Ride the historic U&D route through the Catskills!
The tracks you will be riding on are rich in history. Trains of the old Ulster & Delaware Railroad carried vital freight and tourist traffic to and from the Catskills. Bluestone for the sidewalks of New York was quarried here and dairy products from Ulster and Delaware County farms were rushed to the city by rail. City dwellers sought a breath of fresh air and a respite from steamy summers at the famous Catskill boarding houses and grand hotels. In 1913, more than 676,000 passengers rode the U&D to the Catskills. The New York Central acquired the U&D in 1932, and it became the Catskill Mountain Branch. The last regular passenger train ran in 1954.
After 1968, Penn Central offered service on these rails, but after decades of declining revenues, the last train rode on the old U&D tracks in 1976. Ulster County purchased the railroad in 1979 to preserve the corridor for future rail use.
In 1983, the Catskill Mountain Railroad was chartered to operate a new tourist passenger operation as well as freight service. The Scenic Train is just one part of a long-term plan to re-open the length of the railroad from Kingston to Phonecia and beyond. Our all-volunteer staff takes great pride in the railroad, and would like to welcome you aboard! |
