ON Wednesday, the ceremony took place of opening the Hudson River Railroad, in its entire length from New York to Albany. Hitherto the portion of the road between Poughkeepsie and Tivoli (twenty-six miles ) was not in operation, and the passengers were conveyed in a steamboat between those two points. Last week the road was completed, and the cars ran over it privately. Last week it was publicly opened, by running two excursion trains each way and returning. The first train from New York started from Chambers street at six o'clock, being drawn by horses to Thirty-first street, whence it proceeded at half-past 6 o'clock, and, stopping at Manhattan, 152nd street, Yonkers, Hastings, Dobbs' Ferry, Tarry-town, Sing Sing, Peekskill, Cold Spring, Fishkill, New Hamburg, Poughkeepsie, Hyde Park, Rhinebeck, Oakhill, Hudson, Stuyvant, Castleton, ought to have arrived at East Albany at 11.15 A.M., but did not arrive till 11.35., A. M. This was the way train. The through train started at 7 o'clock A.M., from Chambers-street, leaving Thirty-first street at half-past 7 A.M., and stopping at Peekskill at 8h. 30m.; Poughkeepsie 9h. 30m.; Rhinebeck, 9h. 55m.; Hudson, 10h. 40m., arriving at East Albany at twenty-five minutes past 11 o'clock, being four hours and twenty-five minutes from Chambers-street, or five minutes less than four hours from Thirty-first street. Two similar trains started from the Albany terminus at the same hours, making the same stoppages and making nearly equal time. When the new portion of the road -- especially as much of it as runs over the river on piles and embankments -- settles down and becomes firm, the distance will be accomplished in still less time than it was on Wednesday last. The oscillation of the cars was considerable over the new portions of the road; but this was to be expected. On all other parts of the road, riding is as smooth as upon any railroad in the United States. One portion of the line extends for four miles over water, in a single stretch.
           
The entire length of the road, from Chambers-street to Albany, is 143 miles. As a general feature, it may be observed that the work is constructed along the eastern bank of the river, five feet above high tides. The grades are excellent, there being, of the entire distance, 114 miles upon a dead level; five miles, from one to five feet per mile; thirteen miles, of ten feet per mile, and five miles, of thirteen feet per mile inclination, which is the worst grade upon the road. The total rise and fall is 213 feet only. The whole number of curves is 279, there being 56 miles of curved line. The shortest curve is at Peekskill, which is of 1000 feet radius, while more than half the whole number are from 4000 to 10,000 feet radius. The rock excavation is immense, a very large proportion of the road being hewn out of the solid rock, along the water's edge, besides the following eight tunnels: --
Oscawana or Peg's Island.                    225 feet
Abbott's Point (bridge tunnel)   100"
Flat Rock                                                70"
Anthony's Nose                                     400"
Garrison's at Phillips' Hill                     900"
Breakneck Hill                                     400"
New Hamburg                                    1400"
Milton Ferry                                        100"
Total length                                         3595"
           
The total amount of rock-cutting is nearly two millions of cubic feet. On the Highland division, above Fishkill to Peekskill, a distance of sixteen miles, over 425,000 cubic yards of rock were excavated. The whole cost of this railroad will be about nine millions of dollars. The original stock subscribed amounted to 3,016,600 dollars, in 30,165 shares. The road was opened on the 29th September, 1849, between New York and Peekskill, a distance of forty miles; on the 6th December to Hamburg, and on the 31st to Poughkeepsie. On Wednesday the whole line was not only opened to Albany, but a feat of speed was accomplished that our ancestors would have laughed at as the wildest absurdity, and Fulton himself among the number. Nay, ten years ago a railroad to Albany was considered one of the most impracticable of ideas, and the wise men of Wall-street scouted it as perfectly visionary. But the progress of science is not to be calculated by the men of dollars and cents. Some fifty years ago it took two or three days, and sometimes four days, to accomplish the distance. Now it can be done in as many hours. It is mentioned in the papers of 1797, as an instance of remarkable despatch, that Colonel William Colbreath, Sheriff of Herkimer, left Albany on Sunday morning, May 7, on board a vessel for New York, and returned on Thursday afternoon, 11th, having in a little more than four days, including a day and a half he was in New York, performed a journey of 330 miles. The mail stages in winter, till steamboats were established, took from thirty-six to forty-eight hours in winter, and the fare was 10 dollars. Fulton ran his boat, which the whole world ridiculed, on the 1st of October, 1807, just forty-four years ago, when he accomplished the distance in thirty-three hours, or as some say in twenty-eight hours. This was considered a wonderful feat at that time. But the "Isaac Newton" and the "Reindeer" have long since eclipsed it, and the performance of the iron horse on Wednesday, three hours and forty minutes from Albany, has distanced them still further. What next?
           
