The four railroads that originally formed the Troy Union Railroad were the Rensselaer and Saratoga (D&H), Troy and Boston (B&M), Troy and Greenbush (NYC) and Schenectady and Troy (NYC). That's how the NYC ended up with half ownership of the TURR, and the others each had one quarter.
One primary reason for a railroad station in Troy, separate from Albany, was the civic pride and enlightened self interest of the businessmen of Troy. That also brought about the Schenectady and Troy Railroad, which was built by Troy interests so they would be better able to compete with Albany businesses for western commerce.
Another reason was the Rensselaer and Saratoga Railroad. Troy, and not Albany, was their original southern terminus. Even to the end of Troy Union Station, the D&H generally preferred to exchange trains with the NYC at Troy, and not Albany. For one reason, the equipment for a Troy train could go from Colonie to Troy with the engine in the lead, and turn the train on the wye at Troy. The Albany move had to be done in reverse in each direction.
Troy was the western terminus of the Boston and Maine, and they did not have rights to run to Albany. The Rutland trains that served Troy, and generally connected with the NYC, were actually B&M trains as soon as they crossed the state line at White Creek, even though they were run by Rutland engines and crews. That was a run-through agreement, not trackage rights, and the engine and crew hours were balanced by the B&M taking Rutland trains directly from Bellows Falls to Rutland.
The station building came down in 1958, almost as soon as the passenger service ended. In 1959, three of the station tracks remained - Tracks 3, 4 and 6 (numbered away from the river). Tower 1 at the south end of the station remained, but was closed. Tower 2 at the north end was open days 7 days per week, as was Tower 3 at River Street, the west end of the wye. The T&G Branch was still double track, with automatic block signals. Tower 2 effectively controlled the end of double track and the switch at the south end of the wye, as well as the north end formerly (until about 1940) controlled by Tower 4. Tower 3 controlled the west wye, and the junction with the T&S over on Green Island (on the D&H) as well as the locking for the Green Island Bridge.
Nearly all of the street crossings had crossing watchmen, on one trick in 1959-60. The main reason for keeping Towers 2 and 3 open was that they also handled the crossing gates on Grand Street (2), and River Street and Fifth Avenue (3).
In the summer of 1960 the interlocking at Tower 1 was retired and replaced by a manual switch between T&G tracks 1 and 2, leading into Station Track 6. Tracks 3 and 4 were removed, and the parking lot on the site of the former station building was expanded to the east by that much land.
By fall of 1960, the Rutland had gone through a strike and their Sunday operation through Troy was eliminated, so the TURR went onto a six-day week. By 1963 it was all gone.
