Friday, December 5, 2025

Erie and Champlain Canals' Weight-Lock and Sidecut to Hudson River in Watervliet, NY

Weight-Lock: (Satellite)
Sidecut: (Satellite)



This lock is downstream of where the Champlain Canal joined the Original and the Enlarged Erie Canals so that it could serve both canals.

Syracuse has preserved its weight-lock and turned it into a museum.

Joel Torres posted five photos with the comment: 
Visited the remains of the Watervliet Weight-Lock also known as The West Troy Weighlock.
It operated until 1915.
Tom Page: I believe there were originally five weighlocks on the Erie Canal: Albany/Watervliet, Utica, Syracuse, Rochester, and Buffalo.
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3, cropped
[They left out the step that the lock has to be drained before it can be weighed.]

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Hudson River Lightkeeper commented on Joel's post

Hudson River Lightkeeper commented on Joel's post

Steven Duuck commented on Joel's post
Area around Weigh Lock Watervliet
[Now I understand what the "cutoff" canal was. Note that they could go to the Hudson River only after they paid their tolls.]

Hudson River Lightkeeper posted seven images with the comment:
Celebrating 200 Years of the Erie Canal 1825-2025
West Troy Weigh-lock and looking north to Lock 3
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Hudson River Lightkeeper posted four images with the comment:
Celebrating 200 Years of the Erie Canal 1825-2025
Watervliet Upper Side-cut entrance to the canal from the Hudson River
Hudson River Lightkeeper shared
Mieczkowski Edward: If I have this figured out right the first canal barges on the “Clinton’s Ditch” Erie could carry as much weight as two modern tractor trailers.
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Hudson River Lightkeeper posted six images with the comment:
Celebrating 200 Years of the Erie Canal 1825-2025
Watervliet
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[According to Photo 6 below, the bridge is Broadway. So this is the upper sidecut lock..]

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Hudson River Light Keeper posted 8 photos with the comment:
Celebrating 200 Years of the Erie Canal 1825-2025
A few more images of Watervliet
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Watervliet Canal Boats waiting on the Hudson River.

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Erie Canal at 23rd St.

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13th St. Bridge looking north.

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14th Street Andersonville and 2nd Avenue on left.

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14th Street Bridge over the Erie Canal.

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Abandoned Erie Canal through Arsenal 13th St looking south.

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23rd Street and Broadway. Filling in the side cut.

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23rd Street and Broadway. Filling in the side cut.

Cori Willson commented on Photo 2

This map implies that Broadway was today's NY-32. But I think that today's Empire State Trl was Broadway and NY-32 was the canal.
1953/55 Troy South Quad @ 24,000

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