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Thoughts on railroad plan

To the editor:

There has been a lot of discussion recently regarding the Remsen to Lake Placid railroad line, and now the DEC is about to reopen the Unit Management Plan.

Years ago, you could take the railroad from Utica and Remsen all the way to lake Placid but not anymore. The reason is the lack of money to restore the train tracks and more specifically the bridges and related infrastructure.

The options that are being discussed are:

1. Funding to restore the tracks which would require an estimated $17.7 million investment according to the DEC/DOT figures..

2. Take the railroad bed and make either all or part of the 119 miles a hiking it a hiking trail. To make a foot trail would cost $21.2 million

3. Make the all or part of the railroad bed into a snowmobile trail.

4. Have a snowmobile and railroad through to Tupper Lake and abandoned the balance to a foot trail to Lake Placid

I would like to remind everyone that you are dealing with the Adirondack Park Agency and any lands acquired by the State and would be subject to the Master Plan.

So what, you say?

Currently the 100-foot-wide strip is owned by DOT and has been since 1975. Once DOT gives up control, the land to the DEC, it will be subject to APA rules. Does any person seriously think that a motorized train, snowmobile or anything else will be able to traverse one of the many wilderness areas? I am pretty confident that those sections that are put into the Forest Preserve now or in the future will not allow any motorized use. Not even for maintenance.

So how will you maintain a bridge if you can’t use any motorized equipment? It would be a tough job trying to rebuild trestles and bridges without even using chain saws much less how you bring in material to rebuild a bridge and the like. Simply put, it will not happen. The rail line and any use except by foot will be lost and never be restored.

Once the rails are pulled up and not rebuilt within one year they cannot be rebuilt as per the Scenic Rivers Act. Snowmobilers take heed and be careful what you wish for. I’d like to remind people of the comment made by Rich Davies in Thendara last year in the Adirondack Express at which time he stated there is no guarantee that it will be open for any use.

So I would propose another option. First, we can have the train, foot/ bicycle and snowmobile access as they do in other areas. When the trestles are being redone, make them wider or use an outrigger system when you have a bridge. Still, all of this can be done within the existing 100 foot property line. Most importantly, do not give up the land from DOT.

Just think of the economic impact of a train excursion through the Adirondacks. Access for young and old and not so old, fit and those not so fit, the disabled and all. Our many disabled veterans will be able to retrace the steps of those that traveled to the Great Camps in 1800s. You could get dropped off and hike to another local trail, pond or scenic area.

The railroad would certainly bring a new tourist boom to Remsen and Lake Placid and many of the locations in between. A key feature is that the train has to go to a destination area and that would have to be Lake Placid. With no offense to my friends in Tupper Lake, it is not as big a draw and is not as renown worldwide as is Lake Placid. Look at New Hampshire and Ohio and see what they have done. Cuyahoga Valley RR in Ohio carried 210,000 passengers in 2012.

Lastly, I would add that the rail line is listed as a historical site and appropriately so. It needs to be preserved as it is and protected in that context. There are many trails throughout the Adirondacks but there is really only one rail line that traverses the Adirondacks. I want to make sure that my grandchildren and great grandchildren will have the option to use the nearly century and half old route and experience the same sense of grandeur that has been our heritage for all that time.

Dave Corr

Region 6 Conservation Fund Advisory Board Rep

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