She’ll be coming ’round the mountain when she comes, (when she comes).

She’ll be coming ’round the mountain when she comes, (when she comes).

She’ll be coming ’round the mountain, she’ll be coming ’round the mountain, She’ll be coming ’round the mountain when she comes, (when she comes).

Sing it! Sister and Brothers! The Catskill Mountain Railroad is coming round the mountain even after Hurricane Irene wreaked havoc on part of its track along the Esopus Creek–All thanks to a cadre of dedicated volunteers who keep this vital piece of transportation history alive for us and our children.

Children are train enthusiasts: My son loves steamies, roundhouses, chanting “I think I can,” and singing the opening song for the PBS Kid’s show Dinosaur Train:

We’re huffing and we’re puffing like a hurricane…

Take a ride on the Dinosaur Train….

Well, maybe I’m the one who likes that song…it really loops around and around in your head…but ANYWAY!

Recently, we tripped the light “traintastic” on the Catskill Mountain Railroad.

And here is what stands out…
Classic not Plastic

The train is worth exploring. You can feel the wind sweep through your hair in an open-aired gondola car or bask in the antique lighting and seating of one of the 1920s-era commuter cars. Just make sure you watch your kids – the windows open wide unlike kid-proof windows of today.

The Volunteers

Many Catskill Mountain Railroad volunteers loved trains as kids and just never grew out of it, so they love meeting their former selves– our train-loving kids! If you get chatty with the volunteers, you can learn a lot.

The train station’s ticket agent Peter Fluchere bubbled over with enthusiasm explaining the history of the railroad to us. Years ago, there were two ways to travel to the mountains, you could take a dirt road or the railroad. He asked us to look around at the tree-covered mountains and imagine them bare, as they once were due to the logging and tanning industries. We had no idea the landscape was once so different.
The conductor was, also, happy to give us some details about the train. He told us volunteers pitched in to buy the train’s cars and spent thousands of hours restoring them.

Sidenote- Even though it is an all volunteer operation, the Federal Railway Association monitors the line, so it is just as safe as any other train.

The Views

 The views of the Esopus and the mountains are one of a kind (if you depart from the Mt. Tremper station- didn’t ride Kingston’s). It’s a unique experience viewing the scenery from the vantage point of the train.
So take a ride on the Esopus Scenic Train from Mt. Tremper (operates weekends May-Oct -& operates Fridays as well starting Jun 29.)

The trip is abbreviated as a result of the storm damage and takes about 30 minutes. They have lowered the ticket prices because of this.
All trains depart Mt. Tremper Station 
Adult — $12.00 :: Children (ages 4-11) — $7.00Children under 4 ride free with paid adult fare



or

Board Kingston Shuttle at Kingston Plaza and ride through the historic city of Kingston.
The train runs only on Saturdays but offers special events throughout the season.
That’s it folks!
Have fun exploring the Hudson Valley with your kids and visit us at wheresmommyat.com or on Facebook!
-Hudson Valley Kim
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