Upper Hudson River Railroad in North Creek area, New York
Heritage railroad with a museumOperated 1999 to 2010; no longer running
The Upper Hudson River Railroad was a heritage railroad that carried excursion passengers along the upper Hudson River in New York's Adirondack Mountains from 1999 until 2010, over part of the former Delaware and Hudson Adirondack Branch.
- Operated 1999 to 2010
- Former D&H Adirondack Branch
- Ex-D&H locomotive No. 5019
- No longer operating
Upper Hudson River Railroad at a glance
- Hours
- Closed; the railroad stopped operating in 2010
- Admission
- Not applicable
- Best for
- Rail history readers and Adirondack rail fans
Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.
Contact and directions
Look inside the book
Taking the kids to Upper Hudson River Railroad? Bring Rally along.
In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to North Creek area.
Rally Takes the Train
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Grandmommy and Papa are at the last stop. Get the full hand-painted book, $13.99 on Amazon.
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Eleven seasons beside the upper Hudson
For more than a decade, the Upper Hudson River Railroad gave visitors a way to ride through the Adirondack Mountains along the upper Hudson River. It began running in 1999 as a heritage tourist railroad, using a segment of the former Delaware and Hudson Railway's Adirondack Branch. Rail histories describe its route as about 8.5 miles between North Creek and Riparius, with trains running parallel to the river.
Its primary motive power was locomotive No. 5019, a former Delaware and Hudson engine owned by Southwind Rail Travel Limited, which kept a piece of the branch's own railroad heritage at work on the line. The railroad's run ended in 2010. Today, the Saratoga Corinth and Hudson Railway, headquartered in Corinth, runs excursion trains over a portion of the same former Adirondack Branch. Where the Upper Hudson River Railroad's equipment and archives went after it closed is not publicly documented.
What remains to see
There is no museum or ticket office for the Upper Hudson River Railroad today, and no regular trains run under its name. Rail fans interested in the line can learn more from published histories of the Adirondack Branch and can ride a surviving part of the branch with the Saratoga Corinth and Hudson Railway.
Planning a train ride in the Adirondacks now
Families cannot ride the Upper Hudson River Railroad anymore. If your child is hoping for an Adirondack train ride, look at the Saratoga Corinth and Hudson Railway, which runs excursions on part of the same old branch line, and check its current schedule before you plan the trip.
Plan your visit: tips for Upper Hudson River Railroad
- Do not plan a trip around this railroad; it no longer runs trains.
- For a ride on part of the former Adirondack Branch, check the Saratoga Corinth and Hudson Railway's schedule.
Remembering the line
The Upper Hudson River Railroad no longer has an active organization. If you rode it, worked on it or have photographs, regional historical societies and rail history archives in New York are good places to share and preserve those memories.
Where to find rail history in New York today
We do not have other museum pages mapped close to North Creek yet. To plan a train outing elsewhere in the state, browse our New York train museum guide or the national train museum directory, and see our roundup of Christmas train rides in New York if you are planning a holiday trip.
Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive
A train that ran right alongside a river is my favorite kind, because every seat becomes a window seat. In our book, Rally peers out an arched window at the ocean and says hello to a white bird. The Upper Hudson line is gone now, but I like thinking about all the faces that once looked out at that water. Our coloring pages let kids draw their own view from the window.
Free for train families
Print the Rally coloring pages before you go
Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.
Get the free coloring pages
A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.
Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)More for train families
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- Christmas train rides in New York
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- Every Amtrak route with kids
Work or volunteer at Upper Hudson River Railroad?
We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.
Upper Hudson River Railroad: 20 questions answered
Is the Upper Hudson River Railroad still running?
No. The Upper Hudson River Railroad operated as a heritage railroad from 1999 to 2010 and no longer runs trains. If you want to ride part of the former Adirondack Branch today, look at the Saratoga Corinth and Hudson Railway, which runs excursions over a portion of that line.
What was the Upper Hudson River Railroad?
It was a heritage tourist railroad in the Adirondack Mountains of New York that ran excursion trains along the upper Hudson River. It used a segment of the former Delaware and Hudson Railway's Adirondack Branch and operated from 1999 until 2010.
When did the Upper Hudson River Railroad operate?
The railroad ran from 1999 to 2010, a span of about eleven years. During that time it offered seasonal excursion trains through the Adirondacks beside the Hudson River. No detailed public explanation of its closing has been published.
Where did the Upper Hudson River Railroad run?
