Route of the Saratoga and Schenectedy Trolley?

[RussNelson]

Does anybody know the route that the Saratoga and Schenectedy Trolley took? I see an obvious railbed here: http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=42.97803,-73.85859&z=14&t=T
but I have no idea what is is. Now, given that the Ballston Bike Path runs on the trolley line to the *west* of the D&H along Ballston Lake, it makes sense that this is the Trolley route. Not without doubt, though.

[Leo Sullivan]

Looking at the fairly detailed and, rather larger than usual scale, publicity map of the Schenectady Railway which is in their tourist folder, it is clear that from the point north of Outlet Rd. where the right of way so obviously swings in from the west, the Scenectady Railway line follows the D&H very closely (too close to show on the USGS map) all the way until the D&H line joins their line from Mechanicville. This point is just northeast of Alplaus.
The trolley line then proceeded straight into Luna Park and across the Mohawk.
LS

[KJB]

Leo,

I scanned the pamphlet Schenectady Railway Trolley Trips Hudson Mohawk Valleys. It was put out by the Railway.

There are four maps of the it's routes and may be the document Russ referenced.

You can view it here: http://schenectadyhistory.blogspot.com/

Hope this helps.

Ken

[RussNelson]

I think I have the route fairly well settled:
http://rutlandtrail.org/gmap.cgi?schene ... y.ny.track

Anybody see anything wrong there?

[ginosrailpage]

The Schenectady Railway paralleled the D&H from Glenville to just south of Ballston Spa. After Ballston Spa, it hooked up again with the D&H and followed it into Saratoga Springs. The line is clearly visible before Ballston Spa, it follows power lines. Where it crosses Route 50 is where the powerlines cross the road. You really couldn't miss the crossing...

Gino DiCarlo

[ginosrailpage]

I think I have the route fairly well settled:
http://rutlandtrail.org/gmap.cgi?schene ... y.ny.track

Anybody see anything wrong there?

The trolley line crossed West High Street, traveled down Charlton Street,
passed under the D&H on Front Street, cut behind houses and went down
Washington Street, turned left on Milton Ave., made a quick right turn onto private ROW, came out onto Mechanic Street, crossed the Creek, then Saratoga Avenue and joined with the D&H at E. North Street. All D&H into Saratoga Springs...

Gino

[RussNelson]

You didn't mention crossing Gordon Creek, but it must have done that on the private ROW it ducked onto after Milton Ave and before Mechanic St. Looking at the extremely detailed aerial photo there doesn't seem to have been any development right there, so I'll bet that there are still remains of the crossing at Gordon Creek.
http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=43.00516,-73.84669&z=18&t=H

[ginosrailpage]

You didn't mention crossing Gordon Creek, but it must have done that on the private ROW it ducked onto after Milton Ave and before Mechanic St. Looking at the extremely detailed aerial photo there doesn't seem to have been any development right there, so I'll bet that there are still remains of the crossing at Gordon Creek.
http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=43.00516,-73.84669&z=18&t=H

Yes, it did cross Grodon Creek right about where you placed your cursor. The bridge is no longer there. I explored back there and the growth is heavy, but no bridge or abutments.

Gino

[Engineer Spike]

I am wondering about the route between Ballston Spa and Saratoga. I live along the westside of D&H, in the 1 mile stretch between the two realignment projects. Did the trollley line run a bit east of the D&H? Now there is the sewer trunk there. Was this the alignment?
My house is just north of where Old Ballston Ave. crossed over the D&H. It does not look like there was ever room for a trolley track, just the two mains of the D&H.

[RussNelson]

Well .... as best as I can tell, and as far as anybody else here knows, this is our best understanding of the route:
http://rutlandtrail.org/gmap.cgi?schene ... y.ny.track

Zoom in using the + button on the left.

[SARATOGA LAKE RAILFAN]

Engineer Spike

The Schenectady interurban track was right next to the D&H tracks. (less than 20 feet*.) On the East side of the present tracks(quarter mile) was the HudsonValley Interurban line. You can still see some of the right of way today. It can be seen on the connector road from Malta Ave to rt 50. The road leading to the Ballston Little League field sits right on the original right of way. I am not sure about this but I think the Hudson Valley entered Ballston via Malta Ave. I am not aware of any entrance into Ballston Spa by the Hudson Valley from the southern part of Ballston like the Schenectady interurban did via Ballston Lake. Also the Hudson Valley line shut down their track to Saratoga when the D&H bought the whole shooting match. They all then (interurban lines) went to Saratoga on the old Schenectady interurban track.
There is a third Inter Urban player in Ballston also. This was the line from Ballston Spa up along the Kaydaross which served the paper mills . They interchanged with the D&H (steam) just about between the fire house and Dunkin Donuts (on rt 50 as you exit Ballston to the north. Ballston Spa was a rail& interurban mecca at one time. There were three interurban (electric) and one steam railroad in the village limits.

