The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is calling for submissions of ideas and plans for use and public access to the historic Saranac Lake Union Depot building on the former New York Central Railroad Adirondack Division line in the village of Saranac Lake in the Adirondacks. [Read more…] about State Seeks Comments, Plans For Saranac Lake Railroad Depot Reuse
railroads
Hudson River Tugboat Views: The West Shore Railroad, Track Walkers & Hoboes
Railroads have been operating along the east shore of the Hudson River for virtually its entire length between New York and Albany since 1851 and along the west shore of the river from Haverstraw [in Rockland County, NY] to a point below West Park [in the Town of Esopus, Ulster County] since 1883, Hudson River boatmen have had plenty of opportunity to observe the changes that have taken place over the years in railroading. [Read more…] about Hudson River Tugboat Views: The West Shore Railroad, Track Walkers & Hoboes
Railroad Records at the National Archives: A Primer
The National Archives’ Cartographic Branch contains more than 69 record groups and 215 series that include maps, architectural and engineering drawings, and aerial photographs that all relate to railroads in the United States, with widespread coverage of regions all over the world. The dates of these records range from 1828 to 2009, with the bulk of records covering other countries and regions from the early to mid 20th century. [Read more…] about Railroad Records at the National Archives: A Primer
Northern New York 19th Century Railroad News
In September of 1890, infrastructure improvements were under way at Whitehall, in Washington County, long a major railroad hub. “It is said that the new freight yard at Whitehall will be one of the best on the road. The main tracks will be straightened and will pass over the ground where the old shops are located,” The Morning Star of Glens Falls reported on September 24, 1890. “The new shops have been completed, and the men are removing from the old shop, which is being torn down. Next spring work will begin on the new station for Whitehall.” [Read more…] about Northern New York 19th Century Railroad News
Rouses Point: A Northern New York Crossroads
Few villages in New York State can lay claim to as rich a heritage as Rouses Point, and like the oft-used real-estate axiom says, there are three primary reasons — location, location, location.
As New York’s northeasternmost village, Rouses Point can be found at the north end of Lake Champlain. Bordering on Canada to the north and Vermont to the east, for decades it was a shipping and transportation crossroads, serving both water and rail traffic. [Read more…] about Rouses Point: A Northern New York Crossroads
Saratoga County Granges: The Patrons of Husbandry
The Grange, formally known as “The Patrons of Husbandry,” was introduced to Saratoga County in 1890, twenty-three years after the agricultural organization’s founding and twenty-two years after the nation’s first local chapter was established in Fredonia, Chautauqua County, NY. In the 1880s and into 1890, New York State Grange sent organizers in the field to build up membership. [Read more…] about Saratoga County Granges: The Patrons of Husbandry
When Sullivan County Was A Sportsman’s Paradise
Long before the Ontario and Western Railway touted the healing environment that was Sullivan County beginning in the 1880s, the Erie Railroad had been established along the county’s western edge. By 1850, the Erie had been completed through the county, and it was largely through its promotional efforts that the upper Delaware Valley began to receive notice as “a sportsmen’s paradise.”
By the 1870s, hundreds of people were traveling each weekend to dozens of resorts in the approximately 60-mile-long valley from the Delaware Water Gap to Narrowsburg. These people were drawn here by the river, lakes, and streams. They came to fish and to boat and to hunt. [Read more…] about When Sullivan County Was A Sportsman’s Paradise
New Railroad Attraction at Copake Iron Works
Friends of Taconic State Park (FTSP) will celebrate the grand opening of the Pomeroy Family Railroad at the Copake Iron Works in Taconic State Park on Wednesday, June 7, 2023 at 2 pm. The public is invited to attend the celebration and take an inaugural ride on the railroad. [Read more…] about New Railroad Attraction at Copake Iron Works
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. [Read more…] about 19th Century Northern NY Railroad News
New Mini Railroad Starts Running at Copake Iron Works June 7th
Copake Iron Works has announced the inauguration of the Pomeroy Family Railroad at the Copake Iron Works at Copake Falls in Columbia County, NY is set for Wednesday, June 7th. [Read more…] about New Mini Railroad Starts Running at Copake Iron Works June 7th