19th Century Northern NY Railroad News

High-speed rail of the 19th century revolved around fewer stops, not faster trains.

“The first passenger train ever run on the Delaware and Hudson road without stopping at Saratoga passed through at midnight last night.

It is №8, known as the Montreal Express, running between Montreal and New York, and is in charge of Conductor Bolster,” The Morning Star of Glens Falls reported on June 25th, 1890. “The Delaware and Hudson, like the New York Central, evidently recognizes that speed is one of the principal requirements of the traveling public.”

In other 19th century railroad news collected from northern New York historic newspapers:

• A baggage handler’s mix-up at Rochester set up a humorous surprise for a cigar maker who relocated from Toronto to Glens Falls to accept a job at the O’ Leary & Feeney cigar factory.

“After his arrival here, he opened a trunk sent to his boarding place, and he was surprised to find it contained a clergyman’s outfit,” The Morning Star reported on July 1st, 1890. “As the trunks were similar in size and style, it was an easy matter for the mistake to have occurred.”

• “The first train passed over the Kinderhook and Hudson Railroad yesterday, and in less than a week it is expected regular trains will be running on scheduled time,” The Morning Star reported on July 18th, 1890
• “Several Schuylerville men are circulating petitions for the construction of the Stillwater and Fort Edward Railroad. The charter, which is carried by the Delaware and Hudson, will soon expire, and it is reported that capitalists stand ready to build the road,” The Morning Star reported on August 14th, 1890.
• This train was not bound for Glory, but it still did not carry no moon shine.

“Let the world know it. One railroad refused to carry original packages, when it was known they contained liquor, into a prohibition state,” The Morning Star reported on September 8th, 1890.

“The road is the Pennsylvania, which refused, of its own accord, before the original package law was passed, to transport moon whisky from Ohio into Pennsylvania.”

• “Ground has been broken by the Delaware and Hudson for the double tracks between Dunhams Basin and Comstock [in Washington County],” The Morning Star reported on October 10th, 1890.
• “The Fitchburg Railroad Company has leased from the Delaware and Hudson Company the roadbed from Mechanicville Junction to Stillwater,” The Morning Star of Glens Falls reported on November 19th, 1890.

“It is stated that the tracks will be re-laid within thirty days, and the road will be used for freight business.”

Read more about railroads in New York State here.

Photo of the New York Central Railroad line heading north from Lake Clear Lodge in the Adirondacks by John Warren.