A controversy is brewing in the Catskills about a popular historic train corridor being converted into a rail trail, with Ulster County Executive Michael Hein opposing fellow democrat Kevin Cahill. At issue is whether the existing train ride and a proposed rail trail can exist side-by-side, or if the trail must supplant the train. At the heart of the debate is which will produce more tourism, and therefore, revenue, (balanced against cost) the trail or the train?
To complicate matters, today’s Daily Freeman reports that the Kingston Common Council has endorsed Michael Hein’s plan to remove the tracks to make way for the corridor’s exclusive use by the rail trail. Presently, the tracks run from Kingston Point through the Rondout area (currently used by the trolley) and the city of Kingston to follow the old Ulster & Delaware Railroad route along Rt. 28 west through Ulster County. A portion of the western tracks are currently used by the Catskill Mountain Railroad to provide scenic train rides along the Esopus Creek.
State Assemblyman Kevin Cahill’s press release of April 1 places him in favor of a “combined Catskill Mountain Rail with trail,” that will be “adding a recreational trail to the already successful Catskill Mountain Railroad corridor”. Citing the “decades of work” the Catskill Mountain Rail volunteers have already invested in creating and maintaining their popular tourism draw which operates out of the Empire State Railway Museum in Phoenicia, Cahill said that the $2 million earmarked in the new state budget for the rail trail “can go a long way toward making the dream of many to develop a rail with trail corridor a reality.”
Last fall, officials of the Ulster County Planning Department met with members of the Catskill Mountain Railroad to discuss “Co-Location of Rail and Trail” between mile post 3 and 11. Since then, the railroad maintains that a dual use is preferable to losing the historic link (and popular train ride) to the rail route that opened up the Catskill Mountains for tourism and industry beginning in 1866.
The verdict isn't in on this yet, folks. Contact your elected officials to let them know you support a dual use for the historic railroad link to Ulster County's past!
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