The Empire State Trail

The Empire State Trail. at Village of Nassau. , Why is It Called the Albany-Hudson Electric Trail? , The "AHET" name honors the trail's history as well as its present-day use. The 36-mile rail-trail follows the route of an electric trolley that operated from 1899 to 1929, running from downtown Albany through Rensselaer and Columbia Counties to the City of Hudson. The trolley revolutionized transportation in the area, providing a high-speed alternative to horse and mule travel on muddy roads. At its heyday in 1915, the electric trolley. logged 1.4 million annual riders, spurring dramatic growth in communities along the route. In December 1929, the growing popularity of automobiles, coupled with the Great Depression, led to the trolley's demise. Today, the former rail corridor along which you are traveling is owned by National Grid, providing a vital link in the region's electricity distribution network., Nassau's Piano Builders , The Kosegarten Brothers Piano Action Factory was Nassau's major employer for many years. Origins of the firm date back to 1837 in Albany. The factory moved to Bunker Hill, several miles west of Nassau, and remained there until a fire destroyed it. The new factory was located here on John Street where it prospered. By 1915, over 30 percent of the working population of Nassau Village was employed by the firm. The factory whistle signaled the start and end of shifts and also sounded the alarm for the fire department. The Kosegarten building still stands just across the street from here, and now functions as a private apartment building.