[SARATOGA LAKE RAILFAN]

Engineer Spike

The Schenectady interurban track was right next to the D&H tracks. (less than 20 feet*.) On the East side of the present tracks(quarter mile) was the HudsonValley Interurban line. You can still see some of the right of way today. It can be seen on the connector road from Malta Ave to rt 50. The road leading to the Ballston Little League field sits right on the original right of way. I am not sure about this but I think the Hudson Valley entered Ballston via Malta Ave. I am not aware of any entrance into Ballston Spa by the Hudson Valley from the southern part of Ballston like the Schenectady interurban did via Ballston Lake. Also the Hudson Valley line shut down their track to Saratoga when the D&H bought the whole shooting match. They all then (interurban lines) went to Saratoga on the old Schenectady interurban track.
There is a third Inter Urban player in Ballston also. This was the line from Ballston Spa up along the Kaydaross which served the paper mills . They interchanged with the D&H (steam) just about between the fire house and Dunkin Donuts (on rt 50 as you exit Ballston to the north. Ballston Spa was a rail& interurban mecca at one time. There were three interurban (electric) and one steam railroad in the village limits.

[ginosrailpage]

You're right Spike! The Hudson Valley ROW IS the road to Ballston Spa Little League. The road from Mechanicville came that way. If you know where the Haunted Hayrides are on Route 67, the old Hudson Valley ROW cuts through the property. They actually run the hayride down the old ROW.

There was a wye at Malta Ave. It headed north there to Saratoga, crossing the Kaydeross, and swung into the Village of Ballston Spa. The ROW was right alongside Malta Ave. It turned left onto Milton Ave, then hung a right onto Front Street where it ended at the Medberry Hotel. The line North from Ballston Spa did cross Northline Road. You can see where the ROW crossed and a culvert on the righthand side. The old D&H ROW and the combined SRC and HV ROW is right before the new CPRail mainline. They've recently cleared the area and you can see the ROW and a giant culvert from Route 50. Stand in Stewarts parking lot, look across the street and you'd be blind not to see it.

Yes, after the D&H bought the Schenectady Railway and Hudson Valley, they did consolidate ROWs through Ballston Spa, but the original line north was kept open during the summer to bring people right to Geyser's Park, present day SPA Park.

Gino

Engineer Spike

The Schenectady interurban track was right next to the D&H tracks. (less than 20 feet*.) On the East side of the present tracks(quarter mile) was the HudsonValley Interurban line. You can still see some of the right of way today. It can be seen on the connector road from Malta Ave to rt 50. The road leading to the Ballston Little League field sits right on the original right of way. I am not sure about this but I think the Hudson Valley entered Ballston via Malta Ave. I am not aware of any entrance into Ballston Spa by the Hudson Valley from the southern part of Ballston like the Schenectady interurban did via Ballston Lake. Also the Hudson Valley line shut down their track to Saratoga when the D&H bought the whole shooting match. They all then (interurban lines) went to Saratoga on the old Schenectady interurban track.
There is a third Inter Urban player in Ballston also. This was the line from Ballston Spa up along the Kaydaross which served the paper mills . They interchanged with the D&H (steam) just about between the fire house and Dunkin Donuts (on rt 50 as you exit Ballston to the north. Ballston Spa was a rail& interurban mecca at one time. There were three interurban (electric) and one steam railroad in the village limits.

[SARATOGA LAKE RAILFAN]

Gino

I took your cue and stood at Stewarts this morning (Sunday). Clearing that corner uncovered a lot of history. You can tell by the width of the old ROW that there were multiple tracks on it. I also noticed the old culvert behind the AD bank. The Schenectady interurban must have been the inside track on the east side of the ROW. Otherwise it would have had to cross the old D&H line. There are some interesting pictures in Dave Nestles books (SaratogaThroughCar and Rails Along the Kaydeross) that show some interesting views of the interurbans in the Ballston area. Still the landscape has changed so much that its very hard to get a picture in your mind on how it looked back then.

[ginosrailpage]

That ROW had 4 tracks at that point. The HV and SRC did share the 2 tracks on the east side of the ROW. The only place in Ballston that the SRC crossed the D&H was at front street. The D&H went over Front Street and came back around like you said, near the firehouse. Speaking of which, the piers to the giant trestle there are in full view now.

Gino

Gino

I took your cue and stood at Stewarts this morning (Sunday). Clearing that corner uncovered a lot of history. You can tell by the width of the old ROW that there were multiple tracks on it. I also noticed the old culvert behind the AD bank. The Schenectady interurban must have been the inside track on the east side of the ROW. Otherwise it would have had to cross the old D&H line. There are some interesting pictures in Dave Nestles books (SaratogaThroughCar and Rails Along the Kaydeross) that show some interesting views of the interurbans in the Ballston area. Still the landscape has changed so much that its very hard to get a picture in your mind on how it looked back then.