How the Adirondack Railroads Survived

The first railroads in the Adirondack Park were built exclusively for wealthy families to access their land. Both the size of the Adirondack Park and its lack of an efficient transportation system separated Adirondack landowners from their lands. In 1893, Dr. William Seward Webb funded the construction of the Adirondack’s first railroad when he could not access his private land in the heart of the Adirondacks. Seward-Webb’s railroad, the Malone-Mohawk rail line, enabled the landowner to transport timber from Nehasane, his estate within the park, to the market in the Mohawk Valley, south of the Adirondacks (“Adirondack Scenic Railway” 2015). In just 18 months, the railroad spanned over 100 miles and connected the outside world with the heart of the Adirondack Park. Not long after, the state of New York purchased the rail line, renaming it the New York Central Railroad (Maloney 2012). Since then, the New York Central Railroad has been used for utilitarian purposes, such as transporting logs and goods, as well as for commercial purposes like taking Great Camp visitors to and from their lodges.

However, in the early 1900’s, the logging industry slowed and fewer people visited Great Camps. Between the 1920’s and the 1950’s, more middle class families visited the Adirondack Park but drove themselves in super-popular automobiles. The Adirondack railroad system fell into disuse and was nearly abandoned. In 1963, New York Central petitioned the New York state government for a complete shut down of Adirondack railroads (“History” 2015).

Tourism brought the Adirondack railroads back into use. In the late 1960’s, when the Adirondack railroad was at its apex of disrepair, the Olympic Committee announced that Lake Placid would host the 1980 Olympic games. The Adirondack region began preparing for an influx of tourists that would come to watch the games. Between 1973 and 1980, New York State invested over 1 million dollars to fix the New York Central railroad lines (“History” 2015). Not only tourists but also Olympic athletes, families and their trainers then used those railroads to access the training and competition facilities. Trains ran at overcapacity between the Mohawk Valley and Lake Placid during the games. ADK railroads were able to persist and are now provide a vital resource for Adirondack industry.

After the Olympics, increased tourism to the Adirondack region kept railroads running. Tourists continued to ride trains to tour scenic regions in the Adirondack Park. Recently, railroad companies have become ingenuitive with their efforts to continue attracting customers. The companies plan “train robberies” and other fun events for kids and their families. To interest outdoors recreationalists, train companies have River and Rail excursions where tourists can take the train into the Adirondack Park to paddle and camp in the wilderness. For those opposed to paddling, train companies also offer Bike and Rail options where recreationalists are taken into the park by train, dropped off, and bike to camp in the Adirondack Park. In the year 2011, at least 70,000 people rode the New York Central Railroad in the Adirondack Park (Maloney 2012). While their destinations varied, these tourists all contributed to the persistence of Adirondack railroads.

History reveals that the Adirondack Railroads success depends on utilitarian and commercial demand for trains. While private companies still rely on the railroads for transporting raw materials, tourists create the biggest demand for Adirondack railroads. Yet, many people drive through the Adirondacks instead of taking trains. Looking forward, railroad companies in the Adirondacks will have to continue to find creative solutions to influence tourists to ride trains instead of driving through the Park.

***Thanks to Scott for his Writing Center revision***

Tripadvisor.com ~ Adirondack Railroads

Sources

“Adirondack Scenic Railroad. ” Adirondack Scenic Railroad. AdirondackRR.com. 2015. Web. 21 Apr. 2015. < http://www.adirondackrr.com/history.html>

“History.” The Adirondack Rail Trail. The Adirondack Rail Trail. 2015. Web. 21 Apr. 2015. <http://www.adirondackrailtrail.org/trail-history>

Maloney, Leo. “Adirondack Scenic Railroad: On Track For Adventure.” Adirondack Outdoors. Adirondack Outdoors Magazine, 2012. Web. 21 Apr. 2015. <http://www.adirondackoutdoorsmagazine.com/stories/news-story/adirondack-scenic-railroad-on-track-for-adventure/>