Saratoga & North Creek (S&NC) Discussion - 2012

Russ and Otto,
Other than Barton Mines and the mine at Tahawus, what other potential costumers are there on that section north of North Creek? I'm not at all familuar with that section, I've riden the section to Saratoga now twice.
Thanks,
Don

griffs20soccer wrote:Russ and Otto, other than Barton Mines and the mine at Tahawus, what other potential costumers are there on that section north of North Creek?

I haven't a clue, I'm only relating what I've read in published reports from the railroad. Tailings from Tahawus and shipments from Barton seem to hold the highest potential for high-volume carloads.

-otto-

griffs20soccer wrote:Russ and Otto,
Other than Barton Mines and the mine at Tahawus, what other potential costumers are there on that section north of North Creek?

Basically, none. The railroad goes through some land zoned "untouchable" by the APA. It's not even clear that it could be turned into a rail-trail if the tracks were lifted.

But the good news is that I saw a Hy-Rail brush cutter right about here on Wednesday: http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=43.74807,-74.05996&z=18&t=H

And somebody is putting in what looks like parking spaces on the west side of the tracks and east side of the road where the Hudson River rafting companies all take out. I speculate that the railroad got grumpy about them trespassing, and wanted them to go straight across the tracks rather than walk along them.

Thanks Russ and Otto. That's what I thought, but I'm not orginally from the area. I moved here in 1986, so I didn't know what past costumers were on that section. The only other potential costumer I could think of was logging companies. Traveling on 28 and 28N on business I always seem to get stuck behind trucks hauling logs. It would be nice to get those off those twisty roads where passing areas are at a premium.
Don

Well, that would require that a log consumer be on line. Dunno how many of them still are. Of course, they all were, a hundred years ago, because railroads were the only way to get trees to market.

Here is a link to some pictures I took at North Creek this morning.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set= ... 781&type=1

Transload site at the mine.

According to an interview with Ed Ellis by Eastern Railroad News: The work on the Sanford Lake Branch has begun with a 30 day timeline of opening the route as far as North River. Brush cutting has begunat roughly MP6, Barton's and working south towards North Creek, The cutting will allow SNC to assess what work will be needed, most of which they anticipate around grade crossings and bridges. They are not expecting any major rail work, although they may encounter a broken rail or two. Tie work will be limited to ensuring FRA excepted track standards are met.

The question was asked of additional power to protect both freight and paseenger operations. Mr Ellis reiterated that the E8A #515 and the secon BL-2 #56 will supplement the units already on hand.

RussNelson wrote:Well, that would require that a log consumer be on line. Dunno how many of them still are. Of course, they all were, a hundred years ago, because railroads were the only way to get trees to market.

100 years ago they threw the logs in the Hudson and fished them out at the plant.

The old growth timber has long been harvested. It would be hard to support much of an operation with the new growth forests. Some of the smaller operation do OK but not much that would support rail. Pulp maybe but I'm not sure were the nearest mill is along the rail.

the photos aren't showing up

is there a spur into barton or did they use to transload somewhere else?

Adirondacker wrote:

RussNelson wrote:Well, that would require that a log consumer be on line. Dunno how many of them still are. Of course, they all were, a hundred years ago, because railroads were the only way to get trees to market.

100 years ago they threw the logs in the Hudson and fished them out at the plant.

Oh, well, yeah, if they were close enough to the Hudson to do that.

RussNelson wrote:Oh, well, yeah, if they were close enough to the Hudson to do that.

Paper mills need water, lots and lots of water. "shipping" your logs on the river is free. and running your mill, whether it's a saw mill or a paper mill, is much cheaper if you use a dam and water power.

http://www.adirondackhistory.org/logging/intro.html

I don't think we will ever see log driving again at least not in the Hudson. Not as much lumber quality as a 100 years ago. The old growth had probably been cleared before 1900 leaving only lower quality pulpwood. You also have dams and other types of river usage that would stop it. Not to mention, for the most part it was only workable during the spring melt.

I also wouldn't say it was free. Very dangerous and harmful to the river and river basin.