Agway and Hydroelectric Dam - Nashua Valley Railroad Association

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Mt. Roberts to Agway and Schaghticoke Hydro Electric Dam Area

This area on the layout is from Roberts Farm to Agway and Schaghticoke Hydro Electric Dam complex located in Schaghticoke, NY. This scene has a number of interesting elements such as:

Schaghticoke Hydroelectric Dam
Hoosic River
Agway

Links to document sections

Interesting Facts About The Schaghticoke Hydro Electric Dam

Planning Phase

Roberts Farm to Agway and Schaghticoke Hydro Electric Dam Area Construction Phases

Roberts Farm to Agway and Schaghticoke Hydro Electric Dam Scenery Phases

Final Results

Acknowledgements

Interesting Facts About The Schaghticoke Hydro Electric Dam

Schaghticoke Hydro Electric Dam

The Schaghticoke Hydro Electric Dam construction was started in 1908 and completed in 1910 and has been generating power since then.

Prior to the construction of the dam there were a series of six wooden crib-dams which furnished power to drive powder, grist, twine and woollen mills and also saw-mills. The dam was constructed between 1908 and 1910 by the Schenectady Power Company which ran transmissions lines 20 miles to Schenectady NY.

Dam Specifications:

Height - 28'
Length - 700'
Construction - Concrete
Foundation - Rock
Drainage Area - 635 sq. miles

Holding Pond Specifications:

Area - 145 acres,
Capacity - 45 million cubic feet,
Flow Rate: 750 cubic feet per second
Max Flow Rate Duration - 17 hours.

Penstock Specifications:

Diameter - 124'
Length - 850'
Construction - Riveted steel #-inch thick, with stiffening rings of steel angle-bar every 12 feet
Maximum Water Velocity - 12.2' per second

Complete specifications and background in formation can be found at: Schaghticoke Hydro Electric Dam

Image of a power generator used at the Schaghticoke Hydro Electric Dam Power Station

Penstock which carried water from the dam to the power house

Planning Phase

Phase 1 - Review of Satellite Photos

The process of starting any Scenery and Structures project utilizes as many resources as we can find. Experience has shown that the use of Satellite images that can be found on Google Maps, Apple Maps, and Google Earth, etc.. provide excellent information.

Google Maps will allow you to take measurements which is critical when making a scene and ensuring that it is to the correct scale.

For the Agway and Schaghticoke Hydro Electric Dam we used images from Google Maps and Google Earth. These images were then printed on a large format printer and laminated so we could mark them up with erasable markers.

These images will allow us to determine the correct placement of the dam, the holding ponds, Fishermans Lane, the bridge that passes the Agway buildings and crosses a holding pond, to name a few.

The images below are representations of the type of information and detail you can obtain.

This image shows the overall area that will be modeled on the layout.

Note the agway buildings on the upper right, the dam next to the Agway buildings, the

track crossing the Hoosic River and Fishermans Lane crossing one of the holding ponds.

Image of Fisherman's Lane crossing one of the holding ponds.

Image of Fishermans Lane where it crossing the track. Note the transition from a paved road to a dirt road at the crossing gates.

Google Street View image of the track crossing to holding pond from Fishermans Lane.

Satellite images are very useful, however actually visiting the site is best, if possible. Three members of the Scenery and Structures Committee visited the Agway buildings, the Schaghticoke Hydro Electric Dam, and the track crossing the holding pond.

The following pictures were taken by each person as well as by a drone flown over the area.

Important Note: Before flying a drone you must check that the area you are planning to fly over does not have any restrictions prohibiting this and have passed all required tasks need to fly a drone safely.

The drone used was flown by a member who is licensed too do so and there were no flight restrictions in this area the time that theses images were taken.

Images of the Schaghticoke Hydro Electric Dam from the Agway area.

Aerial view of the curved portion of the Schaghticoke Hydro Electric Dam.

Front view of a portion of the Schaghticoke Hydro Electric Dam.

Aerial view of a portion of the curved portion of the Schaghticoke Hydro Electric Dam.

Images of the Agway area

Aerial image of material stored near the track in the Agway area.

Aerial image showing the detail of the steel structure on top of one of the Agway buildings.

Image of the base of the structure with the interesting steel on the top in the Agway area.

Image showing a grain unloading opening in the Agway area.

Roberts Farm to Agway and Schaghticoke Hydro Electric Dam Area Construction Phases

Roberts Farm to Agway and Schaghticoke Hydro Electric Dam Scenery Phases

Final Results

Acknowledgements