The Adirondack Line
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Cities and Towns NYC Water Level Route Utica This was a main division and interchange for the NYC Water Level Route in the late 1800s, expanding until the 60s/70s, when the railroad began to decline. Originally at the turn of the century, the NYC had a relatively small complex with a small terminal and freight yard, with an engine terminal on the west side of the city. However as the city and the railroads began to expand, the Mohawk River was relocated away from the existing railroad tracks to a new location to the north, allowing significant railroad expansion By 1938, this had grown to a 12 track passenger terminal, east and west freight classification yards (18 tracks each) with full arrival and departure yards. There was a very large LCL (Less than Car Load) depot on the north side, together with numerous local industries. These were common industries (coal, oil, timber etc) surrounding the yards serving the city. A new large engine terminal was resited, now on the east side of the yards, with the east bound freight main line running behind the roundhouse. As part of the new passenger terminal that was built, Railway Post Office (RPO) and Railway Express Agency (REA) facilities were included, and at the rear was a track that served meat packing and storage facilities. To the south, tracks extending down Broad Street serving numerous textile related plants. The O&W and DL&W had full interchange facilities with the NYC, with their own small freight yards, loco facilities and freight houses to the south-west of the NYC main line. In addition, each had separate one track passenger platforms within the NYC terminal. From the north-west, the single track Adirondack Line entered the complex, utilising the full NYC facilities. All the named NYC Water Level Route passenger trains passed through Utica daily between New York and Chicago, about 18 in each direction. These included the famous Twentieth Century Limited, Empire State Express, The Detroiter, Commodore Vanderbilt, etc. Herkimer This town was also on the NYC Water Level Route and historically, as it had the first railroad connection to the Adirondack North Woods exporting timber through the narrow gauge HN&P, developed main industries that were concerned with the manufacture of household and office furniture. Originally, the NYC main line ran through the town alongside Main Street, but passenger depot was relocated to a new site further away from the town. Numerous furniture industries were established on the northside of the freight mainline, which was not relocated, served from a large timber yard on the north-east side. Again, the usual industries serving the town existed; coal, oil etc. Adirondack Line The Adirondack Line climbed slowly from Utica in the Mohawk Valley up towards the Adirondack Mountains, passing though rolling hilly countryside which was primarily dairy country. Marcy Marcy was a small community, who's only claim to fame was the a New York State Hospital was built there. The railroad, which had a passing track, served this hospital on a spur, with freight cars delivering hospital supplies and fuel for the power house. A small freight house on the main line served the community. Milk was loaded at the depot Stittville A small village with a depot on the mainline and two freight spurs serving Niagara Mohawk Power Corp and Rupert & Ellis timber yard. Again milk was loaded at the depot Holland Patent Holland Patent was a small township. Here, the mainline had a passing track together with a further small passing loop, with the depot and milk station on the main. Spurs served E.W. Jones coal yard and Williams Oil. A auto loading ramp was located on the small loop. Yet more milk!! Remsen Although this was a small township, a significant railroad interchange existed with the Adirondack Line and the old HN&P from Herkimer converging from the south; the Adirondack Line and the RO&W to Boonville and beyond, leaving to the north through Snow Junction - a good name when one realises the weather in the winter months. A single depot served all three railroads with interchange freight storage tracks on the east side. The facilities originally included a turntable primarily to turn locos coming up from Herkimer (not modelled). Industries included two milk facilities, the Dairyman's League plant in the north-east side and Brown & Sons in the town. Also, a coal yard, General Supply Co. and Hughes Timber were within the town. From my research, many trains passed daily through this town coming from all directions, creating the need for hotels and local facilities to serve the travellers. From Remsen, the Adirondack Line started to climb up into the mountains through wooden terrain, passing many small townships which are not modelled. White Lake A small community with a depot on the main. A single spur served a very large ice storage facility owned by Utica Ice, collecting ice taken from the numerous lakes in the Adirondacks during the winter months for onward shipment to the large cities in the east. Thendara This was originally named Fulton Chain, the name taken from the chain of 8 lakes that started north of Thendara and extended into the mountains. These lakes provided the transport system for lumber was brought to the sawmills located in Thendara, through the east fork of the Big Moose River which flowed through the lakes. Four sawmills were found on the river banks served by spurs from Thendara. Two of these are to be modelled; Deis Mill and Brown Tract Mill. The main branched out into 3 passing tracks, with a depot, freight house and Van Aukens Hotel adjacent to the depot. A turntable was located here for helpers that were required for the push up the grade to Big Moose. Industries on spurs, included Old Forge Supply Co.; Marks & Wilcox; Foley Lumber & Hardware Co. and a gravel pit. This was an interchange for the mile and a half spur from Thendara that served Old Forge, which was situated on 'The Pond'; the start of the Fulton Chain of Lakes. This was a very popular gateway to the summer camps on the lakes and saw considerable summer and winter passenger traffic. Carter Carter, originally called Clearwater (with no apparent water in sight) was buried in the back woods. A passing track connected to a 'Y' with the connection to The Raquette Lake Railway, which went to, you guessed it, Raquette Lake. The only sign of habitation was the depot / freight house and a NYC company house. Big Moose This was an isolated community in the woods, which sprung up due to lumber and the many summer camps in the neighbourhood. The main branched out to two passing tracks, one mainly used for freight car storage. The depot / freight house was on the main. Another 'Y' existed here to turn the helper for the return trip to Thendara. From here, the line continued towards Lake Placid, Malone and finally with connections to Montreal. Raquette Lake This was a small community that took its name from the lake. The Raquette Lake Railway, started a a small lumber line, pushing from Carter into the woods. History suggests that it was extended to Raquette Lake, to provide a convenience of travel for three railroad barons, Vanderbilts, Durants and Huntingtons to reach their summer camps on the lakes. Stories abound that Mrs Durant suggested to her husband, that if he could build the east / west railroad link across the USA, surely he could build a short link to the camps. The railroad terminated at this township, with a complete return loop. There was a considerable size depot, as many passengers alighted here, for onward connection by steamer to the Raquette Lake camps and on to other camps on other lakes, via the Marion Carry Railway. Also a spur went out to the lake side which enabled one freight car to be loaded onto a barge. One of the interesting features was a spur, solely for the Huntingtons private car, which was stored in a covered shed structure. Industries around the loop included; freight house, saw mill, Standard Oil and a spur for coal for the steamers. During the winter, this coal spur was used as the point where ice was harvested and loaded into special open top box cars for shipment to ice houses down the line. The Raquette Lake Railway, had its own motive power, 2 Moguls, which were housed in a one stall engine house with fuel oil facilities. |