In recent times, upstate New York has been a popular location for movies and television shows to film. And while some are smaller scale, a few are much larger, including the upcoming second season of Apple TV’s hit show "Severance," which is using Utica’s train station, and the Adirondack Scenic Railroad as a backdrop.

What You Need To Know

  • After a long hiatus, the Apple TV+ hit "Severance" will premiere its second season in January

  • The show will feature scenes shot at Union Station in Utica, using trains from the Adirondack Scenic Railroad

  • TV and film experts say shows and films shot in a local location can bring big dollars to that community each day they shoot

People taking the Adirondack Scenic Railroad, which runs all the way from Tupper Lake to Utica, got a chance for a real brush of fame last year, when the Apple TV+ show "Severance" came calling.

“That was very exciting. They used Union Station, our home base — a beautiful station — as well as our train set,” Adirondack Scenic Railroad Volunteer Conductor Al Heywood said.

The show, which is produced and directed by Ben Stiller, is set to release its highly anticipated second season in January. Stiller spent time in Utica last year scouting locations and during the filming sessions.

“We're always trying to expand and experiment with new opportunities,” Heywood said.

Those opportunities can be a fun story.

“I may end up on the cutting room floor. Who knows? But, there are some scenes that I'm in that I can't go any further,” Heywood said with a smile.

They can also mean big money for the community in which that shoot is happening.

Depending on the show and depending on that location, the economic impact could be hundreds of thousands of dollars a day.

"That's salaries, but that's also hotels and food and dry cleaning,” SU Department of Film and Media Arts Chair David Tarleton said.

Tarleton says the economic impact of certain TV shows and movies only grows greater after the fact because of fan tourism.

“I think anything that's going to engage the fans and give them another way to be a part of the show, to think of themselves as getting behind the scenes a little bit, I think has the potential for real tourism,” he added.

The trailer for Season 2 of "Severance" can be seen online. It is set to release on Jan. 17.