Relocating trail could save rail line

Dear Editor: Back in 2013, Ulster County Executive Mike Hein and Carter Strickland, New York City commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection, announced plans for an 11-mile rail trail along the north side of the Ashokan Reservoir. They claimed it would be a huge boost to eco-tourism. Really? Eco–tourism is supposed to be based on environmentally sound policies, otherwise it’s just a meaningless buzz phrase for marketing bad ideas. It’s like telling people to turn their thermostats down to save energy and stay warm by putting on a coat made from the fur of baby seals.

You have to look at the big picture.

A rail trail made from a defunct rail line to nowhere would be one thing, but the rail corridor parallels state Route 28. Cutting it into disconnected segments commits the region to moving everything on the highway forever after. That’s not good for air quality, energy use, community development or best use of resources.

Here’s a better idea: Develop and extend the existing trail around the south side of reservoir. It’s underused and underpromoted. If you want real ecotourism, let Rail Explorers run its rail bikes on the Ashokan section of the line. It’s practically ready for them now at no cost. Keep the rails intact, preserve the corridor.

This lets restoration of the line continue. It allows the Empire State Railway Museum and the Catskill Mountain Railroad to resume operations out of Phoenicia. It saves millions. It can be done now. Win-win-win.

Larry Roth, Phoenicia