8 THE CALL BOARD

NEWSLETTER OF THE MOHAWK & HUDSON CHAPTER, N.R.H.S.

The D&H Albany Main

By Thom Coates The Delaware & Hudson's "Albany Main", which runs from Kenwood Yard in Albany southwest through Delmar, Slingerlands, Voorheesville and Altamont before connecting with the D&H mainline at Delanson, has a source of news and controversy within the past few months. The Delaware & Hudson has proposed to abandon the line, although it has not actually begun the abandonment process. A private group of bicyclists has proposed that the line be ripped up and turned into a trail for bicycling and hiking. Another group, spearheaded by members ofthe Mohawk & Hudson Chapter and the Empire State Passengers Association, has proposed that the "Albany Main" be preserved for future rail transportation uses including a tourist railroad and future commuter use, as well as carrying the existing freight. Fortunately, members of the Mohawk & Hudson Chapter and ESPA have, through persistence and hard work, persuaded key members ofthe Albany County Legislature to propose a resolution directing the County Executive to negotiate with the D&H for county acquisition of the line in order to preserve it for future rail use, and to apply for ISTEA (Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act) grant funds to do it.

Alco RS-3 #4054,in black paint with yellow safety stripes, leads a southbound D&H way freight leaving Kenwood on the "Albany Main" in May of 1961. Built as the Albany 8: Susquehanna Railroad in 1863, it was chartered on April 19, 1851. (Photo by Don Barbeau)

NEWSLETTER OF THE MOHAWK & HUDSON CHAPTER, N.R.H.S. Two or three months ago there seemed to be little hope of saving the railroad line. The "rails-to-trails" people are politically savy, well organized and well funded. Their argument was that they would be "saving the transportation corridor", though there has never been a "rail-trail" returned to a rail line once the tracks have been removed. They even got another well-heeled group to pledge $1-2 million to buy the property - as long as it didn't remain a railroad line. The good news is that we're gaining ground. We have convinced a sizeable number of county legislators that keeping the railroad is the most desireable thing to do, though how to pay for it is naturally a concern. We understand that at least two potential shortline operators have stepped forward in the past couple of weeks and expressed interest in operating the line. And county officials are now beginning to try to figure out how to finance the acquisition. One by one the obstructions are being removed and the goal seems possible to attain. The views on these pages of activity on the "Albany Main" in years gone by, which were kindly provided by Don Barbeau, remind us of what was once an integral part of the Capital District transportation network, bustling on a daily basis with freight and passenger trains. Not only were there local freights, as shown on these pages, but there were through freights running between Albany (Kenwood Yard) and Binghamton as recently as ten years ago or less. In the steam era, before the D&H dieselized, there were many more trains on this line, including several daily passenger trains. In fact, at one time there were commuter trains from Altamont which carried workers and shoppers into Albany and home again on a daily basis. We can't bring all that back, as pleasant as those memories are to us as railroad enthusiasts, nor is that the purpose of our efforts. The purpose of our efforts is to find the best uses for this valuable resource in the short term so that it may be preserved for the long-term benefit of others in the future. We'd like to have your help and support. Thanks! (Thomas J. Coates, 63 Severson Hill Rd., Voorheesville, NY 12186)

THE CALL BOARD

The northbound Binghamton Local descends through the Normans Kill Gorge in December of 1960 with an Aleo RS-2 on the point. It is hard to believe that this scenic route, pictured above, is within the Albany City limits. The New York State Thruway is seen crossing over the Normans Kill. (Photo by Don Barbeau)

A southbound D&H way freight approaches the diamond where the D&H crosses the New York Central at Voorheesville on a cold January day in 1965. By this time the paint scheme on RS-3 #40xx has been changed to the "lighning-stripes". Notice the end-cupola caboose. Photo is taken from the area ofthe former Voorheesville passenger station. (Photo by Don Barbeau)

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D&H Alco PA #19 leads an excursion equipment ferry move southbound through the Normanskill Gorge in September of 1973. This part of the D&H "Albany Main", where it traverses the Normanskill, is the steepest grade on the line. (Photo by Don Barbeau)

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