Dual-mode transportation

By JOHN CONWAY

It’s a historical fact that virtually every significant economic milestone in Sullivan County history was made possible by a major advancement in transportation.

This relationship between transportation and economic growth began in 1764, when Daniel Skinner realized he could utilize the raging currents of the untamed Delaware River to raft timber to Philadelphia. It continued with the construction of the Newburgh-Cochecton Turnpike, which was built beginning in 1801, and the D&H Canal, constructed in 1828. Without these advances, the tanning and bluestone industries, which were the economic linchpins of the region for much of the 19th century, would not have been possible.

The arrival of the railroads—the Erie to the upper Delaware valley in 1850 and the Monticello & Port Jervis and the New York & Oswego Midland (later known as the Ontario & Western) to the center of the county in the 1870s—created the tourism phenomenon we today call the Silver Age, during which a couple of hundred hotels catered to guests who came to the mountains by rail, offering them fresh air, clean water, and farm fresh milk and produce. And the creation of Route 17 was a critical element in the incredible growth of the resort industry here into the Golden Age the region enjoyed from 1940 to 1965, when 538 hotels graced the Sullivan County landscape, along with 1,000 rooming houses and 50,000 bungalows.

As the county celebrates its 200th birthday this year, searching for another significant economic milestone, a new major advancement in transportation is sorely needed. It might be something as simple as reviving passenger traffic along the old Erie line, where commuter trains still travel as far north as Port Jervis. Narrowsburg could become the great debarking point it once was, with direct access by a short link to the Bethel Woods Performing Arts Center. Or it could be something much more dramatic. Dare we envision a futuristic dual-mode transportation system in which automobiles—preferably small electric powered vehicles—are ferried long distances by large trucks? Many engineers predict this resource-saving concept is the future of transportation, not just in America, but worldwide, and wouldn’t it be something if Sullivan County were in the vanguard of development? With the county legislature’s stated commitment to "green technology" it seems like a natural.

Folks traveling to work from the river corridor to the Monticello area—think large employers such as the government, Catskill Regional Medical, the Center for Discovery—drive their electric vehicles to a special terminal in Barryville, where they are driven onto a large, bio-diesel powered transport truck that can carry perhaps 16 or 20 of them. Once the cars are on the truck, they are locked in place, and the drivers can read a newspaper, or watch an entertainment unit in their "pod." When the truck is loaded, it makes its way to another terminal in say, Harris, where the vehicles drive off and disperse to their destinations. Then the process is repeated as needed.

Think of the gasoline that would be saved. Think of the reduction in emissions. Think of the reduction in stress for those being ferried to and from work. It might seem like science fiction today, but this is what many experts say we’ll be seeing soon. Why not here?

Who knows what significant economic milestone might be made possible by this major advancement in transportation?

[John Conway of Barryville is the Sullivan County Historian and an adjunct professor at SUNY-Sullivan. He majored in mechanical engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology. His latest book, Sullivan County: A Bicentennial History in Images is due to be released next month.]

