Unused Rensselaer, N.Y., station buildings demolished Published: February 1, 2011 Trains Online News Wire. "RENSSELAER, N.Y. — Workers have finished demolishing two unused former station buildings in Rensselaer, Amtrak’s Albany-area station stop. The 1968 Penn Central station and the 1980 Amtrak station have been demolished to enable platform work at the current station, completed in 2002. "Amtrak has used $187,500 in federal stimulus money to fund the project. When complete, a fourth track will be added and platforms will be extended. Currently, when all three existing tracks are occupied, incoming trains must wait until platform space is available. "Further improvements in the works include reinstalling a second main track between Albany and Schenectady, N.Y., plus improved track and signals. "The Albany/Rensselaer site took the place of Penn Central’s downtown Albany station when it closed in 1968. Today it serves Empire Service trains from New York Penn Station, plus the Chicago-Boston/New York Lakeshore Limited and the New York-Montreal Adirondack." The article also raises a question...when was the main between Albany and Schenectady reduced to a single track? I may be wrong, but I thought it had four tracks back in the late 40s when I last rode up Albany Hill. Of course that was over 60 years ago and a lot more has departed my head than just my hair.....:tb-embarrassed:
That's the way I remember it Hank, four tracks. No clue when it was single tracked, but long after I left the area. Appropriate this appeared on the anniversary of the demise of the Central. :tb-sad:
