Retracing the Kaydeross Railroad (Part Four)

I was back upstate for Presidents Day and convinced my friend Gary to join me for the continued trek up the Kaydeross River, exploring and documenting the old mills that were part of the Kaydeross Railroad. Sadly Gino could not join us for this trek.

Although I don't like to "repeat myself" and revisit the same spots twice - we did return to a few spots Gino and I had already visited back in December but the snow gave each spot a refreshingly different ambiance.

Pioneer Mill

First stop was the eerie (to me) Pioneer Mill. I noticed a foundation on the south side of the road I missed last time. In addition, a walk back over the creek gave a couple of new perspectives on the remaining ruins previously wandered thru and photographed.

Heisler Road Bridge

We next revisited the Heisler Road Bridge and this time wandered a bit north on the ROW. It quickly became overgrow and harder to discern where the track went amid the overgrowth and plethora of fallen trees.

Private Trolley Stop 

Our next location was a much more productive stop at George West's private trolley stop in Rock City Falls. It was a fairly easy trudge through the thick undergrowth and we were quickly rewarded with close up views of the stop and the ROW embankment that ran right next to the stone "hut."As the last photo indicates, the slate roof was already starting to deteriorate. It certainly is a shame that this has been neglected and not on "the list" of historic structures needing an historic sign and preservation...

 Theere was an old foundation nearby which probably was another house back then...

The Empire Mill

Our next stop was not visited on my last trip with Gino: The Empire Mill. There are numerous photos of this site on the web - many on a sunny beautiful day  (see Google Image Search - Empire Mill Rock City Falls NY) but my main interest was to get behind the mill and check out the old coal trestle.

 The Coal Trestle is visible from across the river...

Remnants of the Coal Trestle

 Eagle Mill
A return vist to Eagle Mill did provide a clearer view in the snow. Further across the creek were more ruins and it was tempting to try and cross the river on the ice but it really wasn't solid enough. Normally at this time of year,  crossing on the ice would have been possible but this winter has been abnormally warmer on the average so it would have been foolish to attempt it (sigh).

Axe Mill (Ballston Pulp & Paper)

On our revisit to the Axe Mill, we noticed a lawn chair and teepee (not in the photo) near the ruins across the river. Apparently some hearty souls were braving the cold and winter camping!

Sulphite Mill

Lastly, our trip to the Sulphite Mill was rewarding because (as mentioned) the ambiance was completely different with everything being blanketed by snow.

Its kind of hard to visualize in this puny picture but as we hiked back up the hill, the Planing Mill, looming high up on the hillside above us, felt like a medieval watchtower, ominously perched to guard against invading forces! :-)

We finished off the trek with Burgers and Beer at the Factory. 

The Factory, being another former mil superbly "refurbished" as a restaurant was the perfect spot to reconnect once again with the modern world.:-) 

Trolley History Tour - Ballston Spa

Ballston Spa has an interesting history of trains and street cars. At one time, it was serviced by three trolley lines and the railroad. Now of course the large curved embankment long since abandoned by the Delaware & Hudson (D&H) dominates the landscape but there are vestiges of the trolley lines around town as well if you know where to look.

On Dev 26th, before we ventured up the Kaydeross Valley in search of the old mills, Gino DiCarlo took me on a quick loop thru town. Knowing my interest in the trolley era, he wanted to point out a few “not so obvious landmarks” of once omnipresent street car lines.

Map Overview

The map below illustrates the various railroad and trolley lines including the now filled in river and "the island."

Base Map from http://www.openrailwaymap.org

Walking Tour

A walk up the short hill on Prospect Street gave us a glance at how the Kaydeross Railroad (KVRR) came in thru the town. Bath Street was the old electric railroad’s right of way. 

At the old Union Mill - looking south

This is Bath Street - built on the ROW of the Kaydeross Trolley 

We strolled on by the old Tannery...

This was once a thriving industry

...and Gino pointed out where the Schenectady Railway (SRW) snuck across what is now just an insignificant driveway to descend onto Washington Street.

Note ascending pavement - this was the route of the SRW

The old Hudson Valley Railway (HVRW) offices still stand proudly on Front Street but apparently the SRW wan’t allowed to connect with its competitor at this location. 

The two lines came close at the corner of Milton and Washington but never connected! Only when the D&H bought and merged them was a direct connection finally made!

Today

Yesteryear (from the Gino DiCarlo Collection)

Curious cement abutments right over Gordon Creek by the old hot dog place indicates where the SRW crossed and the abutments parallel to the Mechanic Street Bridge over the Kaydeross Creek are remnants of it’s continued route northward.

Looking east from Milton Avenue over the Gordon Creek crossing

Why is this strange short cement wall here? It was where the SRW crossed!

Mechanic Street Bridge

The abutment was where the SRW crossed

A dam and cement remnants at the Mechanic Street bridge are vague reminders of the early mills here

The Now Missing Island

What’s equally fascinating is that a sizable chunk of this area was actually an island replete with a foundry and a mill - appropriately named “Island Mill.” 

This view is looking east from the Rt 50 bridge over the Kaydeross -
 the area to the right was once an island!

Mills highlighted in green

What Happened to Galway Street?

Galway Street was once a rail yard.

