Adirondack Centennial Railroad

One hundred years after the first trains passed through the area, a meager excursion line began operating a short four mile stretch of track from Thendara south to a road crossing near a small settlement of Minnehaha. The track would run alongside the west side of the Moose River, passing by a small lake created by a lock and dam and ending just short of the river bridge in Minnehaha. This bridge and the 24 miles of trackage south of there to the connection at Snow Junction with the Mohawk, Adirondack & Northern Railroad (Genesee Valley Transportation System), were all out of service and the only permitted use was the movement of unoccupied equipment to Thendara.

Even though the Adirondack Centennial Railroad was so short and barely touched the charms and mystique of the Adirondacks, the new operation had a great deal going for it. Not only was the new operation blessed with dedicated staff and volunteers, the Thendara Depot was located right along the major highway into the area. Once the volunteers opened up the overgrowth and cleaned the west side of the property to create parking, the depot was easily visible for all passing travelers. Daily stops by passing vacationers and campers brought thousands of riders trackside during the first season. Word of the train ride and its charm spread, as well as the reality that if the line showed success during this first season, that future growth would be possible. 1992 found over 50,000 passengers riding the Adirondack Centennial Railroad.

Adirondack Scenic Railroad (ADCX)

Each year since then, the railroad has expanded operations. First the expansion was simply over that first bridge at Minnehaha, then northward towards Carter Station, then southward towards Nelson Lake and then finally to Otter Lake, and beyond to Utica. Today, trackwork continues and the future will find trains heading north to Big Moose and beyond.   In 2000, the Adirondack Scenic also began excursions on a ten-mile stretch of track between Saranac Lake and Lake Placid.  As time, money and trackwork allow, the plan is to restore that corridor and as momentum builds, work the trackwork both south from Saranac and north from Big Moose so that one day the entire line will be available for through-excursion service. The Adirondack Scenic has been pursuing this goal, patiently, and with genuine persistence, one tie at a time. (see their "buy a tie" program under the volunteers section later in this article.)

Motive Power

The Adirondack Centennial Railroad began operation in 1992 leasing two privately owned locomotives. EMD SW1 # 68 which had previously operated for Hercules Powder, an industrial site in NJ, and an Alco S-1 #5, which had been the plant switcher for the American Locomotive Company in Schenectady, NY. The units were soon joined by privately owned Alco RS3 #8223, which ultimately allowed the release of the S-1 to another operation. The RS3 is painted as New York Central #8223 and the SW-1 would soon be repainted as NYC #705. These two locomotives would prove themselves reliable and handled all Adirondack growth until the extension of service south to Utica in 1998. Joining the Adirondack fleet were two more leased locomotives, a former Lehigh Valley Alco C420 (LV and D&H 408), and a former Alaska Railroad F7A #1508. The C420 was repainted as Adirondack Scenic RR #2064 during 1998 with the Alaska F7's paint modified for fall 2000 operations.  During late 1999, another pair of locomotives were leased to assist with the full slate of excursions. Toledo, Peoria & Western RR F7A #1500 joined the roster. The unit had been transferred east to the NYS&W when the TP&W was acquired by that line. The other newly acquired unit is an Alco C424 that is privately owned and had been owned and painted for the Massachusetts Central RR, operating out of Palmer, MA.  In addition to the previously mentioned motive power maintained at Thendara/Utica, the Adirondack also acquired a General Electric Co. 44-ton centercab which had previously operated on the New York, Ontario, and Western in NY State. The unit was trucked from its most recent assignment in Utah to Lake Placid.  [2004 update - the GE 44 tonner was sold, Alco C424 #4243 has been partially repainted, the Alco C420 #2064 returned to its owners, both 1500 and 1508 were repainted in the new "lightning-stripe" scheme but the 1500 is stored due to mechanical problems, another EMD GP9 is leased and in service and the railroad has acquired another F-unit, F10#1502 from Metro-North.]