Albany-Hudson Electric Trail - Valatie Southward...

On Wednesday, I rode a section of the Albany-Hudson Electric Trail.  A former trolley line that ran all the way from Albany down to Hudson, it often paralleled the scenic Kinderhook Creek. Its fairly flat and an easy ride. I parked on Main Street right in downtown Valatie and rode the trail down to the Rossman Falls vicinity before heading back.

Basically "where I rode"

Downtown Valatie 
(Google Street View)

Valatie Depot

Mills Park Depot

Wildlife :-)

Scenic!

Chittendens Falls
(Now known as Rossman Falls)

Further Info

The Albany-Hudson Electric Trolley corridor runs from Hudson to Rensselaer in New York State. An electric trolley ran on the corridor for 30 years before closing in 1929. 

Albany-Hudson Electric Trail

Lots of good history info here:

Trolley Rail Line History, Electric Trolley Depots, Mohican Homelands, etc.

The Albany Hudson Fastline

Great History Stuff Here

Portland - Abandoned Airline RR

Today I decided to hike the abandoned railroad bed in Portland, CT. This stretch was part of the Air Line built way back in 1873 as a more direct route between New York City and Boston.

I parked at the Golf Shop on Rt 66 and hiked up the short hill to get to the flat raised embankment.

Surprisingly, it was well used - probably a favorite of local ATVers.

There were still plenty of railroad ties in the ground!

I even spotted a couple of dinosaurs! <wink>

railroad ties

Ah - a rock cut!
Overgrown for sure but still cool...

There were numerous off shoots of ATV trails. Some of them were apparently old farm or logging roads.

(The trail/rr went straight)

Looking uphill (to the right)
Side  trail offshoot...

Another overgrown rock cut

End of the line

On the way back...

railroad tie

on the side... ?

"snake" vine

I believe--from the amount of chiseled  brownstone boulders strewn along the short climb up from the road--the incline here was much less and tapered possibly with a bridge as well...