Saratoga & North Creek Railway (ex-UHRR) - 2011

I haven't done the trip yet, but I did manage to catch sight of last Monday's afternoon train returning to Saratoga.

Ridership looked pretty good, I'd say 50 or so people getting off, not bad for a Monday.

North Crick isn't the only place with a station problem, though. The Saratoga Amtrak station was closed up, despite the fact that the Ethan Allen (the connection for SNC) hadn't arrived yet. If you walked around trackside, the door from the platform into the station was open, but at first glance the station looked totally vacant. After a few minutes, the SNC agent came out, and very politely told us that the building was closed. I was somewhere between surprised and incredulous. All that money that went into the rebuild, and the station is closed at train time? In broad daylight? During track season? At least I was able to obtain some brochures. There was NO SNC arrival/departure information posted on the locked front door of the station, indeed no indication that the SNC existed at all. Somebody gotta fix that, quick. At least the Amtrak schedule is taped to the door.

The agent remided me that the building is actually owned and operated by CDTA, which may explain a lot. These are the same people who built the Taj Mahal station at Rensselaer, and then gave away so much of the parking lot to Megabus that Amtrak passengers routinely can't find a parking space if they're departing on a mid-day train (that's happened to me three out of my last four trips). Maybe city bus operators have a hard time with the concept of a "station."

Anyway, I will certainly be riding soon, probably bringing the family, and probably will ride again when the trees start turning. Hope the teething issues are worked out by then. This could develop into something very, very good.

Quote.......
"North Crick isn't the only place with a station problem, though. The Saratoga Amtrak station was closed up, despite the fact that the Ethan Allen (the connection for SNC) hadn't arrived yet. If you walked around trackside, the door from the platform into the station was open, but at first glance the station looked totally vacant. After a few minutes, the SNC agent came out, and very politely told us that the building was closed. I was somewhere between surprised and incredulous. All that money that went into the rebuild, and the station is closed at train time? In broad daylight? During track season? At least I was able to obtain some brochures. There was NO SNC arrival/departure information posted on the locked front door of the station, indeed no indication that the SNC existed at all. Somebody gotta fix that, quick. At least the Amtrak schedule is taped to the door."



We rode the train Monday returning to Saratoga just before 6 and found one door into and out of the station open. Amtrak ticket window pulled down with home made "sold out" sign. Since there are folks expecting to take the train back to NC they need to have the station open for these people. Agree it's hard to find S&NC existence at station. No signs yet inside or outside.I'm sure that will change. The CDTA appears to have dropped the ball here.

That ex-Long Island double decker looks pretty new and modern. Why did the Long Island decide to sell it?

The LIRR cars that are in use were the prototype Double-Deckers, which were not compatible with the current fleet. These were the group of cars that ran with the 300-series FL9AC's, and once the mass-production units came online, the proto's were orphaned and eventually sold off after sitting in Morris Park for a few years.

Were you two really at the Saratoga Station on a MONDAY seeing the SNCR train??
Their schedule says they don't run on Monday & Tuesday ??

BuckHogger69 wrote:Were you two really at the Saratoga Station on a MONDAY seeing the SNCR train??
Their schedule says they don't run on Monday & Tuesday ??

From the S&NC web site:

Operates Thursday through Monday July 23rd through October 31st

http://www.sncrr.com/schedules/timetable.html

My mistake, I thought they were off Monday & Tuesday but there off Tuesday & Wednesday.

Check this link out. ( http://www.adirondackbranch.net/index.html ) There is some great info here in regard to the history of the line.

Service interuption today. Link http://poststar.com/news/local/engine-f ... 002e0.html

Engine failure interrupts tourist train trip
Posted: Monday, August 8, 2011 10:28 am | (19) Comments


THURMAN -- Engine trouble Monday morning shut down a train on the Saratoga and North Creek Railway, requiring a bus to transport the passengers. The train was traveling to Saratoga Springs when an engine-related problem caused smoke, forcing the engineer to stop the locomotive in Thurman, said Ed Ellis, president of Iowa Pacific Holdings LLC, the parent company of the railway.

[moderator's note: Don't forget to include a BRIEF QUOTE when you're linking to news stories. Thanks! -omv]

ticker wrote:Service interuption today. Link http://poststar.com/news/local/engine-f ... 002e0.html

With just four passengers its going to be tough to pay the bills

Mike

Not all news is bad. They are doing pretty well overall. http://www.timesunion.com/local/article ... 771065.php

On Monday, it was the little engine that couldn't. The new passenger train between North Creek and Saratoga Springs broke down early in the morning, stranding riders who had to be rescued by bus. But on most other days since it starting service three weeks ago, the Saratoga and North Creek Railway is proving to be an engine -- of the economic kind -- for the small and struggling village of North Creek.

"Pretty much every day that train is running, 80 to 100 people get off and walk up Main Street," said Laurie Arnheiter, owner of the Hudson River Trading Co., one of North Creek's larger retailers. "We're seeing significant increases in our numbers at the end of the day because of the people who are getting off that train."

The train service began on July 24 -- offering a two-hour ride between the Spa City and North Creek, the Adirondack village that's home to the Gore Mountain ski resort.

[moderator's note - please include a brief quote of any article you link to. thank you! -omv]

Here's a link to one of my videos when the double-decker cars(C-1) were used on the LIRR.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFvsFOjRBuA
Still have to put together a video of the S&NC operations I took at the Thurman Station. If you search the videos on my youtube page you can see my videos from the previous three years on the UHRR. Eash year I was able to see a different Alco running! Also there are a few more videoswith the original C-1 Double Decker coaches. These were taken in the mid -90's. They are not the same cars you see on the LIRR today (C-3's). The original cars were retired from service in the late 90's

The southbound "New York Express" arrived at Saratoga a few minutes late.
A few passengers got off and tbere were others staying put in the dome. The
train had one dome and two double decker coaches. Power was the 8524.
After detraining passengers on the passing track, the train pulled south of
platform area and the engine cut off and ran around using the main line.
Lots of chatter with the CP dispatcher. There was a public address announcement
several times that the train was sold out.

Amtrak southbound Ethan Allen arrived on time. About 50 passengers boarded,
many with lots of luggage and despite loading through two doors, boarding seemed
slow. Once the EA cleared the signals south of the station, the "Hudson Explorer"
pulled up to the platform. Using the only available door, boarding was very slow
and the train was 15 minutes late leaving.

With 50 passengers waiting for the Ethan Allen and a full train for the S&NC, the
Saratoga station area looked like a scene from days gone by. Soon after the S&NC
train departed, a southbound CP ethanol train sailed through the station with four
units and one spacer and 80 tank cars. A sign posted at the Amtrak counter stated
that today's southbound Adirondack #68 was also sold out. Busy morning at Saratoga.

Some recent pics have been uploaded here:

http://photos.greatrails.net/show/?orde ... th%20Creek

When did the BL2 arrive?

I was on vacation in the Lake George Area last week and a friend suggest I visit this railroad. I'm glad I did , it was a good time and it seemed like a first class operation. Although our train was slightly delayed leaving on time because of air conditioning problems once we we're under way it went smooth. You could tell we were making up time , it moved along at a pretty good clip atleast 35mph. Food was good and personal was the best. Can't wait to visit it again in the near future. I suggest that if you're nearby this railroad to take the trip. ....Paul