NYC History for NYCSHS web site

The Adirondack Division article states that "In 1947 the NYC right of way from Lake Clear Junction north to Malone was closed and sold ". However Utica to Adirondack Junction (232 miles) was intact until 1960. Last freight from Lake Clear (Saranac) to Malone ran in 1960. Track was cut in 1960 Gabriels to Malone, 1962 Lake Clear Junction to Gabriels, and 1983 Malone to Canadian border.

Through passenger service from Utica to Montreal had ceased in 1953 however commuter runs from Malone to Montreal ran until 1958.

NYC ran a through freight train via Utica and Montreal, UM-1 and MU-2, which among other traffic handled bananas from Weehawken set off by WB-3 at Utica. That train and most other freight traffic was later rerouted via Watertown and Norwood, then via trackage rights on the Rutland to Malone Jct, then north on the NYC to Adirondack Jct. When the Rutland went out on strike in 1961 that train returned to the Adirondack for a short while, then began operating as DM-11 and MD-12 (Dewitt - Montreal) via new trackage rights on CN from Massena to Huntingdon, then via the original route to Adirondack Jct.

Thanks for the info, I will work those into the edits.

-otto-

Adirondack Division: the "1947" date was my mistake. Kudish gives several dates. He says: "Passenger service from here (Lake Clear Junction) north to Malone Junction was discontinued on December 13, 1957." Later he says: "When freight service was abandoned between Lake Clear Junction and Malone Junction on April 1, 1961, the almost 42-mile-long segment of track was removed except for five miles between Lake Clear Junction and Gabriels...". He then goes on to say that this 5-mile segment was used to deliver building materials to nearby Paul Smiths College. No date is given for the removal of this five mile segment. Later he states that by 1966 Niagara Mohawk had not yet run their power lines but that the poles were then in place. So no date was given for the transfer to Niagara Mohawk.

Thanks for picking up this error. And thanks in advance to Otto for incorporating the new information into my original write-up.

My 1960 versus Frank's 1961 date for when the line was cut is because I had used the ICC (now STB) abandonment notice date and they published it in 1960 probably effective 4/1/61.

The 1953 passenger cutoff date referred to through service Utica-Montreal. Don't have timetables readily available, but I suspect a Utica-Montreal passenger might have had a several hour wait for connections and this drove traffic down so that what schedule was left by 1957 was then abandoned.

I made some of the edits. Let me know if you would like to be credited, kinlock.

http://www.tsny.com/otto/nycrr/nyc_adirondack.html

Otto

Adirondack Division looks great and is factually correct. Now where is the St. Lawrence Division?

Ken Kinlock

Good job, guys. Thanks.

Good question- would anyone like to volunteer some info regarding the St. Lawrence Division? If someone would like to send me an overview, I will incorporate it.

-otto-