A more delightful season, or a more beautiful day, could not have been selected for this celebration. It was one of those days peculiar to Indian summer -- calm, soft, and genial, and the air like balm. The glorious Hudson was like a mirror -- not a breath of wind rippled its burnished surface, in which was reflected the trees of many hues that clothe its picturesque banks, and the numerous craft, with their snow-white sails spread in vain to catch the unwilling breeze, and all seeming as motionless as "painted ships upon a painted ocean."  Perhaps there is not at this season of the year any scenery in the world to compare with that of the Hudson, from New York to Albany. In summer it has its charms, but what are these compared with the gorgeous glories of the autumnal tints that now burst upon the delighted vision on either hand?  Wednesday, the trees of the Hudson presented the appearance of a gigantic flower garden, extending nearly 150 miles, and exhibiting in all their rich variety and mellowness, those hues which the brightest parterre cannot equal, and which cast completely into the shade the boasted scenery of the Rhine, and all the forest scenery of the old world put together. Such is its grandeur and beauty, that Europeans have no conception of it, even from what they read, and they are lost in mute astonishment and wonder when they beheld for the first time, those matchless pictures, painted by nature's pencil. The most glowing description is cold and feeble when compared with the reality of the autumnal scenery on the banks of the Hudson, which is now in all its glory. Nor ought the magnificent Palisades, or the smiling beautiful villages, basking in an unclouded sun be omitted from a description of the landscapes of that noble river which derives its name from Hendrick Hudson, who discovered it nearly two centuries and a half ago.
           
At all the stopping places along the line there were crowds of people assembled, who loudly cheered, and discharged fire-arms, great and small. The demonstrations at Peekskill, Poughkeepsie, and Hudson, were greater than at the other villages. At Hudson, the orphans turned out in procession, and sung a ditty in honour of the occasion. They bore a flag, with the following inscription: "Boorman the friend of the orphan."  The number of well dressed ladies here was very large. The second train overtook the first at Hudson, and went out before it.
           
Near New Hamburg as the trains passed, the "Isaac Newton" and the "Oregon" were observed to be aground, and the directors of the railroad hailed the incident as showing the superiority of steam on terra firma above steam on water.
           
All the officers of the company were on the train, including W C. Young, Esq , who was this week elected president, E. Jones, Esq., Vice President, J. M. Hopkins, Esq., Treasurer, C. H. Lee, Esq., Secretary and Acting Superintendent. Of the Directors, we noticed E. D. Morgan, Esq., and H. M'Cullagh. There were several officers and directors of other railroad companies.
           
On the arrival of the train at Greenbush, there was an immense concourse of persons there from Albany and other parts of the State. There was a band in attendance, which welcomed the excursionists with its merry music and volley after volley of artillery boomed across the river. The engine house was set apart as the place of entertainment for the guests, and was tastefully decorated with flags and evergreens. It was filled with tables, which were elegantly laid out, the head table being on the turn table of the building, which is of a circular form. Seats and plates were laid for 1002 persons, and a number were still standing, who could not be accommodated. A magnificent dinner was served, and champagne flowed in abundance, while a band discoursed excellent music. The entertainment was given by the directors and officers of the Board of the Common Council and heads of departments of the City of New York, the authorities of Albany and Troy, the shareholders of the road, and a large number of other invited guests.

May 16, 1797 Diary and Mercantile Advertiser.
We mention as an instance of remarkable dispatch -- that Col. William Colbreath, the Sheriff of Herkimer, left this city on Sunday morning last, on board a vessel for New York; and that yesterday afternoon he returned to this city -- Having in little more than 4 days, including a day and a half he was in New York, performed a journey of 330 miles.

​If you enjoyed this post and would like to support more history blog content, please make a donation to the Hudson River Maritime Museum or become a member today!

