The Adirondack Railway (originally Adirondack Company) was a

railroad Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport using wheeled vehicles running in railway track, tracks, which usually consist of two parallel steel railway track, rails. Rail transport is one of the two primary means of ...

that connected

Saratoga Springs Saratoga Springs is a city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 28,491 at the 2020 census. The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the area, which has made Saratoga a popular resort destination for over ...

North Creek, New York North Creek is a census-designated place and hamlet in the Adirondack Park, in the town of Johnsburg, in Warren County, New York, United States. It is an area known for skiing ( Gore Mountain), hiking and other outdoor recreational activities ...

, a distance of . Built by Dr.

Thomas Clark Durant Thomas Clark Durant (February 6, 1820 – October 5, 1885) was an American physician, businessman, and financier. He was vice-president of the Union Pacific Railroad (UP) in 1869 when it met with the Central Pacific railroad at Promontory Su ...

, vice-president of the

Union Pacific Railroad The Union Pacific Railroad is a Railroad classes, Class I freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Pacific is the second largest railroad in the United Stat ...

, it was started in 1864 and completed in 1871. After Durant's death, it was taken over by his son,

William West Durant William West Durant (1850–1934) was a designer and developer of camps in the Adirondack Architecture, Adirondack Great Camp style, including Camp Uncas, Camp Pine Knot and Great Camp Sagamore which are National Historic Landmarks. He was t ...

, who sold it to the

Delaware and Hudson Canal Company The Delaware and Hudson Railway (D&H) is a railroad that operates in the Northeastern United States. In 1991, after more than 150 years as an independent railroad, the D&H was purchased by the Canadian Pacific Railway (CP). CP, which would it ...

in 1889. The two companies officially merged on November 5, 1902. A stage-coach line was established to take passengers to Durant properties at

Blue Mountain Lake Blue Mountain Lake may refer to: * Blue Mountain Lake (Arkansas), a reservoir in Arkansas * Blue Mountain Lake (New York lake), a lake in Hamilton County in the central Adirondacks, New York * Blue Mountain Lake (hamlet), New York, a hamlet in the T ...

and further by water to

Raquette Lake Raquette Lake is the Source (river or stream), source of the Raquette River in the Adirondack Mountains of New York (state), New York U.S. state, State. It is near the community of Raquette Lake, New York. The lake has of shoreline with pines ...

. The Adirondack branch remained part of the D&H system and is still partially in use. Saratoga County Railroads

References

* Donaldson, Alfred L., ''A History of the Adirondacks.'' New York: Century, 1921. . * Gilborn, Craig. ''Durant: Fortunes and Woodland Camps of a Family in the Adirondacks''. Utica, NY: North Country Books, 1981. *

External links

The Adirondack Branch of the Delaware & Hudson Railroad
Defunct New York (state) railroads Predecessors of the Delaware and Hudson Railway Railway companies established in 1882 Railway companies disestablished in 1902 Passenger rail transportation in New York (state) 1882 establishments in New York (state) American companies established in 1882 {{NewYork-transport-stub