The 1996 Lake Placid to Remsen unit management plan states that “Private enterprise will be provided the opportunity to develop tourist excursion, passenger, and freight rail services along the entire length of the corridor.” And “In order to attract the level of investment required, the State will assure potential rail developers of its intention to enter into long-term agreements with rail developers whose proposals were approved.”

Rail Explorers is a private enterprise operating a tourist excursion rail bike business along the railroad between Saranac Lake and Lake Clear. When this proposal was approved, the owners proceeded with significant investment and opened July 3, 2015. In defiance of the 1996 UMP (which remains in place today), New York state has not entered into any long-term agreement with Rail Explorers. Instead, the business has been forced into an extremely difficult position. Rail Explorers plan to stay in Saranac Lake for many more years, but the future remains uncertain, employees don’t know if jobs will be available, further investment is extremely challenging, and efforts to market and grow the business are severely hampered.

Eleven thousand people in 100 days rail biked with Rail Explorers in 2015. One point three million dollars is the calculated direct economic impact. Indirect economic impact is estimated to be $3.25 million. (1)

Confronted by this hugely successful first season, the state continues to ignore Rail Explorers and the growth to the regional economy it provides. Furthermore, without any real consideration of how Rail Explorers has changed the game, the bureaucrats in Albany remain committed to removing the rails. In the Proposed Final Amendment to the UMP, the rail bikes are dismissed as “a welcome sign to how popular a multi-use recreational trail is likely to be.”

This often-repeated catchphrase was dreamt up by Adirondack Recreational Trail Advocates’ Jim McCulley and published in a September column in the Enterprise. Dick Beamish took it one step further in October with his column “Rail biking vs. real biking.” The idea that the popularity of the rail bikes is proof that there is a much greater demand to ride “real bikes” along the rail corridor is insulting in its naivety and shows a discouraging lack of understanding as to the motivation of visitors to our area.

Rail Explorers’ customers DID NOT drive for up to seven hours one way to get some fresh air and enjoy the scenery along the old railroad. They know that the only similarity between a rail bike and a regular bicycle is the pedals. They are not sharing pictures on social media with the caption, “Wish this was a real bike.” They weren’t expecting a free ride. They didn’t come back again and again with their friends and family to see how great this would be if the rails were gone. They came to ride the rail bikes along the rails. They came for something that isn’t available anywhere else in the USA. They came to Saranac Lake because, with Rail Explorers, Saranac Lake offers a truly unique ATTRACTION.

This is supported by factual evidence, unlike ARTA’s popular catchphrases. In October, Rail Explorers conducted a survey of our customers. We asked if they would have come to Saranac Lake to walk or ride a rail trail. Ninety percent said “No.” Ninety percent of 11,000 people said no to the rail trail. Nine thousand nine hundred people have no interest in visiting Saranac Lake if the rails are torn up.

Are they all train-spotters and rail fanatics? No. Then why are these visiting families, groups of friends, and couples young and old not interested in the rail trail? On the survey, some listed physical limitations such as being overweight, old age, or suffering from cardio or other medical problems. Many, many more responded with statements like, “Why would I bother? Where we live there is a trail just around the corner, and it is great! We use it all the time!” and, “I am not going to drive for four hours to ride my bike.”

“I came here to ride the rail bikes,” they wrote. “This is something I can’t do anywhere else.” My favorite response came from an elderly gentleman who rode with Rail Explorers back in August. He wrote simply, “Walk 6 miles? Are you kidding me?” These are the same people who, according to ARTA, are living “proof” that the trail will be far more popular than the rail bikes.

There are many rail-to-trail conversions around the country that were sold to the community as investments that will return a gold mine in economic growth. ARTA is quick to draw local parallels to the few success stories (justified or not). However, the truth is that many trails fail to deliver as promised and become instead just “something to do.” They’re a great asset to locals and tourists already in the region, but accomplish very little to bring in new visitors to grow the economy.

Unique attractions are vital for tourism growth. The Wild Center’s Wild Walk is a perfect example. Providing “something to do” for tourists already in the area is good, but having something special which brings in NEW visitors is better. That’s how to grow the economy. Will “hundreds of thousands” (source: ARTA) of new visitors come to ride the rail trail if the rails are ripped up? Will it be a gold mine of new visitors and new tourist dollars? Not according to the evidence. The evidence says 90 percent of visitors who rode the rail bikes will stay away from the rail trail.

Just to be clear, with the aim of increasing tourism and growing the economy, ARTA has convinced New York state to spend $20 million on a trail that will likely do neither. This will shut down a successful ATTRACTION which has proven it can bring in 90 percent more new visitors and is already GROWING THE ECONOMY through visitor spending, wages and sales tax without costing the taxpayer a dime.

In 2015, Rail Explorers ran at 80 to 100 percent capacity from day one. This year we are expecting to at least double our visitor numbers. We’ll add to the fleet to accommodate more riders per tour and offer more tours per day. Tour options will now include journeys between Lake Clear and Tupper Lake. The season will also be extended, opening in mid-May. Employment will increase with a larger seasonal team and several full-time, year-round positions.

Our peak season ticket prices have increased from last year. This is to reflect a sustainable operational model, a continued commitment to accessibility with a new wheelchair-friendly rail bike design, more support to the Adirondack Scenic Railroad, to fund track maintenance and to increase our staff. However, we’ll also offer reduced off-peak pricing and discount days to ensure that the experience of rail biking along the historic Adirondack Railroad is available to everyone.

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Alex Catchpoole and Mary-Joy Lu are the owners of Rail Explorers and live in Saranac Lake.

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Footnote:

(1) Economic impact calculations based on survey responses showing an average spend of $153 per day per group, average stay 2.75 days, average group size 3.5, indirect economic impact calculated with multiplier effect of 2.5.