What's the official status of the torn-up D&H Albany Main?

I'm talking about the stretch between Voorheesville to Albany. Sold by the CP to the county? Leased? Railbanked?

If anyone has any good solid info, it would be appreciated. Thanks!

greenwichlirr wrote:I'm talking about the stretch between Voorheesville to Albany. Sold by the CP to the county? Leased? Railbanked?

If anyone has any good solid info, it would be appreciated. Thanks!

Aerial-views show the line is torn-up east of what used to be CP-VO and west of there looks like it's been used
as a spot to store unused rail-cars. Google Maps label the torn-up section as the "Albany County Rail-Trail".

Charlie

Thanks, Charlie....should have been more clear, though. I know it's gone....I just meant the 'legal' status, ie: ownership, etc.

See if you can get into the Albany County tax records online. That would answer your question. I've checked out properties in other states that way, it's just a matter of searching the records, you may have to play around to determine parcel ID and so forth.

it's being turned into the Albany County rail trail. being graded from the Albany end with heavy equipment. the section at Kenwood Ave and New Scotland Rd is graded a bit but still dirt but people use it. from the CSX main in Voorheesville west to the industrial park still has track and used for storage at times near the park. from the park west to Delanson SMS runs trains. looks like from CSX east will be a nice trail. the abandoned rails group on facebook has some photos and threads.

I also saw grading machines where the line used to overpass South Pearl in Albany. I know it's been abandoned for about 15 years, but this makes it final to me. Sad to see it go, I remember seeing the line active in Delmar in the early '90s, and hearing them blow the horn for both Font Grove Rd's as a kid in the '80s.

It is sad. At least we can travel it and remember. Looks like the east end will the starting point for finishing. The end at New Scotland and Kenwood is still graded dirt.

At least, I get to see DH 7312 or something going across CP VO..... it was unexpected and surprised... Also great timing as well. I got to CP VO and I saw this coming toward to CP VO with 2 or 3 cars...

I think it was late 90's I didnt get back into railfanning until late 94 and visited Selkrik area once a while after 94. I want to say that I saw it go by in 96 or 97, just before they abandoned west side of CR at that time.

To me this was one of the most short sighted moves CP has ever made. Had they held on to it, even mothballed, they most likely could have gotten a substantial amount more from NS for the South End. That would leave the Port of Albany with direct access to 3 Class I's.

I have actually heard chatter from legit rail workers of talk of the possibility of the tracks being relaid and thereby giving NS that mentioned connection into Albany. I don't know the rules of 'railbanked' trails, so I can't speak on how credible the chatter was, but I will admit that the drainage work they are doing on the Kenwood end (under the 87 and 9W bridges) does seem to be much more than one would expect for a simple bike/hiking trail.

Can anyone explain the cold hard facts of railbanking and service restoration on such ROW's? What are the serious possibilities? Even Albany County (apparently the current owners of the land) says the following on their FAQ page regarding the line:

"It should be noted, however, that if public transportation needs were ever significant enough to justify a return to rail service on this corridor, then it is likely that the County would be supportive of addressing that need, even if it meant the possible loss of the rail trail. In that event, the County would be compensated for the fair market value of the corridor."

So now, with NS in the picture, what are the possibilities? As for the line from Delanson to VO, was this sold by CP to SMS or just leased?

It would greatly depend on the ownership of the line and if it's been transferred to say, the county, if there was any language in the sale contract allowing rail to come back.

Generally though once overpasses have been removed from a line, that's the end of it. It's cheaper to pick up some kind of trackage rights to get someplace than to rebuild the track.

Some years ago when UP was adding a third track to some of it's mains, Trains Magazine noted it cost them about six million dollars a mile to build track from scratch on a ROW that was already wide enough for the tracks. I doubt that's gotten any cheaper, although it may not cost quite as high since it wouldn't need to be full 70-MPH track.

lvrr325 wrote:
Generally though once overpasses have been removed from a line, that's the end of it.

Agreed, which is why--in this case--that the 'relaying of the line' scenario doesn't seem like a wild pipe dream. The infrastructure is complete. Nothing has been removed in the way of roadbed (earth, bridges, etc).

I guess what it comes down to is that I have seen weirder things happen than the idea of relaying the missing segment of the Albany Main. It will be interesting to see what, if any, interest NS has in getting directly into Albany.

guess they didn't think long term. when you give it some thought to get full service back there isn't that much to do, besides no rail from Voorheesville east which isn't a big deal with all the track laying equipment today, only major infrastructure issue is placing diamonds at the CSX. plenty of rail trails in the area. people can walk and bike somewhere else. I'm sure the residential area won't like to see trains back. it is a nice connector from Delanson to Albany.

Does NS have rights from Mechanicville down to the Port of Albany (going through Cohoes, Menands, Watervliet ...), or is that stretch exclusively D&H? (I assume no NS rights now and that they aren't getting them with the takeover, or else we wouldn't be having this discussion!)
JS

pumpers wrote:Does NS have rights from Mechanicville down to the Port of Albany (going through Cohoes, Menands, Watervliet ...), or is that stretch exclusively D&H? (I assume no NS rights now and that they aren't getting them with the takeover, or else we wouldn't be having this discussion!)
JS

NS only got as far as Mohawk, with CP retaining the GE plant a couple miles south of the yard as a customer. Everything to Mechanicville and the line to Port of Albany is still in their hands, and NS didn't gain any new rights down there.


The county formally acquired the line for $700K a couple years and is proceeding with the rail trail. Unless there's a re-use provision--and there probably isn't if the ownership outright changed hands to the trail-builders--it's gone for good because I seriously doubt the county is up for sharing after paying that sum.