Adirondack Scenic Railroad

The Adirondack Scenic Railroad had its beginnings in a wealthy man's desire to gain access to his hunting preserve in the north. In 1890, Dr. William Seward Webb financed a railroad to go through the Adirondacks. On July 1, 1892, the first train rolled from Herkimer to Thendara and on Oct. 24, 1892, the first through train from New York City to Montreal. The railroad provided service to communities but with gradually decreasing patronage, passenger service ended in April 1965 and freight service in 1972. In 1975, New York state purchased the abandoned line. In 1977, The Adirondack Railroad Corporation contracted with the state to run a passenger service between NYC and Lake Placid for the 1980 Olympic Games. The lease eventually terminated in 1981.

Abandoned once more, the line seemed destined for oblivion until a bunch of rail enthusiasts proposed to operate a short section of the line. On July 4, 1992 the Adirondack Centennial Railroad ran its first train out of Thendara station. In July,1994 the Adirondack Centennial Railroad became the Adirondack Scenic Railroad, which is operated by the Adirondack Railway Preservation Society, Inc. (ARPS). Through the work of this non-profit, about 70 miles of track are now available for passenger service.

For the train enthusiast or for just the casual tourist, the Adirondack Scenic Railroad offers a variety of scenic tours as well as packages and special train productions like murder mysteries and polar express.

From Kayuta Lake, one can catch the train at the Thendara station which is on Route 28 North, just south of Old Forge. One lazy afternoon, we decided to try the short train ride to Otter Lake, a 20 mile roundtrip with views of hills, creeks and bogs. A train robbery by the Loomis gang culminating in showdown with the sheriff added just a little excitement to the trip.



Maybe next time, I'll try the Adirondack High Peaks Wilderness Train adventure, a 20 mile round trip from Lake Placid to Saranac Lake.