Passenger and Freight Depots

Passenger and Freight Depots. . , The Albany-Hudson Electric Trail follows the route of a thirty-seven-mile-long electrified rail line that connected its namesake cities from 1900 to 1929. This interurban line, which used electricity to power high-speed travel between cities and villages separated by rural areas, incorporated a variety of buildings serving passenger and freight traffic., History and Impact , The Albany-Hudson line spurred economic growth in the communities it served. The rail company generated electricity at Stuyvesant Falls and ran its own amusement park, "Electric Park," at Kinderhook Lake. The line was successful through World War I. After the war, automobiles and bus lines eventually eroded profits, and the last train ran on December 22, 1929., Stations and Service , Albany Hudson line trolley cars stopped hourly at East Greenbush, East Schodack, Nassau, North Chatham, Electric Park, Niverville, Valatie, Kinderhook, Stuyvesant Falls, Rossman Crossing, Stockport Centre, Empire, and Stottville. Over almost thirty years, millions of commuters, shoppers, and excursionists passed through these depots. which were busy centers of community life where people got mail, packages, and news from the outside world., Style and Survivors , Passenger depots were distinctive buildings. Overhanging roofs sheltered passengers from the elements, and platform doors opened onto passenger waiting rooms and freight storage. A bay window gave depot agents a clear view of the tracks. Today, trail users pass by surviving depots at East Greenbush, North Chatham, Valatie, Kinderhook, and a flag-stop shelter at North Chatham, all now private property., (photos counterclockwise from top left) , KINDERHOOK DEPOT , But in 1900 classic passenger depot design was also used of Nassau. Depots were gateways to the outside world for communities along the line. Source: Nassau Village Historian., VALATIE DEPOT , This 1905 depot was built to replace a dilapidated earlier built freight building. This design, using imitation stone blocks, was copied for the Stottville depot. Source: Lee Sharp., NASSAU INTERIOR , Nassau depot agents handled ticket sales, freight, mail, and railway safety communications. Source: Nassau Village Historian., SCHODACK CENTRE FLAG STOP , The Albany-Hudson line had over thirty small unmanned "fag stop" shelters like this one where passengers could stop a trolley car by waving an arm, flag, or lantern. Source: Schodack Town Historian., STUYVESANT FALLS MILK HOUSE , Albany-Hudson line daily freight trains collected locally produced milk in cans stored in ice-cooled buildings like this one along the rail line Source: Town of Stockport/Alice Engel., EAST GREENBUSH DEPOT , This unusual two-story passenger depot was the only one of its kind on the Albany-Hudson trolley line. Source: East Greenbush Historian., ELECTRIC PARK DEPOT , This long narrow depot housed six ticket windows to handle sudden throngs of eager arrivals at Electric Park, the Albany-Hudson line's own amusement park on Kinderhook Lake at Niverville. Source"Nassau Village Historian., NORTH CHATHAM DEPOT/SUBSTATION , Of the three brick electrical substations providing power for the rail line, this is the only survivor and the only one that doubled as a passenger depot. Source: Nassau Village Historian.