We
have a purchase option on the former U&D station at Roxbury,
NY and we have the second half of the required funds,
but not the first half: The O'Connor Foundation has offered
a matching grant of $80,000.00 ($30,000 toward the purchase price
of $60,000; and $50,000 toward anticipated restoration work of $100,000.00),
if we can raise an equal amount from other sources. This
beautifully preserved building is a hidden treasure - used for
years as a feed warehouse, then as an auto body shop, it is almost
entirely sheathed in a web of corrugated metal and garage doors,
almost completely unrecognizable as a railroad station - but
behind the camouflage, the original station structure is almost
completely intact, down to the stained-glass window trim in
the waiting room! Want to see for yourself? Check out our slide
show!
At
Arkville, the Society is currently restoring a wooden 4-wheel
"bobber" caboose, originally NYO&W 8206, built in
O&W's Middletown shops in 1906, and later sold to Unadilla
Valley as their No. 51. As of fall, 1997, the exterior superstructure
was substantially complete, and restoration of the interior, and
of the underframe, springing, and other ironwork - most of
which we have - is underway. Much of the work has been financed
through a grant from the O&W Historical Society, and a matching
grant from the Catskill Revitalization Corp., operators of the
Delaware & Ulster Rail Ride; but substantial additional funds
are required, and your tax-deductible donation to the "U&DRRHS
-Bobber Fund", will be gratefully received.
Also
at Arkville, the Society owns former Brooklyn Eastern
District Terminal Porter 0-6-0T 14, built
in 1920 for Mesta Machine Works of Homestead, Pa. and sold to
BEDT through an equipment dealer in the 1930's. Substantial
funds have been pledged for restoration of the engine to operation,
and surveys are currently under way to update the estimates received
when the engine was obtained several years ago.
With acquisition of the station option, we have put a temporary
hold on our other structure project, but we nevertheless expect
soon to commence construction at Arkville, on a structure adjoining
the DURR's facilities, to provide display, work, and housing
space for our equipment.
We are conducting a survey of U&D historical materials, to
establish a central index of such materials wherever they are
located.
We
are looking for photos of 630-632. Caboose 630, built in 1898,
resides in the backyard of a member of the U&DRRHS. It has
served as a children's playhouse since the New York Central abandoned
its Kaaterskill Branch in 1940. The caboose was sold to a previous
owner of the property around 1940. The present owner would like
to restore it in an historically appropriate way,but there is
very little information about the original appearance of the caboose.
The Society has agreed to help find suitable trucks, wheels and
other hardware as well as quality photographs. In return for the
Society's assistance, the caboose will be made available for scheduled
visits or tours by our Society and we will receive a right of
first refusal if the caboose is ever disposed of.
The Society is also currently studying the costs and other factors
involved in restoring the entire U&D to operation, ideally
as part of a historic corridor recreating many aspects of 19th
Century Catskill life and industry.
If you are interested in any of these activities of the U&D
RRHS, you are encouraged to join.
