Return railway to Mt. Beacon

One hundred years ago, an incline railway first began to take visitors to the summit of Mount Beacon. Today, two local groups are taking preliminary steps toward bringing incline railway service back to the majestic peak.

This is extremely good news for the region. Mount Beacon has an astonishing history and, with some appropriate development and promotion, could become a major tourist draw.

Scenic Hudson -- the Poughkeepsie-based environmental organization that owns most of the mountain -- recently put a citizens group in charge of day-to-day management of its property.

But this isn't just any citizens group. It's the 500-member Mount Beacon Incline Railway Restoration Society, and its stated goal is to see trains once again chuffing up to the summit. And this agreement signals Scenic Hudson's support of this worthy objective.

Back in 1902, the first railway opened, taking riders up to a restaurant and a dancing hall, and, six years later, the famed Beaconcrest Hotel. But a fire destroyed the resort in 1928. The railway continued to operate until 1972, and another fire in 1983 consumed what was left of the tracks and cars.

Consider restaurant or inn at peak

The history of this mountain is not so easily extinguished -- in fact, it's listed in the National Register of Historic Places. During the Revolutionary War, local patriots manned signal fires that gave the peak its name. These fires alerted Gen. George Washington's headquarters in Newburgh about British troop movements.

History and scenic views alone may not be enough to entice large numbers of people back to Mount Beacon. Plans for the mountain's future are not fully set at this point, and shouldn't be. But it's worth thinking about perhaps building a tasteful restaurant or inn at the summit -- one carefully designed to fit in with the scenery and not detract from nature lovers' appreciation of the vista.

On a clear day, hikers who reach the top say they can see the Manhattan skyline and Port Jervis on the Pennsylvania border. If the incline railway returns to Mount Beacon, visitors from places as far as that, and farther, may come to the mountain themselves.

Relevant Web links
- The Mount Beacon Incline Railway Restoration Society: www.inclinerailway.org

- Scenic Hudson: www.scenichudson.org