How we smile now at the bungling expedient for rapid traveling that prevailed
twenty years ago. By canal boats from Troy through the nine locks at a cent and a half
a mile, and board yourself. By packet from Schenectady west, drawn by three horses,
on a slow trot, and three days to Buffalo. And up and down yonder hill crept the first
railroad, with cars hung on thoroughbraces, and seats for nine inside, and some
outside, which were dragged up an inclined place one hundred and eight feet to the half
mile, by a stationary engine, and then over the sand plains to the head of State street in
Albany. And this was then such a triumph of engineering. What a change! where our
fathers crept we fly. The mountains they climb, we tunnel. The hills they toiled up, we
level, or divide by a deep cut, thrown arches over ravines at them impassible. . . .
Jamestown Journal (Jamestown, N. Y.), July 16, 1858, p. 2

Correspondence of the Journal. VACATION LETTERS, . . . NO. 4.
To New York over the Erie Rail Road -- Sleeping Cars -- New York to New Haven . . . .
*** On arriving at Dunkirk, we boarded the Night Express, and took our seats in
the luxuriously furnished sleeping car, determining to try the virtue of this boasted
institution. Lodgings were furnished at 50 cents a man. My little girl who accompanied
me was stowed in without extra charge. There were 40 berths in the car, four in each
tier, one double birth at the bottom and two above. The upper berths were cane seated
frames, the ends of which were fixed into sockets, while the bottoms of the lower were
of wood. All were covered with nice hair mattresses, and pillows enclosed by damask
curtains, making a very handsome appearance. About nine o'clock the chambermaid
who was a buxom, round faced laddie [sic], made up the berths and we turned in. There
were about thirty sleepers in the car. ***
Think of sleeping in a car, rushing at the rate of thirty miles an hour, along the
brink of lofty precipices, leaping black ravines, threading deep cuts, mounting lofty
viaducts, and careering through some of the most splendid scenery in the world. **
Jamestown Journal (Jamestown, N. Y.), September 2, 1859, p. 2

[Editor's Note: He remembers the Green Mountains of his childhood] Yet when I visit that place it is all changed. The old forest is gone, the speckled trout have forsaken the pools; the streams are dried up, or flow in straight spade-cut channels, the roaring branch is
trained through sluices, or broken over water-wheels. ***
Jamestown Journal (Jamestown, N. Y.), July 16, 1858, p. 2

Editor’s Note: The following text is a verbatim transcription of an article featuring stories by Captain William O. Benson (1911-1986). Beginning in 1971, Benson, a retired tugboat captain, reminisced about his 40 years on the Hudson River in a regular column for the Kingston (NY) Freeman’s Sunday Tempo magazine. Captain Benson's articles were compiled and transcribed by HRMM volunteer Carl Mayer.  This article was originally published ​ July 8, 1973.

Since railroad trains have been operating along the east shore of the Hudson River for virtually its entire length between New York and Albany since 1851 and along the west shore of the river from Haverstraw to a point below West Park since 1883, Hudson River boatmen have had plenty of opportunity to observe the changes that have taken place over the years in railroading. 

One big change, of course, was the disappearance of the steam locomotive and its replacement by perhaps the more efficient but much less colorful diesel engine.  I well remember the end of steam locomotives on the old West Shore Railroad. 

Late April 1953 marked the end of passenger trains on the West Shore pulled by the previously reliable iron horse.  The morning of the last stem [sic] runs, shortly after sun-up, I was on the tugboat “Callanan No. 1" bound north with a tow.  We were just south of Crum Elbow, in close along the west bank of the river to get out of the tide.  Along came what we used to call the "paper train," the passenger train out of Weehawken with the New York newspapers for the communities all along the river. 

It was a cool April morning with a north east wind and the sun shining very bright out of the east.  As the train was going up the West Park hill, black soft coal smoke was pouring out of the locomotive’s stack.  I knew it marked the end of an era:

As the train pulled abreast of us, I blew a one long, one short blast on the whistle which the locomotive engineer answered.  Then I blew the traditional three long whistles of farewell. 
I can still see in memory of the three white plumes of steam from the train’s whistle as the engineer answered. 

As the train charged up the incline and out of sight, the wheels of the locomotive pounding, and black smoke and steam belching from the short, stubby, stack, I was reminded of the words of an almost forgotten poem of old, “Pulling up along the track, with the choo choo of the stack, how I love to watch the local as it comes along the track; Pulling up along the track, with the choo choo of the stack, up, up along the lonely track.”

