By Railfan & Railroad Staff

NORTH CREEK, N.Y. — A recently-established New Mexico company has purchased a large part of the former Saratoga & North Creek in New York for $3.33 million and claims to have big plans of moving freight on the line. 

Doc N Duchess Rails LLC is owned by a New Mexico couple, John and Carol McClean-Wright, who are also trying to buy a nearby mine in hopes of moving titanium ore. The couple previously owned a dude ranch in the area. The Times Union reports that there were three bidders who attended a two-hour-long auction on Zoom on Thursday. The other bidders were Revolution Rail and the Sierra Railroad. 

The railroad was built in the 1870s and eventually became part of the Delaware & Hudson. In 2011, Iowa Pacific acquired it and formed the Saratoga & North Creek, which run until 2018. Not long after, Iowa Pacific went bankrupt. The auction included the 27.9-mile section of track between North Creek and Tahawus, N.Y. The rest of the route is owned by local municipalities. 

Carol McClean-Wright told the Times Union that the couple believes they’ll be able to move military-grade titanium ore from mine tailings that are on-site at the old Tahawus Mine. The mine was last active in the 20th century.