The Adirondack Scenic Railway is a tourist railway that is located in Adirondack Park. The railway was developed beginning in 1992 by the newly formed Adirondack Railway Preservation Society. Large parts of the railway were extant from the late 1890s Mohawk and Malone Railway. The rail run in 1992 was a small section from Thendara, New York, to Minnehaha, New York. In 1994, the Railway became the Adirondack Centennial Railroad. There are now roughly 70 miles of track that the railway operates on. In addition, the railroad now runs in Thendara, Saranac Lake, Utica, and Lake Placid.
The Adirondack Scenic Railroad runs trains from Utica, New York, to Thendara, New York and from Lake Placid, New York, to Saranac Lake, New York. Passengers have the option of riding in climate-controlled coaches or in an open air car. The train takes passengers through remote forests, over bridges, and through Adirondack Park. In total, the Adirondack Park consists of 6 million acres. The train offers scenic views of rivers, ponds, and streams. Passengers can also see a variety of animals along the way as they experience the views of nature.
The Lake Placid Station is located in the Olympic Village of Lake Placid, New York. The Adirondack Scenic Railway offers special themed train rides as well. For example, there are times when the Adirondack Scenic Railway offers murder mystery rides. In addition, there are simulated train robberies. At times, the Adirondack Scenic Railway also offers a train ride to the North Pole on The Polar Express train. The Polar Express train features its own Santa Claus.
The Adirondack Scenic Railway is designed to help passengers relive the golden age of railroading. This was a time when names like J. P. Morgan, Vanderbilt, Carnegie, and Collis P. Huntingdon were building estates in the heart of the Adirondacks.
The train ride from the Lake Placid Station to the Saranac Lake Union Depot is called the Adirondack High Peaks Wilderness Train. This trip is a total of 20 miles. The train ride takes 45 minutes to go from one station to the other.
Round trip fares from Lake Placid to Saranac Lakes are $19 for adults, $18 for seniors (ages 62+), and $11 for children (age 2 through 12). The train departs from the Lake Placid Station at 11:00am. It arrives in Saranac Lake approximately 45 minutes later. At 12:30pm, the train leaves Saranac Lake and returns to the Lake Placid Station. The train again departs the Lake Placid Station at 2:00pm to return to the Saranac Lake Union Depot. This train makes its last trip for the day when it again departs from Saranac Lake at 3:30pm to return to Lake Placid.
The Adirondack Railway Preservation Society is still primarily responsible for the preservation of the Adirondack Scenic Railway. They use corporate sponsorships, individual sponsorships, and foundation sponsorships to help fund the Adirondack Scenic Railway. The Adirondack Railway Preservation Society can be reached by calling 877-508-6728.
Additional information about the Adirondack Scenic Railway can be obtained by calling 518-523-4237.
