BEACON – It was back in 1904 that the Beacon Incline Railway was constructed bringing visitors up the steep incline of Mount Beacon overlooking the City of Beacon and to view the magnificent sites of the Hudson River Valley below.
The railway was abandoned years later and fell into disrepair and in 1996, Steven Gold, who would later be elected mayor of the City of Beacon, founded the Mount Beacon Incline Railway Restoration Society.
The goal of the group was to rebuild the railway so that it could bring visitors to the top of the mountain once again.
Despite valiant efforts to raise the large amount of funds needed, the group has now decided to abandon the project.
Gold said things are different now than they were 26 years ago when the restoration effort began.
“Times have changed and people’s interests have moved to a different direction and Scenic Hudson created this fantastic park at the base of the mountain and people like to hike and walk mountains and have a more natural nature experience,” he told Mid-Hudson News.
The restoration group, which has worked in tandem with the Beacon Historical Society, is turning over its assets including historical materials for a new gallery that the historical society will create to keep the history of the railway alive for future generations.
