▁the ▁R ut land ▁Rail road . ▁This ▁provided ▁an ▁extension , ▁completed ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 5 , ▁north ▁from ▁White hall ▁to ▁the ▁border ▁with ▁Quebec ; ▁a ▁branch ▁opened ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 6 ▁to ▁R ouses ▁Point . ▁L ines ▁of ▁the ▁Grand ▁Tr unk ▁Railway ▁continued ▁each ▁of ▁the ▁two ▁branches ▁north ▁to ▁Montreal . ▁ ▁The ▁D & H ▁obtained ▁track age ▁rights ▁over ▁the ▁Le high ▁and ▁Sus que h anna ▁Rail road ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 6 , ▁extending ▁the ▁main ▁line ▁south west ▁from ▁Sc r anton ▁to ▁Wil kes - Bar re . ▁ ▁On ▁July ▁ 1 1 , ▁ 1 8 8 9 , ▁the ▁D & H ▁bought ▁the ▁Ad ir ond ack ▁Railway , ▁a ▁long ▁branch ▁line ▁heading ▁north ▁from ▁Sar at oga ▁Spr ings ▁along ▁the ▁Hudson ▁River . ▁ ▁Some ▁company ▁direct ors ▁question ed ▁the ▁wisdom ▁of ▁acqu iring ▁extensive ▁rail ▁systems ▁in ▁northern ▁New ▁York ▁State . ▁A ▁direct ▁line ▁to ▁Alb any , ▁New ▁York , ▁existed ▁for ▁many ▁years ▁through ▁the ▁canal ▁and ▁river ▁system , ▁so ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁coal ▁mark ets ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁were ▁already ▁accessible . ▁These ▁concerns ▁were ▁over ru led ▁by ▁the ▁majority , ▁who ▁believed ▁there ▁would ▁be ▁great ▁benefit ▁to ▁having ▁an - all ▁rail ▁route ▁to ▁Up state ▁New ▁York ▁that ▁was ▁not ▁nearly ▁as ▁vulner able ▁to ▁winter ▁weather ▁as ▁the ▁canal . ▁It ▁was ▁also ▁des irable ▁to