Another change in railroading caused by the passing years, was the disappearance of the track walkers.  For many, many years, the railroad used to employ men to make regular foot patrols of their trackage, especially in the vicinity of rock cuts along the river’s shore.  It was their job to watch for fallen rocks and to make regular inspections of the rights of way. 
For years, boatmen at night would see the track walkers on their lonely patrols carrying a lantern and later with a good flashlight.  This was especially true in the Hudson Highlands from Stony Point to Cornwall where there were extensive rock cuts. 

In the lonely morning hours around 2 or 3 a.m., when seeing a track walker, I would always turn our searchlight on and blink it or raise it up and down.  In return, they would waive their lanterns back to us.  It was a friendly greeting at that hour.  I used to think that it must have been very lonely for them walking along those tracks in the dark. 

A train would come roaring along if a passenger train or rumbling along if a freight, making a great deal of noise, and then it would be all peace and quiet again.  You would see the track walkers going into their little flag shanties along the tracks to get warm and then go out again in another hour for another patrol. 

During the middle 1950’s there was a big stock proxy contest for control of the New York Central Railroad.  A group, headed by Robert R. Young, won control and shortly after that the new management made a lot of changes in the operation of the company.  One of the changes was to do away with the jobs of the track walkers.  After that, no more did boatmen see their friendly lanterns moving back and forth as the track walkers walked their solitary way in the night looking for broken rails, loose spikes or rock slides. 

Before the days of radar on tugboats, when the boats were running in fog, the track walkers were a blessing to the boatmen.  Sometimes we would be running pretty close to shore and see dimly the friendly light of their lantern.  They probably over the years, unbeknown[st] to them, saved many a steamboat or tugboat from running on the shore or rocks. 

On other change is the demise of the hoboes or knights of the road.  Either our affluent society has done away with the hobo or, if there are any left, they must have all taken to the highways. 

Back during the Great Depression of the 1930’s, when on the tugboats we would be bucking the tide with a large tow, we would get close to shore so the tide wouldn’t have such an effect on our tows.  Then, when a freight train of 90 or 100 cars would come along we would try and see how many knights of the road we could count.  Sometimes there would be as many as several dozen.  Times change.  Today, when the freight trains go by one never sees anyone riding the rails. 
​
Also, in those depression years, boatmen would see the fires of hoboes burning along the rails or in culverts under the tracks.  If a box car were standing along the tracks on some isolated siding and if we threw our searchlight beam on it, you would frequently see someone slip out the other side or come to the half closed door and peek out. 
Like the seasons and the tides of the river, things along the Hudson are continually changing.  Hopefully, the hoboes of yesteryear have all found the destination they were seeking and surroundings more hospitable than that formerly provided by the "water level route” of wooden ties and steel rails.

 FACILITIES FOR TRAVEL.
            The facilities for travel along the Hudson next season will, by the addition of the trains of the West Shore road, be very large.  We have only to refer to some of them to show that travel must indeed be very large in order that all the lines can be made to pay.  In the lower Hudson there will be three lines of steamers between Peekskill, Nyack and New York, a steamer will run as usual between Haverstraw and Newburgh, a steamer will run two or three times a day between West Point and Newburgh, a steamer will run between Newburgh and Poughkeepsie, two steamers will run between Newburgh and Albany, three steamers will run between Poughkeepsie and New York, three steamers will run between Rondout and New York, one steamer will run between Saugerties and New York, two between Catskill and New York, two between Catskill and Albany, two between Coxsackie and New York, four between Troy, Albany and New York, also in addition the two day boats between New York and Albany.  These make twenty-seven steamboats that will run night and day, saying nothing about handsome barges.  Add to these twenty six trains on the N. Y. C. & H. R. R. R., and twenty trains on the West Shore R. R., making forty-six trains in all.  The twenty seven steamboats have a carrying capacity of 10,000, and the trains, taking six cars to a train, a carrying capacity of 10,560, making a grand total of carrying capacity, by both cars and boats of 26,650 people. — Poughkeepsie Eagle.
            Rockland County Journal (Nyack, N. Y.), February 24, 1883

