This past weekend was a glorious fall day, so the family went up to ride the brand new (2022) Saratoga, Corinth & Hudson Railway. It runs on part of the old D&H North Creek branch line that connected Saratoga Springs to North Creek and ended at the mine in Tahawus.
This isn't the first time I have traveled these tracks. In 2009 I rode the former Upper Hudson River Railroad which ran from North Creek to Hadley. This line lost its lease in 2010, and the railroad tracks were later taken over by the Saratoga & North Creek Railroad. We rode them in 2012, taking the train from Saratoga Springs all the way to North Creek and back. They went out of business in 2018, but the tracks didn't lay dormant for long. In 2020, we went rail-biking with the Revolution Rail Company along the tracks south of North Creek. And now there is the SC&H. These tracks just never die, apparently!
The train was masked in deep shadows for much of the morning but the five car train was painted really well and looked like the former D&H "The Adirondack". The engine was old Alco #5, the former Alco plant switcher. How it lasted this long is amazing, but we are deep in Alco country. The first car was an open-air car that you had to purchase tickets for a chair to sit on, but standing was allowed for all passengers on the train. Due to the crisp weather on the morning we rode, I doubt that it was a fun ride. My wife and I love open air cars but we didn't go out there at all.
The next car was a former Union Pacific coach that had been upgraded by Amtrak in the 1970s. It had wall to ceiling carpet, chairs that reclined with built in tables, and large picture windows. That is where we rode, and it was extremely roomy. The next car was a "first class" dining car with tables and chairs. I don't know if food or drink were served in it, but it looked nice from the outside. This was followed up by a baggage car which had been converted into a generator car that also provided heat for the train.
Bringing up the rear was a restored observation car that passengers could ride ("Pullman service") for an additional fare. It looked gorgeous from the outside.
The scenery was the typical Adirondack scenery... mostly trees and water. It was nice, but I wish there had been more interesting things to view. We did cross a couple of bridges, roll by some abandoned train tracks, and pass a couple of interesting buildings. The trip lasted about an hour total (30 minutes one way, 30 minutes back) which seemed right. I can only stare at trees for so long.
Harrison seemed to enjoy the trip, and he became very popular with the two ladies across the aisle. Depending on how you interpret things, this was likely his first real train ride. Yes, he has been on a real train before but that was a caboose at a fairground. Yes, he has ridden two trains before but they were either 7.25" gauge at a live steam club or 24" gauge at a playground. And he had fun... when he wasn't trying to blow bubbles with his mouth.
I hope to ride it again next year, perhaps in the cab (they offer that too) with my friend who is their engineer. And I hope the weather is warmer so that I can try out the open air car. But, it was a wonderful fall excursion nevertheless.
Hopefully you made it out onto the open air car (ex. Monon). I enjoyed the entire ride when I visited, but of the three places I spent time in (the coach, the cab, and the open air) it was probably my favorite. There's just something about floating along through the forest.
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