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...

Willimantic

I had to go to Willimantic today to pick up my repaired Doumbek so I thought "why not ride a bit of the rail trail?"Ages ago,  I did the Airline Trail East Chatham to Willimantic LINK > and last summer I rode the Hop River trail south from Bolton Notch ALMOST to Willimantic LINK > but there were a few gaps I wanted to ride.

The weather was nasty: cold and overcast so I only rode to and from the Mackey's Store but at least I nearly closed one of the "gaps".

I started here

Perhaps someone very overweight sat here? :-)

I am sure this is beautiful in the fall

Ah - how cool: a RR tie bench!

Lots of RR equipment here - will visit this summer!

At the junction - I was here back in 2016

Neat - see Further Info link below 

 I am sure there was a mill here long ago

Remnants of the Train Station Platform...

 I then drove further east and saw this massive former mill- WOW! (See Further Details Below)

Heres the famous Textile Museum right across from the mill - I will definitely will visit it this summer

Lastly the famous Frog Bridge ;-)

Further Info

• Jillson Mills
• Willimantic Freight House and Office
• History of Willimantic, The Thread City