Mountaindale and our surrounding area have a rich and vibrant history, and a part of that fabric that tells the tale of the ups and down of both Mountaindale, and its surrounding countryside includes a significant tie to the railroad industry dating clear back into the 1800's when construction was begun in the late 1860's, with the railroad open for business in 1873...today, some of those once active train routes that carried people, and coal are now a part of the "Rails to Trails" program that is supported by many groups, organizations and individuals including the Sullivan Renaissance. It just so happens that Mountaindale is blessed with an entrance point to these wonderful paths that provide walkers, runners and biking enthusiasts a wonderful place in which to exercise while taking in some of the scenic beauty that abounds here in Sullivan County, and the greater Hudson River Valley.
As an artist, I have always been excited at the cycle of life as great things come to life, thrive, decline, and eventually get absorbed back into the natural landscape as Mother Nature reclaims what is hers. Talk to old timers in the area, and you can hear wonderful tales of coal trains heading down the Red Hill grade, and crossing the Little Falls trestle just east of Mountaindale, and for those of us who love to walk and/or hike, there are signs everywhere it seems of the once great iron steeds that used to move our nations commerce. Those signs are fading, railroad ties rotting and becoming soil from which new flora and fauna sprout, grow and flourish. Streams are slowly eroding away the bridge abutments that used to support track that was long ago taken up and moved away.
Looking at this, my artistic mind mulling over this history, I wondered what it would be like to reenact in some small way this rich vibrant history...recreate and relive Mountaindale's historical ties to the rail industry. As I was pondering this, I found out talking to some of the locals that just inside (maybe 100 yards) our hamlet's portion of the "Rails to Trails" segment are the remnants of a siding station...a space/place where they would park rail cars. (Sure some of our local railroad buffs can correct me if my lingo is not quite accurate?)
My initial thoughts were to spruce up and clean up the entrance to "Rails to Trails", then create a nice landscaping statement at that spot...which as a side note is still on the table, but this to me seemed more like the starting point of a great project, rather than an ending point, so I put some more thought into it.
One of my loves of life is photography, more specifically, I love photographing old barns and homes as they slowly give away their exteriors exposing their delicate skeletal interiors, the sunlight filtered down through trees dancing along its spine as the roof slowly, season after season, collapses in on itself as Mother Nature reclaims the land that was and is always hers.It was odd...at Saturdays Sullivan Renaissance Winter Conference an idea started jelling in my mind...what if we could clear away and spruce up that old siding, landscape it...more specifically, what if we were to take advantage of Mother Nature's bounty, collect saplings, branches and vines from the surrounding woodland of our area, and use those raw materials to build a reasonable facsimile of one of those old gallant steeds, landscape around it, plant bugle vine, morning glories and other vine type plants around this locomotive, returning it to it's perch once again a part of our present returned magically from the past.
Sitting there listening to the speakers I began drawing a very primitive sketch of this idea...after the presentation of awards, I went to my first seminar...Design 1, and one of the first things the presenter talked about was the importance of a projects bones. That is when it hit me...such a garden sculpture would be born, rise from the ground, take shape, the vines twining in and around creating a stunning reminder of our once great railroading history...then, over a period of some years (maybe 5-8) this art work, like the trains would slowly decline, eventually collapse into the ground, returning back to Mother Nature what is hers, and in doing so, reenact that same great history which has been lived by the trains that used to whistle through the night as they passed through our community.
So, in a nut shell, I am proposing we clear off that old siding, clean up the area surrounding it, plant two or three flowering ornamental trees, bring in some large stones, create the illusion of the train coming down the tracks from out of the woods, bursting into sight as travelers on our portion of "Rails to Trails" happen upon it at the start of their journey. This would be the significant project of a two phase/two element grant application.
Right now, looking to find other kindred souls that are supportive of this proposal, looking to find people willing (as it were) to buy into the program to breath this vision into reality through the generous donation of their time, talents, goods, services, and even money. Sullivan Renaissance graciously awards $1500 grants for community beautification, and these projects could never happen without their generous financial support, and the tremendous support to our community given by their staff when we have questions and seek advice. That said, it is amazing how fast funds can vanish when buying and moving a few large stones
