I took Monday off from work and my original intention when traveled back the CT from the Capital District was to ride the Albany Helderberg Rail Trail. It's an abandoned stretch of former D&H tracks converted to a rail trail.
Albany Helderberg Rail Trail
When I got to where it begins in Albany, it was incredibly nasty cold, very windy and overcast so I opted to ride it at another time.
At the start of the trail (in South Albany)
A dispenser for sun block (yellow) and a bike tool stand- how nice!
Hibernia Bridge
Traveling south on the Taconic, I decided to revisited the Hibernia Bridge abutments on Wappinger Creek. Although it is much more overgrown since my previous visit in 2015 (link), now there is a wood chip pathway and a lovely bench at the abutment. Not sure if it was built by a neighbor or the town but its nice to know the ancient stonework gets appreciated.
9-7-2017 - A stroll along along the waterfront walkway today revealed a troubling change. The signs that previously detailed the waterfront history have been replaced by the ever ubiquitous real estate adverts. What a shame!
Last October
Now...
What historical signage still remains is sadly cracked, worn out and/or riddled with graffiti. It was a sad and sorry sight but...
The Good
…There’s a small but very sweet tribute to the DL&W near the water’s edge...
..and the terminal itself still preserves much of the grandeur of its past glory.
And the maps and signage by the ferry slips are very well done and informative.
Crappy overcast and rainy weather but with a forecast for a clearer afternoon made me get started late and detour up to Morrisville to check on any remaining railroad vestiges before I ventured east to ride the rail trail.
Morrisville
The Morrisville Train Station has been wonderfully restored as a coffee shop and also serves as a trailhead for the rail trail northward.
Nicely restored/preserved
Looking Westward
Looking Eastward
East of the Station
Looks like a pretty serious BBQ!
West Danville
I stopped at West Danville to start my rail trail ride but it started to rain so I ducked onto this quaint spot: a post office and a general store - where I had a homemade beef stew while wanting for the rain to subside.
Danville
Still looking lousy outside, I decided to drive to Danville and start my trek there but first….
I checked out the train station!
Riding the Rail Trail
I started my ride at Marty’s. The sky look ominous but the rain never returned!
Once riding, I did notice this tie plate but otherwise there were very few remnants of the railroading days present.
Once I saw this, I immediately burst into the Beatles Song! :-)
There are quite a few rock cuts on this section of the rail trail (I really enjoy the sensation of riding thru a rail cut).
I have made a brief "one-handed" video of some of the highlights of ride- ENJOY!
On my return back up to Danville, I noticed this pile of ties off to the side.
Trail End (St. Johnsbury)
The trail ends in this nondescript site so I just turned around and rode straight back (but going up the entire way took a little longer).
St. Johnsbury Depot
After my ride, I drove down to St. Johnsbury and visited the railroad station. It is now a welcome center and museum.
Museum Photo - in the heyday of railroading
This was marvelous - see the B&M design etched in the leather?
At one point, 14 railroad tracks traversed the village and White River Junction was known as an important railroad center. Union Station was built in 1937 by the Boston & Maine Railroad company on the foundation of the 1880 building. It served the Boston and Maine Railroad and the Central Vermont Railway. (More about the Steam Locomotive refer to #52)
