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New York sets hearings for Adirondack rail corridor use
I submitted the foillowing comments to NYDOT this afternoon:
This letter is to strongly support the retention of the Adirondack Rail Corridor to Lake Placid for rail use, with shared trail usage permitted where safety permits. I will be out of the country over the dates of the hearings on this issue in September, so I submit this in lieu of in-person testimony.
My company, Rail Travel Adventures (earlier doing business as Rail Travel Center), has been bringing groups to the Lake Placid and Thendara regions to ride the railway for over 25 years. We typically stay two to three nights in each area, bringing 40-45 passengers and buying 25-30 hotel rooms each night, plus meals, sightseeing admissions and bus charters from New York state operators. In the absence of the railway none of these tours would operate.
As an example, our October 2012 tour stayed two nights in Lake Placid, and three nights in the Blue Mountain Lake-Thendara area. We utilized 25 rooms at the Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort in Lake Placid and at the Minnowbrook “great camp” in Blue Mountain Lake, visiting the Olympics attractions, High Falls Gorge, the Wild Center, Sagamore, and the Adirondack Museum, cruising on Racquette Lake and buying meals from restaurants in Lake Placid, Tupper Lake, Thendara, North Creek and Blue Mountain Lake. We rode the Adirondack Scenic RR at both Lake Placid (to Saranac Lake) and at Thendara (to Otter Lake) and rode the new Saratoga and North Creek RR. We used the state-supported ADIRONDACK Amtrak service from Albany to Plattsburgh enroute to the Park.
Revenue from just this one tour specifically directed to Adirondack businesses was over $71,000. This does not include client spending for drinks, souvenirs and some meals not otherwise included in the package. 44 passengers were on this tour departure. This is an example of just one tour from one company, tours that are offered because of the rail travel option. My company is not unique in offering such products, but
Some day we’ll get over our foolish romance with tourism and recreation. Industrial redevelopment will some day occur, but how long? Look at areas where the rails have been torn up. What’s left? Tourism, recreation and government. Mostly low-paying jobs (except government), no chance for advancement, producing nothing.
With all due respect for Mr. Guise’s usual rightwing, noncontributory, irrelevant, hysterical and thoughtless proselytizing, a more thoughtful discussion of the future of the Adirondack area would center on the means to best preserve the wild and natural character of the area. The Adirondack area has value for its beauty and unspoiled character. It largely is as it has been for millennia. Another way to state this is to say that it has contrast value because it is so remarkably and positively different from the places where most people live today: look alike, often nondescript, and overly commercial suburbs. Today’s look alike suburbs have been thoughtfully characterized as the geography of nowhere. As you descend the off ramp of any interstate, more often than not, you can accurately guess what you will see. The same gas stations, motels, hamburger joints and retail outlets as most other ones. Why bother going any where if your destination will look very much the way the place you call home looks?
The Adirondack Hills, as I will call them, are most certainly not like suburbia U S A. And that is what, in part, gives them value: contrast value. They contrast with the normal environment of most people, they are a feast for our all of our senses and hence attract individuals to savior their beauty and natural tranquility. This is the dominant opinion of people in my home state of Vermont. And this is why, Mr. Guise, the Republican Party in Vermont is dead, dead, dead. There are more things in life than making money.
Those of you who want suburbia transplanted into the Adirondacks, just tear up the railroad and build more roads, malls, parking lots and sit in traffic, if anyone wants to bother going to a place that looks just like from whence they come.
The railroad is the only chance we have to preserve what makes places that are like the Adirondacks worth the visit. Places where nature rules, free from all the tawdriness and crass commercialism o
The use of this as a railroad now and for the future is less invasive than new or broader highways or even new rail rights of ways being developed. There are millions of acres and hundreds of thousand of square miles here where these snowmobilers and ATV’s can romp anyway. (My opinions of these vehicles and those who drive them are not very high as they burn gasoline, pollute the atmosphere, rip up the environment, and don’t do much other than maybe buy lunch and dinners to supposedly spur the economy; not a very productive activity at all.)