October 29, 2009 WES GILLINGHAM: The Catskills' future is up to us September 3, 2009 JEFFREY MOORE: Destroying it won't 'save'it August 6, 2009 BARBARA LEWIS: Trees: a legacy and a future July 9, 2009 SARAH CUTLER: Share the road June 11, 2009 SUSAN SCOTT: The democratization of information May 14, 2009 MICHAEL CHOJNICKI: A turning point April 16, 2009 JOHN CONWAY: Dual-mode transportation March 19,2009 KEITH LEPAN: NY H2O February 19, 2009 JEFFREY SEEDS: One-sidedness January 17, 2009 TOM HOLMES: Taking back the power December 25, 2008 TINA PALACEK: When a community is really a family November 27, 2008 STEPHANIE TURNER: Gas drilling from a realtor's perspective October 30, 2008 SUSAN SULLIVAN: From visiong to reality: the role of local government October 2, 2008 MARY BETH WOOD: Investing in career and technical education September 4, 2008 JOE LEVINE: When compromise is a recipe for disaster August 7, 2008 VIDAL MARTINEZ: The Upper Delaware experience July 10, 2008 WES GILLINGHAM: Sticking together June 12, 2008 LINDA COBB: The Harmony Project May 15, 2008 Barbara Arrindell: Looking back April 17, 2008 JO CLEARWATER: Welcome to the new world March 20, 2008 JONATHAN F. 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January 18, 2007 Amy Gruzesk: A new alliance for business in Pike January 11, 2007 Grace Wildermuth: Our rural environment must be preserved December 28, 2006 John Jose: Meeting the challenges of stormwater management December 14, 2006 Daniel Kennedy: Making memories in Pike County November 30, 2006 Stephen Stuart: Sustainable Solutions November 16, 2006 Linda Cobb: The Harmony Project November 2, 2006 Judy Harlan: What municipalities can do about flooding October 19, 2006 Samuel Jackson: Walking the talk October 5, 2006 Jay Epstein: The foundations of a viable plan September 14, 2006 Tom Kane: The clean water act September 7, 2006 Skip Mendler: A community of communities August 24, 2006 FREDERICA LEIGHTON: Flood reality: vision or the lack of it August 10, 2006 DICK RISELING: A vision of actions July 27, 2006 PAT CARULLO AND MARCIA NEHEMIAH: Red plus blue equals green July 13, 2006 Neal Halloran: Greenway: a program whose time has come June 29, 2006 Steven Sharoff: Strong visions can change the world June 15, 2006 Heinrich Strauch: Cooking up a vision June 1, 2006 Jennifer C.S. Brylinski: The IDA keeps to its vision May 18, 2006 Norma and Bob Santee: Maintaining our environment May 4, 2006 Don Parry: The “vision thing” April 20, 2006 Joe Walsh: Keeping farms a mainstay of Sullivan County April 6, 2006 Heather Brown: Why I came here, and what keeps me here March 23, 2006 Pat Carullo: We are with the program March 09, 2006 Helen Budrock: The power of proactive thinking February 23, 2006 Carol Collier: A basin-wide collaboration February 9, 2006 Barbara Leo: A birding trail for the Upper Delaware January 26, 2006 Virginia Kennedy: Our vision—economic and environmental sustainability January 12, 2006 Tom Zeterburg: At the crossroads of two rivers December 29, 2005 Sally Corrigan: Hallmarks of a successful community December 15, 2005 “Better Models for Development” scores a hit - a compilation by Tom Kane and the Visioning Committee December 1, 2005 Brian Stuart: Protecting an amazing backyard resource November 17, 2005 John LiGreci: The need for a master plan November 3, 2005 Tom Kane: The need for intelligent land use practices October 20, 2005 Michael Chojnicki: The need for intelligent land use practices October 6, 2005 Alan Schadt: The Town of Highland through a crystal ball September 22, 2005 Ernie Mattern: Comprehensive Planning in Damascus September 8, 2005 Jerry DaBrescia: Visioning in Hancock August 25, 2005 Neal Halloran: Ways to secure open space August 11, 2005 Clem Fullerton: Flow woes August 11, 2005 Tom Kane: Options for preserving open space July 28, 2005 Charlie Buterbaugh: Fishing Days Gone July 28, 2005 George Fluhr: What's special about this place June 30, 2005 Tom Kane: There are many visions in the river valley June 30, 2005 Mary Curtis: My vision for the Upper Delaware River June 16, 2005 Sarah Sutto-Plunz: It depends on us June 16, 2005 Green buildings: a healthy revolution in the construction industry June 2, 2005 Pat Carullo: If horses can fly, rivers can speak! May 19, 2005 Laurie Stuart: A view from the ridge April 21, 2005 Rosie Starr: Preserving the Beauty of the Delaware River Valley April 7, 2005 Robert Burrow: Developing a plan takes study March 24, 2005 Tom Kane: Comprehensive Plan: The Key to the Future March 10, 2005 Katharine Dodge: We have a choice: aggressiveness or fairness February 24, 2005 Editorial: A tide in the affairs of men February 24, 2005 Jim Greier: Let’s not put our eggs in one basket February 10, 2005 Elliot Zucker: A voice for private property rights January 27, 2005 Steve Daley : Visions of business growth and home ownership January 13, 2005 Laura Quigley : Living and working in the land of plenty December 30, 2004 Dr. Martin Handler : My list of visions December 16, 2004 Dr. Bruce Getzan : Bringing harmony to contrasting visions December 2, 2004 Sally Talaga : Visioning’s first step November 18, 2004 Michele Ulmer : Be involved before it’s too late November 4, 2004 Marcia Nehemiah: It's all about the river October 21, 2004 John Drobysh: Balancing preservation with property rights October 7, 2004 Jeffrey Moore: Raising the standards in the river valley September 23, 2004 Dimitri Zaimes: The right and wrong of the Upper Delaware September 9, 2004 Frederica Leighton: Combining hindsight, foresight, present awareness and action August 26, 2004 Krista Gromalski: Turning the Conversation Up August 12, 2004 Jo Clearwater: Visioning July 29, 2004 Noel Van Swol: What about Property Rights? 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