MUSINGS OF A LOCAL By Iris Mead - WHO KNEW – A Hidden Railroad in Margaretville

Above photo: Charlie Maher, Wes Coates, Don Kearny and Kurt Holcherr holding one of the buildable kits.

MARGARETVILLE — Beneath the sanctuary of the Presbyterian Church on Orchid Street in Margaretville is a hidden gem.  Downstairs, in the former daycare center room, a 20 x 20 model railway system with 4-track mainline and 400’ of track takes up three-quarters of that space.  A whole model railroad system encompassing villages, stations, tunnels and all kinds of railroad cars and engines.  A model railroad enthusiast’s dream.

The Catskill Mountain Model Railroad Club builds, repairs, fixes and updates this one-of-a-kind layout and has for the past 30+ years.  Started in 1992 by Al Weiss, who was a long-time resident of Margaretville, it started out at Hubbell Brothers Farm with members from Margaretville, Roxbury, Fleischmanns and Stamford.  It was built there and stayed until late 1990’s when the whole layout had to be destroyed as it had to be moved, which took three years.  It was quite the challenge for the members to re-build. Construction was done in 4x4 sections and bolted together in the event it would ever have to be moved again.

 A lot of time and work went into that move and reconstructing the whole system.   A new layout had to be designed, tracks laid, new model buildings made, train stations built.  A model railroad is never finished, according to the members.  They are continually re-painting, landscaping, adding to and replacing buildings and re-building and repairing the tracks. There are model trains from the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s running on the tracks.  Just lately a curve had to be re-built as the trains continually derailed there.  There are kits for anything that members want to add or replace.  As one of the members said “always something to fix, as much as a real railroad.”  While I was there, they were trying to find a short in the system which was eventually found with a lot of input from the members there.

There are fewer members now, no structured officers but Don Kearney is the treasurer.  Other members there the day I visited were Charles Mager, Wes Coates and Kurt Holcherr.  They would welcome new members, dues are only $10 a month.  If you are a fan of model railroads or interested in seeing what this “hidden railroad” look like, contact Don Kearney at 845-254-5311.  Presently there are no set days for viewing the railroad but is always open the day of Margaretville’s annual Thanksgiving Parade.

Wes Coates, one of the newer members of the Club, is a railroad man for over 40 years.  Starting out while in college, he worked for New Jersey Transit 23 years until hired away by Amtrak to be their General Manager for the Empire Corridor from New York to Niagara Falls, Montreal and Vermont lines for 7 years.  After that he has worked for consulting firms in New York City on passenger railroad projects for 14 years.  Wes came to this area as a volunteer to help the DURR railroad start-up, in Arkville, as a tourist attraction.  With his many years of experience, it was a win-win until COVID shut down the railroad.  But he and his wife, Kathy, fell in love with the Catskills and bought a house in Margaretville.  He continues his consulting job always working with Passenger Trains, which takes him around the country with extensive work in Boston and Philadelphia.

Part of the 20x20 model railroad layout.