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Editorial
It’s time for the season of giving. Page 4
December 1, 2012
A Denton Publication
N News ews
Enterprise E En nterrpprise
2011
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Freight to roll down North Creek tracks soon
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By Andy Flynn andy@denpubs.com NORTH CREEK — Freight trains should be rolling along the Saratoga & North Creek (SNC) Railway tracks within the next two months, according to railroad officials. It would be the first active freight train here in 23 years, said 28-year-old Justin Gonyo, a North Creek native who was hired in August as the railway’s general superintendent. He’s a fourth generation railroad worker; his father and grandfather worked on these tracks when the Delaware & Hudson (D&H) Railway owned them. Now it’s his turn. He feels the sense of history, and he’s glad to be a part of it. “It’s really indescribable,” Gonyo said. “I don’t want to get corny or anything, but just to be part of the process of setting up the first shipment of freight down this line since 1989 is a pretty big achievement for me in my career.” Gonyo’s railroad career is entering its fifth year, and thanks to his experience on the D&H and its parent company, the Canadian Pacific (CP) Railway, he’s ready to help the SNC’s parent company, Iowa Pacific Holdings, get some return on its investment. The company has already spent millions of dollars along the rail line since the summer of 2011, fixing tracks, setting up The Exchange at North Creek CONTINUED ON PAGE 7
Index NORTH CREEK
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PUBLISHER’S COLUMN
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EDITORIAL
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Outreach Center needs help with annual toy drive PAGE 3 ON THE SLOPES
Saratoga & North Creek Railway General Superintendent Justin Gonyo at the North Creek Depot Photo by Andy Flynn
andy@denpubs.com NORTH CREEK — Justin Gonyo is carrying on a family tradition. He’s a railroad man. Hired in August as the Saratoga & North Creek (SNC) Railway’s general superintendent, Gonyo is following in the footsteps of his father, grandfather and great-grandfather, who all worked for the Delaware & Hudson (D&H) Railway. In fact, Gonyo left a job at the D&H to take this job in his hometown
Santa Claus arrives Dec. 1 in North Creek
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By Andy Flynn
INDIAN LAKE CHAMBER
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andy@denpubs.com
QUESTION OF MONTH
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SPORTS PREVIEW
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CLASSIFIEDS
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of North Creek. “Grandpa was the last station agent to work here,” said Gonyo, sitting on a bench in front of the North Creek Depot next to the Hudson River. “He’s the last one to lock the door for the D&H. He was a trainman and a conductor. He was on the ore trains that came out of Tahawus.” Grandpa was Robert Gonyo (19302005), who retired in 1983 from the D&H. Born in the Clinton County town of Beekmantown, he began his railroad career as a telegrapher and ended it as a station agent, just like his father.
IN THE GYMNASIUM
Great-grandpa was George Gonyo (1895-1963), who retired in 1952 from the D&H after 39 years. Born in the Clinton County hamlet of West Chazy, he ended his career as a station agent in Chazy, where he’d been for 22 years. Dad is Tim Gonyo, who lives with his wife, Debby, in Queensbury. He was a trainman and conductor for the D&H, sometimes working on the freight line between North Creek and the Tahawus mine in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He mainly worked on the Third Subdivision for the D&H, Schenectady to CONTINUED ON PAGE 7
Student athletes ready for winter sports season PAGES 10-12
Lights On fest begins Friday with tree lighting
BAKERS MILLS NEWS
CALENDAR
PAGE 8
Gonyo fourth generation railroad man By Andy Flynn
Gore Mountain opens for the season
NORTH CREEK — It’s time once again for the month-long Lights On holiday celebration, which begins Friday, Nov. 30.
People interested in participating in the annual Lights On parade have only a day or so to sign up and prepare a float or walking unit. For more information, contact Lisa Thomas, 251-0815 (Trimmers) or Laurie Arnheiter, 251-4461 (Hudson River Trading Company). Here is a tentative schedule of the early Lights On activities: •Friday, Nov. 30: Community Bank Christmas Open House from
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noon to 3 p.m. •Friday, Nov. 30: 5 p.m. tolling of the Methodist Church Carillon officially sounds the beginning of "Lights On" for the 2012 holiday season. •Friday, Nov. 30: Lighting of the community Christmas tree, which was made available by Rob Wing and family and Volt Landscaping. It will be preceded by welcome comments around 5 p.m. from Supervi-
sor Ron Vanselow, a candlelight service dedicated to our service people led by Pastor Wayne Schoonmaker, and caroling led by Denise and Frank Conti, concluded with the playing of “Taps” by a lone bugler. •Friday, Nov. 30: Owens House Educational Center open house with punch and cookies with Santa and Mrs. Claus. Bring your camera to CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
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