenford Dike to accommodate the Trail, similar to the extensive Walk-around planned for the Trail between Kingston and the Hurley Flats. Why rip up the tracks between the Hurley Flats and Glenford when you don't have to?


To listen to 4 audio links, go to FACEBOOK and enter KCR or Kingston Community Radio.  Then,
Scroll Down to Ralph Mitchell January 26, 2015 posting.

County Executive Hein continues to harass the Catskill Mt.RR.

County Executive Hein continues to harass the Catskill Mt.RR.  He has "blinked" a little from our enthusiastic support for the RR.  He has agreed to the 2 mile run from Kingston Plaza to Hurley, but he wants to rip up the tracks from Hurley to Mt.Pleasant (ie.around the Ashokan Resevoir) for a trail.  The RR wants to continue to volunteer to referbish the 6 miles of track from Hurley to Glenford, which will allow Adult Dinner Rides and transportation for tourists from Kingston Plaza to the Ashokan Reservoir.  Tourists would park at Kingston Plaza, take the train to the Reservoir, and come back to Kingston Plaza to get their cars, to local hotels and restaurants and spend money in Kingston.

 

 

The fight goes on.  The following Freeman article describes the latest on Ulster County's court harassment of CMRR from County Legislator Dave Donaldson's point of view.

 

 

http://www.dailyfreeman.com/general-news/20150121/legislator-says-ulster-county-is-trying-to-bleed-tourist-railroad-dry

Niagara Water Sale is Needed to Keep Kingston Water Rates from Going Up 32 percent

I urge city residents and Town of Ulster Water users to call Shayne Gallo, Mike Hein, Supervisor Quigley, your Alderman and tell them if the Niagara Water Sale deal fails and your water bills go up 32 percent, you are not going to be happy that the local politicians didn't fight to keep

Niagara Bottling here.  SEE THE FREEMAN LINK BELOW.


http://www.dailyfreeman.com/general-news/20141017/kingston-water-department-says-rising-rates-justification-for-niagara-bottling-plan

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.