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LETTER OF THE MOHAWK & HUDSON CHAPTER, N.R.H.S. October 1993

By Don Barbeau S&HR became NY,WS&B branch lines. Although it bypassed the 8 miles immedi-The S&HR? Had it not been for my It soon became evident that the Fullers- ately northwest of Ravena, (the trackage

friendship with great rail historian Fred B. Carman and West Coxsackie-Athens seg- that was abandoned in stages ending inAbele, I would have never even heard of it, ments were excess baggage. Fullers- 1972), the giant yard was a definite boon tomuch less known where it was. Yet the Carman was abandoned in 1903 (but re- the remainder of the S&HR all the way torailroad, through corporate progression, mains even today as a utility right-of-way). Fullers. That line through Fullers and pointsevolved into the region's most heavily traf- West Coxsackie-Athens was abandoned at west on the West Shore was linked to theticked freight route. approximately the same time. The remain- New York Central main line (via bridge atAccording to the extensive railroad ref- der of the original route continued as part of Hofmans) to form Selkirk Yard's western

erence diligently compiled by my close the West Shore main line. access/egress. Since then it has been thefriend, a 40 mile railroad was constructed Circa 1920,West Coxsackie-Ravena was most heavily trafficked freight line in theduring 1864-65 from the Athens dock to an well established as part of the busy River entire area.interchange with New York Central at Line from Weehawken to Albany (connec- Now we know where the S&HR was,Carman (east of Schenectady). Its charter tion to Albany built in 1883). Ravena- where it isn't and where half of what it was,(1864) name was the Saratoga and Hudson Fullers, however, was not faring as well still is. Ithappens to bewhere I recorded theRiver Railroad. Apparently nothing remark- and wags were reminding folks that the accompanying photographs, only I didn'table (heroic or horrendous) occurred dur- entire line had initially been termed a white know it until years later.ing the period of the line's corporate iden- elephant. Then came Selkirk Yard (1924).

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Fullers as it exists today. Note originalright-of-way extending top right.

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