The rails of the Delaware and Hudson, they often needed huge rotating turntables to change
direction.
This was the one in Colony over 50 years ago, and this one is one of the very few railroad
turntables still left anywhere.
It's right here at the North Creek train station in Johnsburg, and Supervisor Bill Thomas says
they're going to get it working again.
We're actually operating a turntable as we stand here.
It would be much easier with a mortar.
The upper Hudson River railroad already operates a tourist train here between North Creek and
Raperius to bring back the feeling of what it was like when these old steam engines operated
on the very same tracks.
Fixing up the old turntable with a $30,000 state grant will add to the historic preservation.
The steam engines would come down to the end of the tracks here and drive right out onto
the turntable.
The turntable would spin 360 degrees, turning the engine around and sending it back out
in the opposite direction.
And believe it or not, this is old film of a D&H steam engine on that very turntable
in North Creek back in 1947.
It won't be rehabbed to probably the level that was needed to hold a steam engine back
in the 30s or whenever it was used, but it certainly will be able to be a demonstration
project for us with a caboose or something on it for the summer.
Bringing back the history of the old railroad days in the North Country is already helping
to boost the economy here, and getting the steam engine turntable spinning again should
stoke the fires for the long haul.
Steve Scovel, News Channel 13, North Creek.
I like the music you used for it.