The Mohawk & Hudson Railroad Route in Albany

The Mohawk and Hudson Railroad was the first passenger railroad built in New York State and one of the first in the United States. It was built to cut the time needed to travel between the Erie Canal at Schenectady and the Hudson River at Albany from a whole day to under an hour. What follows is an excerpt from a talk delivered to the now defunct New York State Historical Association on October 14, 1908 by Harry L. Taylor (1866-1955).

As a concise statement of the present remains of the roadbed and of the more important facts connected with the first five miles of the eastern end, the following is taken from the records of the Albany Chamber of Commerce, concerning the proposed boulevard commemorating this historical monument.

On the west side of Delaware avenue, where Morton street strikes the avenue, may be seen a long and high embankment, and underneath it a culvert.

This big fill is a part of the original roadbed of the Mohawk & Hudson Railroad, the first railroad in this State and perhaps the first in the United States, built for carrying passengers as well as freight.

The Mohawk & Hudson Railroad Company was incorporated in 1826 for the purpose of connecting the cities of Schenectady and Albany. A portion of the road was opened in 1831, viz.: from the junction of what is now Madison avenue and Western avenue in Albany, to the brow of a hill overlooking and distant about a mile from the city of Schenectady.

In 1832 the entire road with an inclined plane in each city named was completed terminating in Albany at Gansevoort and Quay streets.

In 1833 a branch road was laid from the junction referred to down State street terminating in a depot in what is now known as Van Vechten Hall [at 119-121 State Street].

In 1841 this branch was taken the terminus was made on the west side of Broadway, adjoining the South Ferry, the track having been laid down Broadway to Gansevoort street.

In the operation of the road each car was drawn by horses down Broadway to Gansevoort street and across South Pearl street to the foot of what is now known as Third avenue, said street having been graded for the inclined plane.

At this point the cars were coupled and drawn up the plane by a cable operated by a stationary engine located in a building south of Morton street and about 500 feet east of Delaware avenue.

At the top of this grade, the locomotive was coupled to the train, which was run across Delaware avenue, and at the embankment in question across the New Scotland turnpike and thence by a certain route, which up to a few years ago was sharply defined with cuts and fills between the blocks of streets up to Manning Boulevard. From this point just north of Western avenue the old roadbed still remains [in 1908] up to a point west of West Albany.

In 1844 from this latter point the road was abandoned to its termination in Broadway, and the present route laid out through Tivoli Hollow terminating in Montgomery, near Maiden Lane.

The waiting room for passengers was located very near the corner of Maiden Lane and Dean street. In 1847 the name was changed to Albany & Schenectady Railroad, and in 1853 it became a part of the consolidated line of the New York Central Railroad.

Perhaps the best illustration showing the possibilities of the photographic survey, is the view from the site of the old Capitol (1806), over State and Eagle streets upon Van Vechten Hall, built for an inn by the railroad company that became in turn the first normal school of the State, and the first free academy of the city.

Read more about the Mohawk and Hudson Railroad.

Read more about the history of railroads in New York State.

Illustrations, from above: Detail from Albany & Schenectady Railroad system map, circa 1847; a map of the Mohawk & Hudson Railroad Route (courtesy Capital District Railroad History); and Van Vechten Hall, ca. 1890, built between 1830-1832 by the Mohawk & Hudson Railroad as a hotel; and George E Matthews’ painting of the Mohawk and Hudson Railroad, 1909.