From the Glens Falls Post Star, 6/26/2000 Hadley rail station to be rebuilt By Maria M. Bucciferro, Staff Writer HADLEY -- Town officials have taken the first steps toward rebuilding the historic Delaware & Hudson railroad station, as part of plans to revitalize the historic rail line between North Creek and Saratoga Springs. The Victorian Gothic-style structure on Route 4 in Hadley was torn down by the railroad more than four decades ago to save money on town taxes. Hadley town Supervisor Thomas Mason said last week that the Warren County Board of Supervisors had granted conceptual approval for Mason's request for an easement between Warren County and Hadley to build a train station on county property in his town. A historic marker on Route 4 marks the spot where the train station, torn down in August 1958, once stood. The train crossing signal is still there, but the tracks are overgrown with weeds. Warren County bought the entire rail line from Hadley to North Creek five years ago, Mason said, and the county owns a 100-foot-wide section along the tracks. If Hadley builds the train station, it must maintain all liability and there must be no increased tax liability for Warren County, a county resolution states. "This will put the train station right back where the original train station was. We'll be looking at grants for actual construction," Mason said. "We'll try to reconstruct a miniaturized version of what was there." The town plans to use the parking lot in front of Hadley Town Hall for parking for the station, he said. The Upper Hudson River Railroad is in its second year of operation and has a contract with Warren County to run the train from North Creek to Riparius. The county has received a federal transportation grant of $4 million to refurbish the tracks and extend the scenic train line south to Hadley, said Pat Beland, Warren County's parks and recreation director. But the 20-percent local match still needs to be raised. "Until we can get that match, it sits," Beland said. "We're looking at different sources. I'm optimistic in the near future we'll begin rehabilitation of the track." Warren County owns the tracks down to Mt. Antone Road in Hadley. The goal is to connect with Saratoga County, and eventually Saratoga Springs, which will connect with Albany, New York City and other major hubs. "The long-term goal is to connect to the world," Beland said. "Right now, we want to keep heading south." Construction to restore the tracks to Hadley could take 12 to 16 months, he said. "When I get the money, the process starts." With ridership the first year of the Upper Hudson Rail Road at about 22,000, Beland said he's optimistic that bringing the scenic train to Hadley and other Saratoga County towns would be equally successful, especially as gasoline prices continue to climb. "What are we paying for gas now? Will people come back and use passenger trains to the Adirondacks? Certainly," Beland said. The Capital District Transportation Authority is administering the grant, which is part of the $21 million grant for upgrading the train station in Saratoga Springs and providing a commuter train to Albany, he said. ------------------ Stourbridge Lion stourbridge_lion@yahoo.com Delaware and Hudson Virtual Museum
