I am trying to research the history behind these two cars, Saratoga Inn and Adirondack Lodge. D&H received them in 1967 from D&RGW. Apparently they were previously C&O.

In 1974 they were sent to Hoover Industries in Fla for rebuilding and used on the Adirondack in 1975 and 1976.

Any info on final operations, rebuilding photos/drawings, and current ownership would be highly appreciated. The cars are stored on isolated track and the property owners want them removed, but don't know who the owners are. They may be worth saving but would have to be removed by crane.

BBH

Bill,

In James Kemper Millard's book Chesapeake and Ohio Streamliners, the cars are listed as:

C&O 1990 (never used on the C&O)
To D&RGW as 1280 . named Mt Timpanogos
Sold in 1967 to D&H became #41 Saratoga Inn

C&O 1991 (never used on the C&O)
To D&RGW as 1281 named James Peak
Sold in 1967 to D&H became #42 Adirondack Lodge

These cars had a unique interior with the kitchen in the middle of the car and seating on either side.

What condition are they in today?

Thanks

B. Allan

Thanks for the reply...The cars seem to be pretty decent but some windows are smashed and the water intrusion has caused the floors some damage. I noticed the middle kitchens and didn't realize how unique that was.

Would be interested to know the extent of the work done in 74/75 prior to operation by the D&H.

Bill

You say the owners of the track they are on want them removed. Without getting too specific, where are they? Still in D&H territory?

Tim:

Yes D&H territory, just south of Albany. They are located with an old D&H MOW sleeper with the name John Hancock and also a D&H baggage car.

Bill

According to this site:

http://hebners.net/amtrak/otherPAS.html

"Diner-lounge D&H 42 "Adirondack Lodge". This car and twin sister D&H 41 "Saratoga Inn" were assigned to Amtrak's Adirondack between New York City and Montreal from 1974 - 1977. The two cars were refurbished at Hoover Industries shop in Florida, at NY DOT expense, for this service. After they were displaced from Amtrak's Adirondack by newer equipment, the two cars were reassigned to commuter bar car service on NY MTA's Hudson and
Harlem lines. They were retired by the mid-1980s. Both cars are believed in storage, with fire damage and vandalism, in Albany NY."

So, perhaps the MTA's car department is a place to start to find out who bought them?

I would love to see these cars, and will be in Albany over the next two weeks, would you PM me the location?

Thanks!

Rob

The two D&H cars are stored at the Niagara-Mohawk Power Station in Glenmont, south of Albany. Also at that location are two NYC electrics, S-motor 100 and T-motor 278, along with NYC U25B 2510. All are on private property (the power company), and all are heavily vandalized. The RR.net discussion list has extensive discussion of these (and other equipment in the Albany capitol region-- D&H Colonie Shops ruins) pieces, which are apparently owned by the Mohawk and Hudson NRHS chapter. M&H is evidently almost moribund, without resources to secure or move any of this stuff. There may be some "rescue" efforts under way for the three NYC locos at Glenmont; the switch to the outside world may not be there any more, though. Reading the threads on RR.net, it is quite obvious that trespassing on Niagara-Mohawk property will be met with arrest, at least for railfans/historians; the vandals seem to get a free pass (as they universally do everywhere).

This one doesn't look good, folks-- it needs a serious miracle. They seem to be in short supply in the northeast these days.

Howard P.

The situation is very complex and yes a group is trying to save the four locomotives...fourth is ex-NYC RS3 8254. It is a logistics challenge. The NiMo powereplant was sold to PSEG around 5-6 years ago. At that time the equipment was pushed outside the fence onto land still owned by NiMo which was used to dump fly ash from the power plant. That land has since been purchased by a developer, who is proposing to build condos, shops, etc. The equipment is relatively isolated but has attracted a copper thief. The only way the equipment can be removed at this point is with a crane.

Hopefully we will have an announcement with more details in the near future. For various reasons we need to be discrete at this point in time.

BBH