Lyon Mountain Branch

[Trackmobile]

What happned to this line?The current Trains issue on the ADSR shows this line abandoned.

[Champlain Division]

The only trackage that remains of the Chateaugay/Lyon Mountain Branch comes off the main at South Junction, parallels South Jct Rd and heads west along the south side of the former Plattsburgh AFB. It then makes a 45 deg turn to the northwest and crosses I-87 on an overpass and crosses NY Route 22 at grade. From there it continues another mile or so to a junction with the Fredenburg Falls Branch. From there it heads due west about a mile and ends at Irish Settlement Rd.

This trackage, the Fredenburg Falls Branch and the new trackage built across the former Plattsburgh AFB and Route 22 connecting near the north end of the Fredenburg Falls Branch form what CP officially calls the "Plattsburgh Running Track."

The only customer left on the remains of the Lyon Mt. Branch are a propane dealer on South Jct Rd. right where the tracks make their turn to the NW. This customer is served by local OR-1/OR-2 as needed from the main line at South Jct.

The new trackage was built to more directly service the Bombardier Plant/Industrial Park area west of the base and Route 22 which comprises the north end of the Fredenburg Falls Branch. Not counting Bombardier, I think there are two other customers over there.

From the propane dealer out to Irish Settlement Rd and backing up on the FF Branch as far as the new connection, there are no customers. Bombardier uses the FF Branch south of the new connection to store flatcars used in subway car shipping.

I believe other members have informed us that this unused remaining trackage is officially classified below 10 mph track speed, but I've a feeling it's been a very long time since anything rolled on it. A shame indeed, but they haven't as yet ripped it out. Perhaps they are hoping for new development and customers. (Hope they're not holding their breath.)

For some time now, I have been of the opinion that this trackage would make an excellent route for train rides for some sort of tourist operation and/or museum. Perhaps some of the folks up there in the Frozen North will have a chance to thaw out their brains long enough to give such an idea serious consideration.

[Trackmobile]

When were the tracks scrapped?I`m assuming not much of the old ROW still exists or what does is too overgrown top tell that a railway once ran on the land.

[ChiefTroll]

The Republic Steel Corp mine at Lyon Mountain shut down on July 1, 1967. The Chateaugay Branch from Dannemora to Lyon Mountain was removed sometime in 1969, after I left Plattsburgh (Nov 1968). It remained in service just about long enough to ship out the scrap from the mine and its railroad.

The entire branch was originally 3-foot gauge from Plattsburgh to Lake Placid, and it was standard-gauged in 1903. The first piece to go was from Saranac Lake to Plumadore Jct, when the D&H arranged for trackage rights on the NYCRR south of Plumadore, where the two RR's paralleled. Then it was taken up (right after WWII, I think but I'm not sure) between Plumadore Jct. and Standish. The piece between Standish and Lyon Mountain was also gone by the time I started work on the D&H in 1966, and I think had been gone more than ten years by that time.

[Trackmobile]

When was the line from Plattsburgh to Dannemora removed? When did the last train run on this part of the line? If anyone knows of a site or has any pictures of the branch in it`s later years (1960s-when torn up) it would greatly help out in my modeling effort of this branch.

[Trackmobile]

Anyone????

[CPSD40-2]

Which line is it that crossed Military Turnpike? I know that as you drive over the old crossing, there's still tracks in place up to the East side of the road.

That whole area has always been fascinating to me, the D & H has such a great history to it.

[RussNelson]

A bit of confusion here. The road that Champlain Division calls "Irish Settlement Road" is actually Military Turnpike. I was just there on Tuesday and took photos. http://www.flickr.com/photos/russnelson ... 747398981/ The rails of the former Chateaugay Branch are still in place up to there, although quite overgrown. The real Irish Settlement Road comes in from the west, crosses the Chateaugay Branch south of the junction with the Fredenburg Falls Branch, and T's in with Route 22 very close to I-87.

[march hare]

My first and only encounter with the line into Dannemora was in July 1970 on a trip with my Mom up to Montreal. I remember the encounter, because as we followed the line for a while, she told me that my aunt (her older sister) had her first school teaching job in Dannemora, and rode into town on the D&H. She did not paint a pretty picture of the sociological situation in Dannemora--evidently, my aunt had not enjoyed her two years teaching there at all.

As of 1970, the line was clearly out of service but the rails were still in.

[CPSD40-2]

Russ, thanks for posting those pics! As I drove over the Military Tpk crossing on Saturday, I wanted to stop and take a photo, but there was too much traffic. It is amazing how much track is still there, from South Junction all the way around "the long way" the locals used to take up through the late 90's. When I lived there, I can remember seeing them out along Rt 22, and thinking about what a roundabout way it was to go such a small distance, which is now covered by the new track further down the road.

[CR-SD50]

Anyone who's interested in this line, there's a book out there called "Where did the tracks go", which I read some years ago. From the style of writing, it looks like it was originally a college thesis or research paper, subsequently published and sold in bookstores. Anyway, the book described the routes and histories of railroads within the Adirondacks, including the Chateaugay-Lyon Mountain line. It had a good number of maps but no photos. It would be a good resource for finding the old routes.

You might also find more info at the Adirondack Museum in Blue Mountain Lake, NY.

[CR-SD50]

Addendum to my last post- it looks like the book has been revised and is now in three volumes-
http://www.catskill.net/purple/railroad.htm

[umtrr-author]

Yes, it has. In between "Where Did The Tracks Go" and the three volume set, there was a hardcover called "Railroads of the Adirondacks." I have all three iterations.

Michael Kudish is one of the authorities on this particular part of railroading. As he kept finding information he kept revising the books!

Volume Three of the current three volume set, titled "Where Did The Tracks Go in the Eastern Adirondacks," covers the D&H. The Lyon Mountain Branch is in Chapter 65, "The Chateaugay Railroad."

[Waiting4TheSun20]

Was the cadyville power plant ever served by rail? I have an old black and white picture of the cadyville dam and hydro-plant shot from a plane sometime during the late 40's/early 50's, and there appears to be what looks like a tank car parked on a track off of the branch.

[RussNelson]

It looks like three locations in the Cadyville area were served by sidings. Not sure if the location to which you refer is near any one of them. Note also that this line took a different route on the south side of the highway when it was narrow gauge. I've been there and ... you can still spot both railbeds, particularly at the Bench Mark at 593'. I took some pictures: http://www.flickr.com/map?&fLat=44.6913 ... _by=recent

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