The use of this as a railroad now and for the future is less invasive than new or broader highways or even new rail rights of ways being developed. There are millions of acres and hundreds of thousand of square miles here where these snowmobilers and ATV’s can romp anyway. (My opinions of these vehicles and those who drive them are not very high as they burn gasoline, pollute the atmosphere, rip up the environment, and don’t do much other than maybe buy lunch and dinners to supposedly spur the economy; not a very productive activity at all.)
The use of this as a railroad now and for the future is less invasive than new or broader highways or even new rail rights of ways being developed. There are millions of acres and hundreds of thousand of square miles here where these snowmobilers and ATV’s can romp anyway. (My opinions of these vehicles and those who drive them are not very high as they burn gasoline, pollute the atmosphere, rip up the environment, and don’t do much other than maybe buy lunch and dinners to supposedly spur the economy; not a very productive activity at all.)
I am a volunteer conductor for the ASRR, and the article does not necessarily represent the whole picture. Unfortunately, this has been trus of most of the press coverage in the region. The trail people ignore upkeep and maintenance of the corridor, which the RR now does with its own equipment and at no cost to taxpayers. The trail people also ignore the potential of restoring service from Utica and connecting points to Lake Placid, especially the potential for Iowa Pacific trains and possible luxury excursions from NYC to the Adirondacks.
The tracks are in bad shape not because they are unused, but because they are owned by NYDOT who has not maintained them. The RR has a 30-day notice lease to use the track, but cannot invest in upgrades without more certainty for the future. It would be a terrible waste to rip out the tracks and destroy infrastructure that could have even greater potential tourist use, and the somewhat less sure possibility of freight service. The RR has already restored chunks of track on the southern end, and now runs to Big Moose. With service from LP and Saranac Lake to Tupper Lake the RR would create more tourism in the region.
The trail people also overestimate the benefit of the scrap from the rail and the costs to build the trail. Again, this mostly benefits snowmobilers for a couple of months per year. The Adirondacks are already well-laced with trails of many types, this one is not so crucial. There is only one train in this spectacular section of the mountains (the other is the Saratoga and North Creek, well to the east of this line.) Try biking or walking through the wetlands along the tracks during black fly or mosquito season! The train also gets everyone into the heart of the mountains- no person in a wheelchair will be able to access more than a short stretch near a road.
Adding a trail next to the tracks is the way to go. Everyone benefits, not just the special interests of the trail-only people. Yes, it would be more expensive,
I am in full agreement with the thoughtful and comprehensive reasons set forth by Mr. Fowler against “ripping up the tracks.” I am always amazed how little thought is given to destroying existing trackage in this age of global warming, traffic congestion, pollution, etc. Granted, in some areas, the community is better served with a rail-trail, but let’s not be too hasty when there is a clear-cut benefit to maintaining and upgrading existing tracks. As a long-time hiker in the Adirondacks (I’ve been coming to the High Peaks region for many years) and as an avid cyclist (I’ve utilized many of the rail-trails in the Northeast), I can say with some authority that a rail-trail is not the way to go in the Adirondacks. Economic benefit is illusory with a rail-trail. Folks won’t come to the area for that alone as a destination. They will, on the other hand, come for the scenic train and spend money on accommodations, food, etc. Having seen the tracks myself, I agree with Mr. Fowler that this is not a particularly interesting route for hikers; no one would actually take this hike considering the many wonderful and far more scenic hikes to be had in the area.
Over years, much land has been taken “off line” in the Adirondacks, and this has been a double-edged sword. It preserves for all times the scenic beauty of the area but does, arguably, impinge on the local economy. The expansion and improvement of a viable tourist attraction - the railroad - is something sorely needed.
