Adirondack Scenic Railroad

Adirondack Scenic Railroad
Saranac Lake Station
Locale	New York
Commercial operations
Built by	Mohawk and Malone Railway
Original gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Preserved operations
Reporting mark	ADIX
Preserved gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Preserved era	1992 -
Commercial history
1913	New York Central takes over
Closed	1980
Preservation history
1992	Restoration starts

The Adirondack Scenic Railroad (reporting mark ADIX)^[1] is a tourist railway located in the Adirondack Park that operates on the tracks of the former New York Central RR Adirondack Division between Utica and Lake Placid. The Adirondack Scenic is operated by the Adirondack Railroad Preservation Society, a not-for profit entity, with train crews largely made up of volunteers.

Between Utica and Remsen, the Adirondack Scenic operates on the tracks of the Mohawk, Adirondack & Northern RR, part of the Genesee Valley Transportation Company. Between Remsen and Lake Placid, the tracks and right-of way are owned by the State of New York and is designated as a multi-use corridor. The multi-use corridor is designated for rail traffic during the spring, summer and fall seasons and as a snowmobile trail during the winter months.

During the operating season, passenger trains operate from Utica to Thendara and six miles further north to site of the former Carter Station, and from Saranac Lake to Lake Placid. Historic stations have been restored in Holland Patent, Remsen, Tupper Lake, Saranac Lake, and Lake Placid. The track between Carter Station and Saranac Lake remains in place, but is out of service except for equipment movements. The line is not used for freight traffic.

The long range goal of the Adirondack Preservation Society is to restore passenger train operations to the entire Remsen to Lake Placid corridor. While this vision is supported by some communities along the line (most notably Tupper Lake and the Next Stop Tupper Lake organization), others are calling for the removal of the tracks to allow creation of a bicycle/hiking trail along the rail corridor.^[2].

History

The line itself was originally built by William Seward Webb as the Mohawk and Malone Railway, which was subsequently bought by the New York Central. The railway remained dormant from 1980 until 1992 when restoration began with a short, 4-mile (6.4 km) section from Thendara to Minnehaha, New York. The section was approved and was demonstrated that year on Independence Day.

At this time, it was called the Adirondack Centennial Railroad. In 1994, after gaining popularity, it was renamed the Adirondack Scenic Railroad, and has run under that name every year since.

Route

• Union Station (Utica, New York) 43°06′15″N 75°13′24″W / 43.10417°N 75.22333°W / 43.10417; -75.22333

Built between 1912 and May 1914 by the New York Central Railroad, it is also served by Amtrak.

• Holland Patent Depot 43°14′24″N 75°15′16″W / 43.24°N 75.25444°W / 43.24; -75.25444
• Remsen Depot 43°19′46″N 75°11′07″W / 43.32944°N 75.18528°W / 43.32944; -75.18528

Located in Remsen (village), New York this was a union station for the Utica and Black River Railroad and the New York Central Railroad.

See remsendepot.com for more information.

• Kayuta Trestle
• Snow Junction 43°20′47.1″N 75°11′59.3″W / 43.346417°N 75.199806°W / 43.346417; -75.199806

for Mohawk, Adirondack and Northern Railroad to Lyons Falls.

• Forestport Station 43°25′59.5″N 75°11′03.2″W / 43.433194°N 75.184222°W / 43.433194; -75.184222
• Otter Lake, New York
• Thendara Station 43°41′54″N 75°00′21″W / 43.69833°N 75.00583°W / 43.69833; -75.00583

Headquarters for the railroad and close to the tourist center of Old Forge.

• Carter Station
• Tupper Lake Station in Tupper Lake (village), New York
• Saranac Lake Union Depot 44°19′51″N 74°07′57″W / 44.33083°N 74.1325°W / 44.33083; -74.1325 in Saranac Lake, New York
• Lake Placid Station 44°16′34″N 73°59′10″W / 44.27611°N 73.98611°W / 44.27611; -73.98611 in Lake Placid, New York

Winter sports center, best known as the two-time host of the Winter Olympics.

Gallery

• 

  Adirondack Scenic RR engine 6076

• 

  New York Central Caboose, at the Adirondack Scenic RR Station in Lake Placid

• 

  Adirondack Scenic RR engine 6076 at Lake Placid

• 

  Saranac Lake Station

• 

  Remsen Depot. Rebuilt in 1999, on the same site and to the same plans as the original station.

See also

• List of heritage railways
• Locomotive

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Adirondack Scenic Railroad

• Adirondack Scenic Railroad website
• History of the Railroad
• New York Railroads - History of the Adirondack Scenic Railroad
• Wikimapia - Saranac Lake to Lake Placid
• Wikimapia - Thendara to Utica