The Albany County Rail Trail

Several years back, the D&H Railroad abandoned the Slingerlands Railroad, that runs from the Port of Albany out to Altamont. This route had fallen out of favor for main freight line that runs from the Selkirk Railyard, north through Altamont.

I wasn’t a supporter of the rail trail, as I believe it will be an impediment in the future to preserve the right-of-away, for whatever future needs might come along — be it a bus rapid transit, a new rail line, or some future method of moving people and freight

I also maintain that rail trails are boring, overly straight routes, built for the convience of large locomotives pulling freight at high speeds, and not for recreational hiking or biking, at much lower speeds. Being that one can only bike or walk at speeds less then 25 MPH — and that bicycles aren’t even allowed yet — the trail seems relatively uninteresting at a walking speed.

Currently the rail trail runs from Slingerlands Fire Station down to the Delaware Avenue Bridge. West of Slingerlands Fire Station, the trail is posted No Tresspassing by the county, but east of Delaware Avenue Bridge, the trail is unmaintained but not posted.

Hiking under the Cherry Avenue Extension Bridge.

One of the filled in areas where the rail line once run.

Gully as seen from the rail trail viaduct.

Delaware Avenue as seen from the former Delaware Avenue Railroad Bridge (this ends the maintained section of the trail).

Elsmere Avenue as seen from the Railroad Bridge.

As a whole, I am very under impressed by the Albany County Rail Trail. I have heard the views