Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Bill Hutchison says

    Okay, so the railroad has had its issues. What has the trail group done besides stir up trouble? Have they had a 20 year record to pick apart? No, but they take every opportunity to nitpick the railroad because they covet the right of way the railroad operates on. It’s as simple as that.

    I’d like to see these critics who so easily pass judgement on the railroad do what these volunteers have done to make the trains run. They talk a good game, but talk is cheap. I’d like to see how far they’d get if they had to do what the railroad has had to do, especially in the face of limited support and unrelenting opposition.

    As for the article itself, the part about Iowa Pacific’s Ed Ellis, who was quoted as saying that his proposed Pullman sleeping car service was on hold pending resolution of the UMP was interesting. What was left unsaid was that the UMP review was caused by ARTA in the first place. So here is ARTA opposition stopping a project that could benefit the railroad, at least temporarily.

    Meanwhile, trail critics continue to take their potshots at the railroad’s finances, among other things. It’s all very cynical.

  2. Jim Houghtaling says

    Brian, I’ve been waiting a long time for a journalist to actually look into the facts of this debate instead of simply repeating the ASR’s insulting stories on how their past failures have nothing to do with their great plans for the future. Thank you.

    BTW – I always get a kick out of when I’m far from home and I hear one of your stories get picked up nationally. Your story on the rail disaster in Canada was great – I listened to it while in Colorado somewhere. Your stories always bring me home.

  3. CJQuinn says

    Isn’t it far better to have visitors enter the park by rail than car? If the corridor is abandoned, it’s gone forever as far as its potential for rail is concerned. Clearly the ASR has significant challenges, and having a trail from Utica to Lake Placid would be lovely, but I question the wisdom of surrendering the railroad’s right to the corridor when it could serve as an alternative mode of entry into the park for those who choose not to, or do not wish to drive.

  4. KKirsch says

    Why don’t they build a trail along the abandoned right of way spur from Lake Clear to Malone? There was a spur there that I believe runs all the way to the sea way and traverses some beatiful back woods. The bed is still there as is the ballast. All it would take is a dozer, several guys with chain saws and a roller to create at least a basic trail. You can see it on Google maps starting at Charles INN. Then if that trail works then there is really an argument for the rest. Would think that is a no brainer.

  5. KKirsch says

    Furturemore the use of the phrases “dilapidated tracks and bridges” both here and in Adirondack life, makes me laugh. Having seen tracks around the country the line between Old Forge and Placid is in good shape considering what they have to work with. If interested go to Harpers Ferry Va where the tracks see trains at least once an hour. If you thing ASR lines are bad you should see those. I have traversed the line from Saranac to Eagle crag and have not seen any problems that were not quickly fixed by the limited resources of ASR. The problem with the ASR is that they pass up opportunities to promote the line. They have been approached several times by the national railcar society for meets on their lines and have been turned away. With that it would bring both people in to the unused sections and publicity, among other opportunities.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *