North Creek is alive

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I'm a North Creek fan, but I would read this article before implying that the train is responsible for the growth of the area:

http://m.poststar.com/news/local/money-flowing-in-to-warren-county-but-not-from-railway/article_8c14af30-ddd1-11e2-bb72-001a4bcf887a.html

Money quote:"Warren County’s revenue has increased in several key areas so far this year, but the operator of the Saratoga-North Creek Railway is months behind on payments the railroad is supposed to be making to the county."

I think the area is cool enough to stand on its own. Real estate prices are ridiculously cheap compared to other ski towns (especially when you consider the relative proximity to metropolitan areas), rafting/kayaking gives it a legitimate summer draw (hiking and mountain biking also, but not as much as the lake placid area), and there are some decent food options (once again, though, LP and VT dominate NC in this realm).

If the train makes a profit without subsidies, cool, but I'll never ride that slow thing again and I wouldn't be so quick to ascribe the growth to the train.

Question for you and I dont even know if this would be feasable.  If there was a bike path from Saratoga  you think you would do that more than once.  

Probably not, but I would ride sections of it over and over again... Plus that would have the advantage of being free...

The train is incredibly expensive.

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Love the train, if profitable.   Believe a bike path would be a better ROI.

  Sad fact that governments buy, hold, and trade on prisoners.

There was a good attempt to build a recreation trail on the tracks running north from North Creek to Tahawus. This would have been a tourist draw to eclipse the economic impact of the train. In the end, the railroad bought the rights to haul tailings from the old mine. What you refer to to the south is referred to as "rail with trail". Relatively few such projects have been built as they are more complex to permit and run safely.....not to mention the aesthetics.

 I have read about the Tahawus project.  It makes no sense to me...who if flipping the bill to fix the tracks up?  I think I saw the company was and if so I say have at it.

Railroad to Tahawus--not a bike trail.

Is a thread where this was mildly discussed.    As for "who is paying to fix up the tracks"     As I noted before, if the company is paying out of their own pockets to do this, then I believe this was a true business venture that may create some jobs and help the North Country.     However, if grants are paying to fix the tracks, it was just a ploy to secure the rights to the tracks another 50 yrs.....damming any move to make what would be an awesome trail.