018-Trains & Highways

As was our preference on the Erie, we would take a free wall in the little towns as they were available to spend the night.  For many of these places, it is a last gasp effort to attract some kind of outside revenue.  The only one investing in the area seems to be the Federal Government, the same guys who provide flood insurance.  It’s not apparent the towns would survive without the Feds however.  Life is passing these towns by.  One town was founded on the paper bag, another Remington guns and another on Peppermint.  These places have a rich history of innovation and growth that didn’t make it to the current generations.  The successful have mostly moved on to the big cities or the next big discovery like Silicon Valley.  It’s sad to see the lack of adaptation.  But there is a legacy of here that isn’t in the rest of America and its there to be rediscovered.

Typical homes for the eastern Erie Canal

The factory that produced Beechnut Gum long abandoned in Canajoharie.

Beautiful old home, a shell of its original glory.  The wood work is a work or art.  This was an expensive home for its day and would drain your wallet today trying to do anything with it so there it sits in a sad state of decay.

But back on topic, the three rivers that make up the Erie; Mohawk, Oneida, and Oswego were the highways of long ago.  So, it’s no surprise that when the baton was transferred to rail and then highways, they generally followed the same path connecting the same centers of commerce.  Along the east side of the Hudson River the train tracks are just a few feet above the water all the way to Albany.  Along the rail race commuter trains headed to/from the Big Apple every 30 minutes or so.  The same is true the western side of the Hudson only the trains are freight and they come every 15 minutes or so and go on for a 100 cars or so.

Oil tanker train.  Does anyone else think this is an inefficient pipeline?

When it comes time to pitch one’s tent for the night, it’s not uncommon to find yourself next to a rail line and/or highway.  One night was particularly pungent, no more than 200 yards from both we were also next to a volunteer fire department.  At 2 in the morning, we were awakened to the roar of a volunteer fire department “all call” siren followed by numerous vehicle sirens.  Just about that time another train comes roaring down the track blowing it whistle drowning out the roar of the highway and some of the big truck compression braking.  It was quieter for us in NYC!  I think I was the first to laugh and before I knew it we were all laughing with delight over our situation.  What fun it was!