As I was working my three scheduled days on the Adirondack last week, one of our volunteer engineers asked me if I could stick around on Saturday for a ferry move of a switch engine. When I found out where we were going I figured I could make the time.
Saturday morning four of us left at 6 AM for the 73 mile journey from Thendara to Lake Clear Junction aboard NYC 705 (an SW1 - although NYC never had one with that number - it was originally an industrial switcher) and a hi-rail dump truck.
Sixty-seven of those miles would be over out-of-service track between MP H64 and MP H131 - and through miles of Adirondack forest.
The trip was at once exhilarating (fantastic scenery) and downright boring (67 miles at 10 MPH…). I’m glad I went, and I know a lot of folks who are rather jealous.
And I even got to run the locomotive for a while (since I have a student card).
I’ve got some pictures and video, and as soon as I can get them on-line (and can remember where they were taken), I’ll share.
Tree, what condition was the right-of-way in? How long since the last movement over the line? Surely, it was inspected before this rare movement. Looking forward to the pics.
The ROW is in pretty poor shape - a significant part of it is ballasted with cinders put down by NYC…
We normally do two moves over it per year, ferrying our equipment to and from our Lake Placid operation. Our track forces checked it the day before we went, and we still picked our way along, alert for potential problems. We saw a number of previous trouble spots - mostly due to these pesky beavers.
I was going to go back in and edit the original post, but I’ll put a little history here.
The line was built in 1891 and 1892 over just 18 months from Herkimer, NY to Malone and beyond. The first NYC-Montreal train ran in October of 1892.
I don’t think I got any pictures of the rock cuts, but some are very impressive.
Last NYC passenger service was in 1965. Last PC freight service was in 1974, at which point the line was essentially abandoned in place. The entire line was brought up to minimal standards for the 1980 Olympics, when two trains a day ran round trips between Utica and Lake Placid.
When the Olympic operation shut down some months after the Olympics, the line again lay dormant until 1992 the the local NRHS chapter revived four miles of the line running out of Thendara. That has now grown to 45 miles of our “own” track (actually owned by NYS), with the possibility of another 5 by ne
Great Tree! One of my favoirtie historical stretches of track and ROW. During the dormant years the track became an unmonitored, unregulated haven for motor car enthusiasts until some became too enthusiastic. I believe the final straw was a couple of home made (lawn mower engines tied onto some boards and some kind of wheel set) cowboys leading to several accidents and injuries. Then a stop was put to it.
Wow, Larry! That was a little faster than by oxcart. You certainly had plenty of time to take the sights in. You reminded me of my trip from Reform to Aliceville and back (twenty miles each way) on the regular AT&N run just before the AT&N was fully absorbed into the Frisco. Two hours down, switching, time for supper, and two hours back. Since it was after dark, all I could see was the track ahead, but I am sure that the engineer knew where all the really bad spots were. I felt safe with him in control, even though I was sitting in a folding chair that was put on board for me. As to rare mileage, I regret that I never got around to really asking to ride from Aliceville to York and from York to Mobile–and back. Except for a few miles north of Mobile, the At&N is completely gone.
Indeed, unfortunately we didn’t think to grab our “tour guide” (timetable) out of my grip so we had half an idea where we were… I was driving the hi-rail for much of the trip, so my partner in the cab shot many of the pictures. We also didn’t wash the windshield, as you’ll see in some of the images:
Climbing the two percent hill out of Carter Station on the way to Big Moose:
At the Big Moose station (now a decent restaurant), calling to clear ourselves out of a section taken out of service for our trip, so the local trip can go there later:
Down the hill north of Big Moose. I wasn’t ready for Twitchell bridge, so didn’t get a picture. Pretty spectacular view, though.
The ROW does get sprayed every year or two. The issue on this trip was the stuff growing in from the sides.
Much of the “wood” under the tracks dates to NYC/PC days. The Olympics version of the Adirondack RR only did what they had to so the track was passable - and many of those ties were not treated properly and are rotting away.
As I mentioned before - much of the ballast is cinders - certainly dating that roadbed to late steam at the best, unless NYC had another source for cinders…
The only spots with really good ballast are the areas where Mr Beaver has caused us problems…
As we try to extend our usable trackage, one focus is getting the tracks back in service between Saranac Lake and Tupper Lake. The service would be our usual tourist-oriented trips.
And they aren’t really in bad shape - jointed rail ca 1920’s. There are spots where more than 10 MPH might be possible. Not much more, though. We really need 25 MPH for local excursions, and 40 MPH for through service between Utica and Lake Placid.
…I believe he was just noting the cinder ballast yet so visible is indicating how much time has passed since the track has been refurbished {upgraded}, to crushed rock. Used currently.
I can’t imagine cinder ballast being nearly as hard or stable as the hard rocks the railroads are using today. Seems to me it would crumble under the weight of a heavy train.
To my knowledge, that pretty well sums it up, and it doesn’t take today’s heavy trains. Cinders bind together pretty well when they’re “new,” but they do tend to crumble with time.
Down at the end of our block is a part of the Denver,Memphis and Gulf RR. [originally laid out and graded as a Narrow Gauge, but built to Stnd Gauge.] through here about 1880. Rails were pulled in the earl 1960’s (as Mo Pac) branch between Conway,Ks and Winfield,Ks. was abandoned, after it was cut by loss of a ArKansas River bridge south of Oxford,Ks. which was washed out in a folld. (DM&G RR/DM&A RR ( info courtesy Forum member**:)** Thanks**, Mudchicken**!
A lot to the former ROW is still recognizable and apparently through here at least was ballasted with cinders, which are still recognizable as cinders but have weathered down to the size of a ‘sandy chat’. So apparently even without traffic, the cinders are subject to deterioration form the elements.
