Adirondack Railroad Revives Tracks Ravaged by Storms, Passenger Services Resume
The railroad celebrated a major victory in battling the extensive flood damage to its lines across Central and Upstate New York.
Great news for train lovers! After weeks of tireless work, some Adirondack Railroad services are finally running again. Miles of lines had been rendered inoperable due to repeated washouts and storm damage.
The work continues...
At the moment, the company has reopened passenger service between Utica and Old Forge. Excursions for that line resumed August 17. However, the company said miles of track still need to be rehabilitated.
What happened?
After a string of intense storms ripped across parts of Central and Upstate NY, the Adirondack Railroad was forced most of their excursions to grind to a halt.
The severe weather washed away miles of track, leaving rails to dangle precariously in the air. Multiple lines were shut down for immediate repair.
Due to the recent flooding and storm damage in the Old Forge and Tupper Lake areas we regret to advise that all train rides to and from Thendara (Old Forge) and Tupper Lake that are scheduled from 8/10 – 8/13/2023 have been suspended while track work is being done. We are working closely with local and State officials to to repair any damage to the track. For any scheduled trains after 8/13/2023 please check back for current operating conditions.
Repair work is expected to continue into the fall. Adirondack Railroad President Frank Kobliski assured repair work won't interfere with those hoping to catch breathtaking autumnal views of the leaves.
He told WKTV, "This makes possible the return to service of about 75 percent of our scheduled trains, in time for the upcoming foliage season."
Summer storms continue to pose a risk
This summer has been wetter than average and has also produced several violent storms.
Portions of Central and Upstate NY were recently devastated by a series of twisters. Snow Ridge Ski Resort was damaged by an EF3 tornado, which produced winds up to 140 miles per hour.
Elsewhere, parts of the state struggled through unprecedented flooding. The village of Liverpool was doused by seven inches of rain while the Great Northern Mall in Clay suffered a "catastrophic" roof collapse.
Unfortunately, we're not done with these extreme weather systems as we enter hurricane season. Additionally, more rain is scheduled for this week's forecast, with showers expected Tuesday and Friday.
Whether or not the weather will impose future setbacks to the Adirondack Railroad has yet to be seen.