The source of the problem here is a complete and total lack of business which requires freight service. Find one of those to move in at the far end of the line and the problem is solved. Of course that will never happen because the environ-mentalists are opposed to all business unless it is green. No problem. Find a business willing to paint its stuff green. Kind of like JB Hunt is putting green tags on all of its containers declaring them to be green. Last time I checked, a can of green paint is all that is needed to make something green compliant. I believe Swift is doing the same with its containers, last time I checked, which was two days ago. Once that “green” business is in place and justifying the use of some good old heavy duty covered hoppers or something like that, the track gets sold to a new owner as part of the deal or the state is forced to seriously upgrade it. I never understood how a state can justify wasting tons of money on money losing passenger service which generates no business while at the same time killing off its tax base by driving away potential employers generating potential goods in need of real profit driven transportation. No matter. After the rails are lifted, some anti-green business could move in and move everything by truck. Which ties in very nicely to the Thruway.
Good job Carl from Vermont!
If these wackos want a trail let the establish it the old fashion way. Why bully the intentions of ASRR which brings in much more income to the area than a taxpayer supported trail would ever be able to do?
There are so many trails in the Adirondack Park (I’ve hiked many miles on them) and only one major rail corridor, the Adirondack RR. I have ridden on this railroad a few dozen times and it’s never disappointed. How many miles of trails are enough? The railroad corridor needs to remain in place; the plan should be complete restoration of the entire corridor.
Great comments, Carl Fowler, I agree with you 100% percent! I just rode the train from Lake Placid to Saranac lake for the second time a few weeks ago. It is a beautiful ride, the only down side is that it is such a short train ride. Here’s to hoping the line survives and trains are able to run to Utica or even further.
I agree with Mr Fowler. The restoration of the complete rail line from Utica to Lake Placid is the strategic way to go. You could still have a rail trail as well. Trains bring people, and people spend money . Demand creates jobs, and jobs bring competition . Not to mention that this segment connects it our national system , and if the tracks are upgraded to at least 59mph , it brings further seamless Amtrak Connections. Those wanting a trail only would now benefit by the added completion of additional outdoor stores that service their needs because rail service would bring this potential to the region.
I too think the rail with trail is the way to go. Look at the trail along the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad. They complement each other very well and the trail itself generates one way railroad trips for those that want to ride the train uphill to Frostburg and then bicycle back down to Cumberland.
If rails are lifted what environmental group is going to pick up the cost of maintaining the trail?
The Adirondack Recreational Trail Advocates are just like rail to trail groups “Gimme dat rail; rip it out for a trail!” This insane idea was brought up in Ventura County to usurp the Fillmore & Western for a recreational trail on the old Espee Santa Paula Branch.
You guys are wasting your efforts. This is New York State and the government is in the pay of the environmentalists, unions and other left wing liberal Democrat groups. You have little or no chance to preserve this line. The environmentalists will win no matter how logical your thinking. Just try and preserve what you have and be happy if you are able to do so.
The opponents of the Adirondack Scenic RR are anything but “enviornmentalists”. The driving force is a group of snowmobilers, and particularly a snow machine sales/rental operation. This group formed the purported pro-enviornment trail group there. Unfortunately they’ve been unusually effective in spreading disinformation about the trains. The hearings are actually a great opportunity to answer their outrageous distortions and claims.
Much as we may all want to bash government we ought to give NYDOT a chance here. They (NYDOT and the New York State Department of Enviornmental Conservation) preserved the railroad in 1972 when Penn Central dumped it. They fixed it up enough to support passsenger service through from Utica to Lake Placid for the 1980 Winter Olympics. When the operating contractor failed they kept the line “Railbanked” until 1992 when the current operating group stepped in.
Today far over the half the line is open for regular service. Indeed over 1,200,000 passengers have ridden since 1992.
The trail advocates (phony enviornmentalists) here are particularly outspoken, loud, dishonest and aggressive. They may prevail, but they certainly did not when they tried to force a similar closing of the ex-D&H line that became the Saratoga and North Creek (Iowa Pacific), nor did they succeed over the last 42 years in getting the ex-NYC Adirondack Division to Lake Placid litfed.
If you’ve ridden this line, or plan to do so, send an E Mail to NYDOT. The state had to give the bullies an ear. The railroad now needs our support.
We can bash fake enviornmentalists later if we fail. I think we probably will not lose this one, but we will for sure if no supporters come forward.
Real enviornmentalists support and ride trains!
Carl Fowler
President
Rail Travel Adventures