d&h statement

I am fascinated by connections in the urban landscape. For the past year I have been photographing a 2-mile stretch of abandoned rail easement between Albany and Delmar, NY. The Delaware and Hudson Railroad operated a spur between the Port of Albany and D&H Mainline in Duanesburg, NY from 1884 until 1998 when the spur was deemed not economically viable and the tracks and ties were pulled up. My interest in this path is threefold. First, there is a fascination with the interconnected aspects of the urban landscape. The rail line winds between an urban area and a more suburban one while also skirting an active port and following a wild creek/river. Second, there is potential for future use; parts of the line further west have been made into a walking path through a rails-to-trails initiative. Applying this conversion farther east would offer residents a natural experience without denying the industrial underpinnings of the area. And finally, I cannot deny that there is a boyish wonder at a monumental industry and glee of exploring the landscape. When frustration or apathy edge in, this is what sustains my progress.