Many here are aware of the years-long struggle between railroad advocates and trail proponents regarding New York State's railroad corridor between Remsen-Lake Placid NY. End result: rails ripped up between Tupper Lake-Lake Placid but many millions in State funding put into the remaining 85 mile corridor between Remsen-Tupper Lake. Parts of the line are now good for 50 mph. Service to Tupper Lake began in earnest during the 2023 season.

By rail, Tupper Lake is 108 miles north of Utica, the first 23 miles via trackage rights over the Mohawk, Adirondack & Northern.

Funding included work in and around the Tupper Lake station, including new platforms, passenger shelter and an engine house. Also, a wye just north of the station is being reinstalled.

On April 27th, I journeyed up to Tupper Lake from Utica to check out the project's status and made this video which I thought may be of some interest here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zK3PcC_l9cA

Since they are rebuilding the Y track at Tuppers Lake, do they plan on installing a turntable in Utica? Besides the Mohawk getting restored, I know another NYC 2-8-0 (AT&SF 2522) that would be a very good fit. 63” drivers would get you almost 115 miles before rod lubrication. I also know it takes a lot of money to do something like that.

As someone pretty familiar with the Adirondack Railroad, I can say with 99% certainty that it's highly unlikely that they are going to get a steam locomotive at any point in the future. Never say never and all that jazz, but they've got their hands full, maybe more than full, with the projects they already have. Also, I think running a steam locomotive on that line would just be asking for more trouble with the folks who already want the railroad gone.

I took another trip up to Tupper Lake on June 8th to check out the project status.

Here's my video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMABNAoBH0o&t=2s

Predecessor Adirondack Railway (1979-1981 Operation) did own CN 3254, but it wasn't moved and then sold to the Gettysburg Railroad

True. Menair also owned DL&W 565 and was partway through converting it to oil-burning to move it up to the Adirondack (no coal-burning engines allowed above the Blue Line in spring, summer and fall even back in the NYC days) and I believe Sam Freeman was also supposed to be brining FEC 148 north as well. But then the operation was shut down by money issues and sever deterioration of the line. And if you want another Steamtown connection, a private owner also purchased IC 790 and moved it to Lake Placid for a tourist operation that never got off the ground.