Rail histories describe the route as an 8.5 mile segment of the former Delaware and Hudson Adirondack Branch between North Creek and Riparius, running parallel to the Hudson River. The line was in the upper Hudson River region of New York's Adirondack Mountains.
What locomotive did the Upper Hudson River Railroad use?
Its primary motive power was locomotive No. 5019, a former Delaware and Hudson engine owned by Southwind Rail Travel Limited. Running an ex-D&H locomotive on a former D&H branch gave the excursions a direct link to the line's own history.
What was the Adirondack Branch?
The Adirondack Branch was a line of the Delaware and Hudson Railway running into the upper Hudson River region of the Adirondacks. The Upper Hudson River Railroad used one segment of it for excursions, and the Saratoga Corinth and Hudson Railway now runs trains over a portion of the former branch.
Can I still ride a train near North Creek, NY?
The Upper Hudson River Railroad itself no longer runs. The Saratoga Corinth and Hudson Railway, headquartered in Corinth, operates excursion trains over part of the former Adirondack Branch in the same upper Hudson region. Check that railroad's current schedule and stations before you plan a trip.
What replaced the Upper Hudson River Railroad?
After the Upper Hudson River Railroad ended in 2010, the Saratoga Corinth and Hudson Railway became the heritage railroad operating excursions on a portion of the former Adirondack Branch. The details of the handover are not publicly documented, so treat this as a general timeline.
Is there an Upper Hudson River Railroad museum?
There is no museum dedicated to the Upper Hudson River Railroad. The railroad was an excursion operation rather than a museum, and since it closed in 2010 there is no public site with posted hours under its name.
Where did the Upper Hudson River Railroad equipment go?
Where the railroad's equipment went after it closed is not publicly documented. Locomotive No. 5019 was owned by Southwind Rail Travel Limited rather than by the railroad itself. Rail history forums and regional historical societies may have more on what happened to individual cars.
Who owned locomotive 5019?
Locomotive No. 5019 was owned by Southwind Rail Travel Limited and served as the Upper Hudson River Railroad's primary motive power. It is a former Delaware and Hudson locomotive. Its present location is not publicly documented.
Was the Upper Hudson River Railroad good for families?
As a scenic excursion railroad through the Adirondacks along the Hudson River, it was the kind of short ride many families enjoy. Since it no longer operates, families today should look at current heritage railroads in New York, such as the Saratoga Corinth and Hudson Railway.
Did the Upper Hudson River Railroad run Christmas or fall trains?
The Upper Hudson River Railroad ran seasonal excursion trains, but no record of specific holiday or fall foliage trains on the line is published. For holiday rides today, look at New York heritage railroads that are still operating and check their event calendars.
Is the Delaware and Ulster Railroad the same as the Upper Hudson River Railroad?
No. The Delaware and Ulster Railroad is a separate heritage railroad based in Arkville, New York, in a different part of the state, and it offers its own summer train rides. It is not connected to the Upper Hudson River Railroad's former route near North Creek.
Why was the Upper Hudson River Railroad important?
It kept passenger trains running on part of the old Delaware and Hudson Adirondack Branch for more than a decade, using a former D&H locomotive. That helped keep the branch in public view as a scenic route, and part of the old branch still carries excursion trains today.
Can I visit the old Upper Hudson River Railroad stations?
The condition and public access of stations on the former line are not posted online. If you want to see the area, check with local town offices or tourism information in the North Creek region before visiting, and stay off active or private railroad property.
Are there photos of the Upper Hudson River Railroad?
Photos of the railroad and its D&H locomotive appear in online rail history references, including the Wikipedia article on the Upper Hudson River Railroad. The New York Heritage digital collections also hold railroad photographs from across the state that may interest fans of the region.
How can I learn more about the Upper Hudson River Railroad?
The Wikipedia article on the Upper Hudson River Railroad is a good starting point, along with articles on the Saratoga Corinth and Hudson Railway and the Adirondack Branch. Regional rail historical societies may also hold timetables, brochures and photographs from its years of operation.
How do I contact the Upper Hudson River Railroad?
There is no current contact for the Upper Hudson River Railroad, since it stopped operating in 2010. Contact details that appear in some directories belong to other railroads, such as the Delaware and Ulster Railroad in Arkville, so do not use them for questions about this line.
What train museums can I visit in New York instead?
New York has many active rail museums and heritage railroads, from trolley museums to depot museums and scenic train rides. Our New York state page lists the ones we cover, with hours and tips, so you can find an operating museum or ride that fits your trip.
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