Rensselaer and Saratoga Railroad: Green Island Shops
Also known as: Green Island Car Shops
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Why it's listed
Green Island's railroad car shops were built in 1871 for the Rensselaer and Saratoga Railroad and were leased to the Delaware and Hudson before completion. The complex includes a brick car shop with a three-story south section and a one-story north section large enough for five parallel tracks, a semi-circular roundhouse, and the octagonal base of a water tower. Locomotive designing and rebuilding took place here until 1912, when the work moved to Colonie, and work on wooden freight cars continued until the late 1930s. The buildings are noted for their engineering. Cast iron columns carry the upper floors of the south section, and wooden trusses reinforced with iron span the north section without interior columns. A long roof monitor and rows of windows supplied daylight. The water tower base was bound with iron tie rods to carry more than 51,000 gallons of water. The roundhouse is among the older surviving examples of its type.
Significance in brief: The shops were one of three large complexes maintaining Delaware and Hudson Railroad engines and rolling stock, and were essential to Green Island's economy and the D & H Northern Division. The nomination also cites the engineering of the cast iron columns and iron-reinforced wood trusses, which gave large open work floors and daylight. The roundhouse is described as one of the older standing examples of its type.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 73001161, listed May 24, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | James and Tibbits Sts. and the Delaware and Hudson RR tracks, Green Island |
|---|---|
| County | Albany County |
| Listed | May 24, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73001161 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century; specific date 1871 |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Engineering, Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied, in good condition, unaltered and on its original site, with industrial and transportation uses. |
| Acreage | 10 |
| Coordinates | 42.75078, -73.69222 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 73001161.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7313491
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.