Note Rail Yard and Turntable

See the view now -  Google Street View > 

(Galway Street at Science St intersection - looking east)

Take a Google Street View Tour

Bath Street 

At the Mills - North

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.008087,-73.8510289,3a,75y,23.9h,89.07t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sD_TIOw2XcJ9YQgexs5o_Aw!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo2.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DD_TIOw2XcJ9YQgexs5o_Aw%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D95.748642%26pitch%3D0!7i13312!8i6656

At the Mills - South

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.008087,-73.8510289,3a,75y,207.23h,82.17t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sD_TIOw2XcJ9YQgexs5o_Aw!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo2.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DD_TIOw2XcJ9YQgexs5o_Aw%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D95.748642%26pitch%3D0!7i13312!8i6656

The Tannery Alleyway

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.00397,-73.851308,3a,75y,218.26h,88.77t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sRo17tcW3Ai7yuZZrsB3jag!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

The Driveway Descent

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.0029997,-73.8512712,3a,75y,253.83h,71.54t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1shJDD4-_oX-WMQjO5IvgoaA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Main Street - The Two shall Not Meet!

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.0033843,-73.8489061,3a,37.5y,12.28h,86.08t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s2P15OcFTPP6raQWkCZiTbA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

HVRW Stop on Front Street

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.0024133,-73.85098,3a,90y,326.25h,90.29t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1szYdvyHRZjjGYZtzk5N__ew!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Milton Ave crossing Gordon Creek (SRW abutment remnants are here)

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.0048692,-73.8490806,3a,75y,123.46h,75.45t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s40WIuXqOMuH5cAMXhosy_Q!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Mechanic Street Bridge Abutment

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.0080221,-73.8473803,3a,75y,336.07h,73.29t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s3yliZGpc5nWMmSXSS6faww!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo2.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3D3yliZGpc5nWMmSXSS6faww%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D105.9983%26pitch%3D0!7i13312!8i6656

Saratoga County Picture Gallery

Direct Links to Timothy Starr's Historical Photos

http://ballstonhistory.angelfire.com/pictures.htm

Delaware & Hudson passing over the Kayaderosseras Creek
Source: http://ballstonhistory.angelfire.com/images/pic03.jpg

Delaware & Hudson through Ballston Spa
Note Turntable -- This was the approach to the Galway Street Rail Yard
Source: http://ballstonhistory.angelfire.com/images/pic10.jpg

Sans Souci Hotel, built in 1803 and torn down in 1887
Source: http://ballstonhistory.angelfire.com/images/souci.jpg

Further Recommended Reading

The Paper Bag King - A Biography of George West
http://ballstonhistory.angelfire.com/west.htm

Lost Industries of Saratoga County
http://ballstonhistory.angelfire.com/industrial.htm

Ballston Spa, New York (Wikipedia)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballston_Spa,_New_York)

Retracing the Kaydeross Railroad (Part Three)

Part Three - 

A Few More Mills, the Powerhouse, Boice Park Trails and the Bridge

After leaving the Axe Mill site we continued northward.

County Farm Crossing

Our first stop was the County Farm Crossing. There used to be a road bridge here but it has been removed for quite a while. A short jaunt down the hill took us to the ROW.

ROW looking south

ROW looking north

National Mill

The National Mill remnants were located on private property so a thorough hiking exploration wasn't "in the cards". But there were a few mill remnants easily visible--even using Bing aerials.

Sadly, we didn't get a chance to sniff out what appears to be the former dam across the creek.

Bing Aerial

The Powerhouse

Next was a visit to what was once the Trolley's system's powerhouse, now restored as a lovely apartment building. Gino pointed out the bracket that held the trolley wires (it's a nice touch even tho' the tracks actually ran on the other side of the building...)

Historical Photo: Powerhouse (on the left) and Car barn (on right)

From the Gino DiCarlo Collection

Eagle Mill

At the intersection of Rock City Falls Road and Sherman Road--at a designated Angler's spot--you can see the Eagle Mill remnants.

What's perplexing about this spot is that it appears the creek has been rerouted to the east side of the mill subsequent to the mill's abandonment. The Valuation Map showed the main flow of the creek on the west side of the mill!

Valuation Map courtesy of Gino DiCarlo
and the Saratoga Springs Public Library History Room.

Eagle Mill - Craneville, NY

Remnants of the dam are visible a little further downstream

Panorama shows where the old path of the creek probably went

There was a mysterious ruin lurking in the woods across the creek as well.

Driveway

Following the Trolley ROW on old maps or Bing or Google aerials indicates the ROW veered from the road at this driveway.

Pioneer Mill

The Pioneer Mill in West Milton was a spooky spot for me. The weather was darkening with a sky full of nasty gray clouds and it appeared (although we weren't sure) that someone lived on the grounds. I hastily took a few shots as Gino scoffed at my paranoia.

Valuation Map courtesy of Gino DiCarlo
and the Saratoga Springs Public Library History Room.

Railroad spurs

Looking south from the road  - this was spur #1

Spur #2

This is a Google Street View of the Spillway

Boice Park

Right up the road about 50 ft or so from the Pioneer Mill remnants was the mainline ROW. This has been designated as the Blue Trail (Trail Map >).  I plan on returning in the summer months to mountain bike it.

A bit further up the road, a housing development has been started and the trail (ROW) runs through it.

Looking south

From the development, we hiked in going northward as far as we could...

But eventually the overgrowth was too much to navigate through...

Looking back at the ROW

It would be nice (depending on property ownership of course) if the trail could be developed and continue on to the bridge...

Enhanced aerial showing the ROW

The Bridge

It was getting late in the day and increasingly darker so the last spot we explored was the trolley bridge on Heisler Road.

The ROW going northeasterly from Heisler Road

Trolley Stop

The Rock City Falls mills and whatever can found up at Middlegrove will have to wait for another trek but Gino directed me briefly to the trolley stop.

Other Photos:

Flicker Photo > | NY Existing Stations >

It was a great trek and whetted our appetite for future explorations...

Further Info

• Kaydeross Railroad (Wikipedia) >
• Old Maps (Beers) >
• Ballston History >  (Lost Industries of Saratoga County)
• Saratoga County Historical Society >

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