The Ballston Terminal Railroad
By: by Timothy Starr
Edition: 1st
Publisher: InstantPublishing
Published: 2008
Place of publication: Rock City Falls
Language: eng
Description: From the Introduction:

Few casual visitors to the Town of Milton would guess that at one time it was one of the busiest industrial centers in New York State. Fewer still would perceive that a small railroad that ran from the town’s principal village of Ballston Spa to Middle Grove operated along the Kayaderosseras Creek for three decades. Residential development and the ravages of time have all but obliterated most of the industries and the railroad that served them. You might say that the physical part of Milton’s industrial history from the late 1800s to early 1900s has been all but “lost.” 

Fortunately for fans of history, traces of the paper mills that created significant wealth for the area, and even of the railroad, still exist. Old newspaper articles, historic publications, and Public Service Commission reports aid the historian in finding these traces, as well as matching old photographs to present day locations.
In the years following the American Revolution, Ballston Spa (located 30 miles north of Albany) became the premier tourist destination in the country following the discovery of mineral springs in 1771. Native Americans believed these springs to have healing powers, and it is said that these lands were so sacred to the Mohawk Nation that fighting was forbidden there. Soon after the discovery of these springs by English surveyors, word spread across the young country, and those who were seeking a cure for some affliction or merely good health flocked to the site. 

Just when the tourism business was starting to produce real wealth, several of the springs failed, and by 1850 the thriving village had been eclipsed by the more robust springs of nearby Saratoga. But during those years of growth, some noticed another resource – the rushing waters of the river that flowed right through the center of town. The creek was given the name “Crooked Stream” by the Native Americans who used the area as their hunting and fishing grounds, or Kayaderosseras in their language (the European settlers soon shortened the word to “Kaydeross,” and since this is the most popular use of the word, it will be used for the rest of this book). Its winding course and series of rapids provided an excellent power source for the industries of the day, most notably paper mills. As the tourism trade died out, industry took its place, and continued prosperity was assured.
Soon, almost two dozen mills were operating along the creek from Ballston Spa to Middle Grove. With hundreds of tons of finished goods being produced each month with just primitive roads over which to transport them, the idea of building a railroad was only natural. A short line railroad could provide a reliable and inexpensive method of delivering raw materials to the mills and bringing their finished goods to the Delaware & Hudson Railroad interchange. The various communities that developed around the mills would also be able to travel easily to work, school, or leisure.

After several false starts, the dream of a local railroad serving the Town of Milton became a reality in 1896. It was unique for being one of the smallest railroads ever built in the United States, with a mainline run of only 12 miles. It was also one of the few electric lines designed primarily for handling freight (the trade magazine Electrical World called it a “novelty”). 

Despite its small size, it played a critical role in the further economic development of the area. At its height, the railroad served 12 paper mills and eight other industries. These included the Union Bag & Paper Company (the largest manufacturer of paper bags in the world), the American Axe & Tool Company (makers of the famous I. Blood axes and scythes), and Bull’s Head Tannery (the largest tannery in the country).
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