Final Report Corridor Market Study – Expanded Rail Service in the First Wilderness Corridor Prepared for Warren County by IBI Group With River Street Planning and Development and Business Opportunity Management Consulting July 3, 2018 Table of Contents 1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 5 2 Current Status ..................................................................................................................... 8 2.1 SNCR Railway Services .......................................................................................... 8 2.1.1 Recently offered rail services ...................................................................... 8 2.1.2 Previously offered rail services ................................................................... 8 2.1.3 Partnerships/Packages: .............................................................................. 9 2.2 Previously Completed Plans and Reports ............................................................... 9 2.2.1 Northern Hudson River Inter-Municipal Redevelopment Strategy: First Wilderness Market Study - Warren County, 2002 ...................................... 9 2.2.2 Connecting Millennials to the Adirondacks - The Wild Center, 2016 ........ 10 2.2.3 First Wilderness Market Study - Saratoga EDC, Towns of Hadley, Johnsburg, Lake Luzerne, Chester, Thurman, Stony Creek, Saratoga, Greenfield, Corinth, Day, Edinburgh, 2003 ............................................... 10 2.2.4 Rediscovering the First Wilderness Master Plan - Action Plan Update, 2015 - First Wilderness Heritage Corridor, New York State Department of State .......................................................................................................... 11 2.2.5 Hadley Hamlet Pedestrian Linkage Study and Main Street Improvement Plan - Town of Hadley and CDTC, 2006 .................................................. 11 2.3 Ridership Statistics ................................................................................................ 11 2.4 Summary ................................................................................................................ 12 3 Market Assessment .......................................................................................................... 13 3.1 Demographic Scope .............................................................................................. 13 3.1.1 Warren County .......................................................................................... 13 3.1.2 Capital Region ........................................................................................... 14 3.1.3 New York Metropolitan Area ..................................................................... 15 3.2 Tourism Growth Trends ......................................................................................... 16 3.2.1 International and National Tourism Trends ............................................... 16 3.2.2 The Adirondacks Tourism Trends ............................................................. 17 3.2.3 New York State Tourism Trends ............................................................... 17 3.2.4 Warren County Tourism Trends ................................................................ 17 3.2.5 Saratoga Springs ...................................................................................... 19 Table of Contents (continued) 3.2.6 Saratoga and North Creek Railway (SNCR) Corridor ............................... 19 3.3 Summary ................................................................................................................ 19 4 Proposed Train Service Expansion ................................................................................ 20 4.1 Existing and Potential Rail Service Markets .......................................................... 20 4.2 Operations ............................................................................................................. 21 4.3 Service Improvements ........................................................................................... 21 4.3.1 Service Improvement Issues ..................................................................... 21 4.3.2 Alternative Service Plans .......................................................................... 23 4.4 Recommendations ................................................................................................. 24 4.5 Summary ................................................................................................................ 25 5 Economic Impact Case Study Analysis ......................................................................... 30 5.1.1 Algoma Central Railway: Wilderness Tourism by Rail Opportunity Study (2007) ........................................................................................................ 30 5.1.2 County of Ulster, NY: Highest and Best Use Recommendations U&D Railroad Corridor (2015) ........................................................................... 31 5.1.3 Adirondack Rail Corridor Economic Impact Study .................................... 31 5.1.4 Implementation Plan and Economic Impact Analysis: Colebrookdale Railroad Heritage Railway Program (All based off of a model) ................ 32 5.1.5 Valley Railroad State Park Economic Impact Study (In the Connecticut River Valley) .............................................................................................. 32 5.1.6 Economic Impacts of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad – Antonito, Colorado and Chama, New Mexico .......................................................... 33 5.1.7 Tourist Rail Operation – LM&M Railroad: City of Lebanon, Ohio (2013) .. 33 5.1.8 Adirondack Scenic Railroad: North County Regional Economic Impact Analysis (2011) ......................................................................................... 34 5.2 Summary ................................................................................................................ 34 6 Context Assessment ........................................................................................................ 35 6.1 Study Area ............................................................................................................. 35 6.2 Challenges and Opportunities ............................................................................... 35 6.3 Attractions and Tourism Support Facilities ............................................................ 37 6.4 North Creek Station ............................................................................................... 40 6.4.1 Past Successes and Opportunities ........................................................... 40 6.4.2 Present Conditions (2017) ........................................................................ 40 ii Table of Contents (continued) 6.4.3 Seasonal Attractions ................................................................................. 41 6.4.4 Transportation ........................................................................................... 42 6.5 Riparius Station ...................................................................................................... 42 6.6 The Glen Station .................................................................................................... 43 6.6.1 Opportunities: ............................................................................................ 43 6.7 Glen Hudson Campsite Station ............................................................................. 43 6.8 Thurman Station .................................................................................................... 43 6.8.1 Opportunities: ............................................................................................ 44 6.9 Stony Creek Station ............................................................................................... 44 6.9.1 Opportunities: ............................................................................................ 45 6.10 Hadley-Luzerne Station ......................................................................................... 45 6.10.1 Opportunities: ............................................................................................ 45 6.11 Corinth Station ....................................................................................................... 46 6.12 Saratoga Springs Station ....................................................................................... 46 6.13 Summary ................................................................................................................ 46 7 Existing Markets Potential ............................................................................................... 47 7.1 Methodology .......................................................................................................... 47 7.2 Markets Segments ................................................................................................. 48 7.2.1 Train Aficionados ...................................................................................... 48 7.2.2 Local General Transportation ................................................................... 49 7.2.3 Experiential Trips ...................................................................................... 49 7.2.4 Touristic Trips ...........................................................................................