THE TRAVEL INCREASING. COMMUTERS ARE NOW COMING BACK TO NYACK.
The Saturday Half Holiday Train Will Be Put on the Latter Part of May.
            Traveling is steadily increasing to and from Nyack, and in a few weeks at the most the trains and boats will be carrying their full quota of passengers.  "The travel on the Northern Railroad," said Mr. William Essex, station agent at Nyack, to a reporter, "is now slightly increased over that of last year at this time, and I think the prospects are good for an increased number of passengers during the season.  A number of commuters are already back from the city in their Nyack homes, and most of them travel up and down daily.  A little later more cars will have to be put on the trains to accommodate the passengers.
            "I have not yet heard of any change in the time-table," continued Mr. Essex, "and I do not anticipate any.  The present time table appears to give general satisfaction.  The Saturday half-holiday train will be put on the latter part of May."
            Travel in other directions is also on the increase.  The Chrvstenah carries a goodly number of passengers to and from the city daily, and the number is steadily growing larger. There are more daily passengers to and from the West Shore station at West Nyack than there have been during the past season, and the Nyack and Tarrytown ferry is also doing an increased business.
            Soon the tide of Summer travel will set in in every direction, and Nyack will probably have its full share of those who come and go.
            Rockland County Journal (Nyack, N. Y.), May 4, 1895

Editor's Note: This article is from the January 1, 1851 issue of  Holden's Magazine​.

                         View on the Hudson River at Anthony’s Nose
The Frontispiece of this Number, is a sketch which cannot fail to interest all – as well from the natural beauty of the scenery, as from the hallowed associations connected with it. It was sketched from nature, expressly for Holden’s, and engraved by J.W. Orr. Every one who has passed the spot, by railroad or on the river, will note the fidelity of the engraving.

The building of the Hudson River Railroad has modified, to say the least, the scenery on the east bank of the Hudson. Monsieur Anthony’s profile, and especially Monsieur Anthony’s nose, has suffered by all the blasting, and excavating, and tunneling for the iron track. And indeed things have very much changed since the days of Dolph Heyliger and Antony Vander Heyden. The number of witches has very much decreased, the “storm-ship” has not been seen for these many years, and the trip from the city of the Manhattoes, to the goodly town of the Van Rensellaers, Gansevoorts, and Rosebooms, will now be reduced from four days to as many hours.
In accordance with the spirit and progress of the age, we are bound to let the spirits of the past sleep in their inaccessible hiding places, and talk of railroads and tunnels.
The Hudson River Road is now in full operation between New York and Poughkeepsie, and will probably be completed to Albany by the end of the present year, 1851. Its total cost from New York to Albany is estimated at nine millions of dollars. This includes the expense of a double track from New York to Poughkeepsie, and of the depots along the road. The cost of grading the road from New York to Poughkeepsie, averaged in round numbers, $42,480 per mile. Much of the road is built in the river on solid stone causeways, and between these two points there are no less than ten tunnels: one of these at New Hamburgh is 830 feet in length. The one represented in the engraving at Anthony’s Nose is between 300 and 400 feet in length. The expense of grading the road from Poughkeepsie to Albany will be much less. It is estimated that it will average $28,985 per mile. We are informed that no tunnel will be required above Poughkeepsie. One of 880 feet in length was contemplated at Judson’s Point, six miles north of Hudson, but upon examination it is proved that this may be dispensed with, and indeed it would not in all probability stand if built, as the rock is a mixture of slate and graywacke, and liable to decompose upon exposure to the atmosphere.

The running time of the express trains between New York and Albany, will not be over four hours – and possibly may be less. This is an average of forty miles an hour. It is proposed to run thus express trains each day both ways, and four way trains. The locomotives on this road are the finest in the country, and ranging in weight from eighteen to twenty-two tons. The passenger cars are surpassed in convenience and elegance by none.

The rates of fare established for passengers have been on the scale of one and one third cents per mile, with the exception of the two months of January and February, when the rate was raised to two cents per mile. These rates are very low, and will command the bulk of travel. They are equivalent to two dollars through to Albany in the summer, and three in winder. Most persons prefer to ride on a rail-road rather than on a steamboat, even if the expense is a little greater, and when the time of making the journey is one half, most of the travelling public will patronize the rail-road, though the fare should be double or treble that of the steamboat.

Thus are the facilities of intercommunication being rapidly and wonderfully increased. Distant points are brought in close proximity, and a vastly enlarged intercourse between the inhabitants of different sections of the country is promoting a sympathy of feeling, and a oneness of interests, which cannot but be promotive of intelligence, liberality and union.