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

[joshuahouse]

Protect! may want the tracks through there gone since it would move the VanderWacker towards being a 'wilderness' as opposed to a 'wild forest'. Given that the tracks are privately owned,they are a larger barrier towards changing then the fire tower would be. Of course I've no idea if there is any interest at the DEC or APA in changing designation, but the railroad is a major blockage should that ever become an idea.

If you want to read more then you could possibly need to know about VanderWacker the UMP is available online here: http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forest ... anonly.pdf

[NellieBly]

It's interesting that the state's own management plan notes the railroad tracks are "still privately owned" and "the Federal government appropriated land along the Boreas River...". There is no mention of any sort of lease. I think Protect! is going to have some tough sledding at STB. Federal pre-emption, remember?

[RussNelson]

Protect! is construing controversial facts in their own favor. First, until the FRA says it's abandoned, it's not abandoned, regardless of what NYS DOT says. I think it's fair to say that the NYS DOT can say that a railroad is abandoned in order to provide cover for the state, counties and towns to pave over tracks, or to remove rails out of a roadway (as has been done at Reynolds Road north of Moreau Junction on the CP / D&H tracks west of Fort Edward). Second, the fact of easement vs title only matters for the rail-trails folks, and they're covered by the federal railbanking law. If it remains a railroad, and the easement was created for the railroad, then the easement continues in force. Third, Protect! is claiming that the rail link only exists to mine ilmenite. That may be true, but it doesn't constrain an easement unless the easement says it does. Fourth, the rail line has been continuously used (illegally) for railcar traffic, so from a conservation and environmental perspective, legally abandoned or not, it hasn't been abandoned (but that's a belt and suspenders argument). Fifth, speaking of ignoring things, this letter says nothing about the Upper Hudson Rail Trail. Sixth, the location would be excellent for running a railbike operation. There are even people set up to do it -- the various rafting excursion folks. Bus the riders and railbikes to Tahawus, set them on the rails there, and collect them at the same take-out location as the rafters.

[Palmerfalls]

Here is a link that provides the reason for the Protect position.

http://upperhudson.org/UHRTJuly19Note.pdf

Ed

[Palmerfalls]

Tahawus railroad may be up for sale
By LOHR McKINSTRY
Special to the Express
TAHAWUS—An Illinois company wants to operate the old National Lead Industries railroad between Tahawus
and North Creek. Iowa Pacific Holdings of Chicago wants to buy the 28-mile railroad line that goes from North Creek to the
National Lead titanium mines in the Town of Newcomb's hamlet of Tahawus.

[edit by moderator: You cannot copy and paste complete news articles without attribution, that is a copyright violation. A link back to the original and a brief quote is what we require. Thanks!]

[Palmerfalls]

Tahawus Phase 2
In September 2005, after nearly two years of planning, OSI submitted its
“Phase II” application to the APA for its signature Tahawus Tract, which, once
approved, will result in: a nearly 7,000-acre addition to the Adirondack Forest
Preserve; a 3,000-acre, sustainably managed, “working forest” open for public
recreation; the restoration of the Mt. Adams Fire Tower and associated Ranger’s
Cabin; the partial restoration and interpretation of the abandoned Village of
Adirondac and 1854 Blast Furnace; and, the sale of the 1906 “Masten” House to
a conservation buyer.
In addition, OSI’s efforts to expand recreational opportunities at the Tahawus
Tract include a plan to acquire a rail corridor once used by NL Industries to
transport titanium dioxide to distant markets. OSI plans to convey to the State
of New York a 23-mile segment of the railroad right-of-way (ROW) for use as a
recreational trail. OSI also plans to convey 5 miles of the ROW to Warren
County and approximately 2 miles to Barton Mines Company for potential
future rail use.
During development of its disposition plan, OSI, in cooperation with the
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, opened up most
of the Tahawus property for public use. Log on to http://www.osiny.org for details.

[Steamer]

So.... Did Iowa Pacific Holdings buy the ROW from National Lead / Open Space Institute or not?

I heard from a railroad employee back in September that they did already. Please confirm or deny!

Steamer

[Otto Vondrak]

Any word on the second BL2 and when it is scheduled to arrive? Any other motive power changes planned?

[Littlefoot14]

What happened to the original BL2? I know it made it to North Creek but I've ridden past many times and never saw it at North Creek. I believe the E9 and the B39-8 are the power for the train, so where's the original BL2 hiding?

[trainman895]

It's been running to saratoga along with the dash 8 for the polar express train they've been running. They got pics on the website. sncrr.com

[lvrr325]

Go pick up the current Trains Magazine and there it is plain as day in a pic in the front of the magazine.

[Dick H]

"New rail operator thrilled with results"

http://poststar.com/news/local/beca62ca ... 3ce6c.html

[Noel Weaver]

Another article in Friday's Albany Times Union, link follows.

http://www.timesunion.com/business/arti ... to-1919614

Noel Weaver

[BobLI]

It looks like they own the line to the mine now. Here is a direct quote from the newspaper article.

"While passenger business has been strong, Ellis also said that Iowa Pacific has acquired 30 miles of track connecting the existing rail line to a former titanium mine at Tahawus. It plans to rehabilitate the track so that it can begin hauling tailings left over from mining operations from the site.

The tailings, now being hauled by truck, are used in aggregates to make paving materials for highway departments, he said.

Ellis declined to say what the company paid for the line, because of a confidentiality agreement with the seller, NL Industries, which still owns the 1,200-acre mine.

Ellis estimates it will take six to 12 months to rehabilitate the line to Tahawus."

[trainman895]

They said they brought in additional cars to handle the workload, specifically 3 domes and 4 LIRR cars. Any word on these?