by Noel Weaver
Hard to believe that I could not find anything on here for almost a year about Cass Scenic Railroad in Cass, West Virginia.
I rode it twice in two days Thursday to Bald Knob which is the second highest mountain in West Virginia and Friday to Spruce, West Virginia an abandoned logging town and presently
the only connection to the national railroad system for Cass. We even rode about five miles on the former Western Maryland at Spruce and both trips were very interesting. The
Shay Locomotives are maintained to the highest degree, the operation is very professional in every way, the scenery is outstanding and the people are very friendly.
I highly recommend this operation to anybody who would like to ride a mountain railroad that is powered by nothing but steam.
Incidentally, I remember comments by some railroaders regarding women in engine service to the effect that if steam were still around the women would never have hired out as
firemen or engineers. My two days riding Cass can put that notion to rest at least as far as I am concerned. Fireperson AMY fired Shay no. 11 to Bald Knob on Thursday and to
Spruce on Friday and it is very demanding to hand fire a Shay on grades up to 9 per cent in places. The engine did not suffer from any lack of steam either day as it popped off a
few times when the engineer shut off or eased off.
On another thread it was mentioned about the presence of rattlesnakes in this area, snakes are everywhere in the east but I did not happen to see any here. I did see deer both days and there was evidence of the presence of black bears too.
I stayed in Bartow, WV which is 16 miles from Cass over good roads and the trip takes about 30 minutes or maybe a little less. Great accomodations and food at the Hermitage and
the dining room has railroad stuff all over the place. Great people here too.
I also rode the diesel train out of Elkins, West Virginia today over some 44 miles of the former Western Maryland now West Virginia Central and that was a good diesel trip with
former Western Maryland BL-2 no. 82 and two former DL & W MU's. This was a 44 mile ride in each direction and included in the ticket price was a buffet lunch of sandwiches and
other things, another nice outing. The hotel in Bartow is 40 miles from Elkins and the trip is just slightly over an hour in each direction over a mountain pass but a decent road.
It was a great three days and the cost was probably much less than comparable trips elsewhere.
Noel Weaver
I rode it twice in two days Thursday to Bald Knob which is the second highest mountain in West Virginia and Friday to Spruce, West Virginia an abandoned logging town and presently
the only connection to the national railroad system for Cass. We even rode about five miles on the former Western Maryland at Spruce and both trips were very interesting. The
Shay Locomotives are maintained to the highest degree, the operation is very professional in every way, the scenery is outstanding and the people are very friendly.
I highly recommend this operation to anybody who would like to ride a mountain railroad that is powered by nothing but steam.
Incidentally, I remember comments by some railroaders regarding women in engine service to the effect that if steam were still around the women would never have hired out as
firemen or engineers. My two days riding Cass can put that notion to rest at least as far as I am concerned. Fireperson AMY fired Shay no. 11 to Bald Knob on Thursday and to
Spruce on Friday and it is very demanding to hand fire a Shay on grades up to 9 per cent in places. The engine did not suffer from any lack of steam either day as it popped off a
few times when the engineer shut off or eased off.
On another thread it was mentioned about the presence of rattlesnakes in this area, snakes are everywhere in the east but I did not happen to see any here. I did see deer both days and there was evidence of the presence of black bears too.
I stayed in Bartow, WV which is 16 miles from Cass over good roads and the trip takes about 30 minutes or maybe a little less. Great accomodations and food at the Hermitage and
the dining room has railroad stuff all over the place. Great people here too.
I also rode the diesel train out of Elkins, West Virginia today over some 44 miles of the former Western Maryland now West Virginia Central and that was a good diesel trip with
former Western Maryland BL-2 no. 82 and two former DL & W MU's. This was a 44 mile ride in each direction and included in the ticket price was a buffet lunch of sandwiches and
other things, another nice outing. The hotel in Bartow is 40 miles from Elkins and the trip is just slightly over an hour in each direction over a mountain pass but a decent road.
It was a great three days and the cost was probably much less than comparable trips elsewhere.
Noel Weaver
). Each trip completely filled the senses. