Join the discussion on the following article:
Attempted Adirondack accommodation
So instead of tearing it up for granola-munchers in summer and snowmobilers in winter, they just want it ripped up for the snowmobilers. Why won’t they just be honest that they’re simply too snobbish to allow something as nice as a Tourist Railroad in their hallowed locale? Either that, or no bribes have been offered to the right politicians and bureaucrats.
I think this is a case where a wealthy few who are set on a trail have prevailed. The RR has consistently proposed sharing the right of way, but apparently our voice has been lost in the hot air from the trail advocates. This is not strictly environmentalists vs. RR; rather it is money and control vs. a small, dedicated railroad. The region has lost out on a tourist growth opportunity, and the failure of the local business community to support the train is really a shame. The trail will not benefit them as the train has and would. There has been too much misinformation and misdirection and not enough accurate response from the RR. Trains to Lake Placid from Utica (or NYC, Buffalo, etc.) would have enhanced the area’s cache. This is arguably the prettiest stretch of the RR, now probably gone. Many of us will miss this if it does indeed go.
Its a shame, I really wish there were more support out. Who runs longhood lead anymore anyway?
What, no photo op from chuck the schmuck?
Supporters please make your volunteer time available. Sign the proactive petition supported by the Adirondack Scenic Railroad at http://www.trailswithrails.org Talk to others to help double and triple the number of petition signers, especially friends and relatives who are registered New York voters. Do not despair. Trails with Rails is well organized and led. Those 34 miles will not be taken casually.
Anyone who supports ripping up any railroad, especially one with this potential, for the sake of obnoxious snowmobilers is an idiot.
Idk,I think the RR isn’t getting that bad of a deal. Abandon the 34 miles you haven’t developed yet to a snowmobile trail and you’ll get your developed 85-miles upgraded on the State’s dime. I think the RR is at least getting a fairer deal than what is happening to the Tourist line in Kingston.
Hi Jack, Losing the northernmost 34 miles of the Adirondack Scenic Railroad is like stopping the Northeast Corridor at Philadelphia to cut off New York City. Losing rail access from Tupper Lake to Saranac Lake and Lake Placid kills off the two largest population and travel destinations in the Adirondack State Park. Furthermore, the Adirondack Scenic Railroad operates a successful shuttle on the last 10 miles of that 34-mile segment, from Saranac Lake and Lake Placid. To develop the travel market, and to leverage the greatest regional economic development, regular service on the entire route from Lake Placid in the north to Utica in the south, must be operated. Please see the proactive petition link in my comment below Jim’s. And yes, the Catskill Mountain Railroad is very important, too.
The politics of this stink. Money probably has a lot to do with it but in the wrong way. Economic gains of developing the ROW as a railroad far outweigh what snowmobilers, four wheelers, and gun totes are ever going to bring. Add to it the environmental pollution the trail will add and the cost that will cause. No, there is something terribly wrong in the politics and the decision which are not in the best interests of the land, the economy, nor the people of New York and others who enjoy the Adirondacks.
Mr Stryker- the North End, as we call it, handles between 10 and 12 thousand passenger round trips a year. We have trains that run with good crowds, especially on weekends. The real shame of this is that the LP-SL corridor isn’t in terrible shape, it’s active, and it has great potential. What’s being lost is the connection from SL to Tupper Lake, which is O/S and in tough shape. Rehabilitating that would still be a better investment for the north country than snowmobiles and alleged bike riders. There are many hundreds of miles of trails already, ones which serve the same general route even, but only one railroad. For the RR to give up that trackage truncates and limits the potential of the railroad and the region.
Just dump ballast even with the top of the rails and problem solved.
The anti-rail group is a (temporary) coalition between snowmobilers, bicyclist, (both want the trail) and the granola eaters who just want the RR gone. The ROW in some places is no wider than the ties, and would have to be widened for a trail. After the rails are removed is when the coalition will start fighting among themselves. Even the snowmobilers and bicyclist will fight, because snowmobiles will chew up a paved bike trail.
Well obviously the fight by the citizens of this great state is far from being over. Politics again are still in play ! The politicians desire to please everybody for the sake of getting their votes is appalling in the least.
Oh, they may mention the NYS Dept. of Transportation and the Dept. of Environmental Conservation by name, and rightly so, because they are the experts in these fields, but the whole idea “stinks” of politics as usual to the average person and makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.
Just last year there were numerous public hearings held around central NY and the north country and it is my understanding there is overwhelming support to keep the Adirondack Scenic Railroad trackage intact as is, from Remsen to Lake Placid, with the eventual goal of up-grading the remaining part of the line from Big Moose to Saranac Lake. The 10 mile section from S.L. to L.P. has already been done and is a big success
.
Now, it’s an off-year election and they’re positioning themselves for maximum votes for the next major one by trying to find an acceptable compromise. Well, these tree-hugging, environmental wacko, global warming believing MINORITY should not be allowed to have their very own ‘utopian’ piece of the beautiful Adirondacks all to themselves, especially when the majority of the forest and the entire right of way belongs to the citizens of NYS.
They aren’t interested in any compromise. They want it all their way, as usual ! In the very least, before any action is taken, a state-wide referendum should be conducted.
This Adirondack Scenic Railroad is one of the “jewels” of the state, just like the Adirondack Mts. themselves. Dozens of people have put and still are putting their hearts and souls into this railroad to make it a success and deserve our gratitude and LOUD support in any way we can !!!.
Maybe someday it will be a “premier” mode of transportation to serve the needs of the world, should the winter olym
In the end the railroad its
In the end the railroad itself decided this, SO if they dont care, why should I?
Lifting the rails will improve snow cover on the ROW for the snowmobiliers? How much snow did the area get last winter? I’m sure the Spandexed ‘Conehead’ bicyclists would like to see the rails gone, ala the Lamoille Valley. Vermont snowmobiliers never had problems riding between the rails, except when a train was coming.
BRITT REID - From what I’m reading this is a NYDOT proposal. While described as a compromise, nothing is reported suggesting either side have signed off on it.
Well if I had known the last 10mi had already been developed,I wouldn’t have made the below opinion on my part. In that case,it would be better to just connect the two operating ends by rail and build the ROW next to it.
Or like it was mentioned below,just dump ballast even with the rails.
Lake Placid has very limited scheduled air and no passenger rail links to the outside despite its staus as two time Winter Olympics venue and major center for Adirondack tourism and winter sports. TWhy a dual use of the corridor will not work here as it has elsewhere is hard to understand, as is renouncing any prospect of linking Lake Placid and Saranac Lake to NY Empire Service some day. The rail line between the two is restored and being operated; how can it make economic and transport sense to not finish the connection south to a national rail connection so close? How can this result be environmentally sound when the alternative is to push more polluting vehicle traffic on a road system not much changed since the last Olympics? The operator has issued a statement (full statement is in the general discussion blog) that the corridor management plan that favored full operation of the rail line to Lake Placid is “reopened” but not yet decided. One hopes the fight over this is not finished; this would be such an illogical outcome for these tourist-oriented communities.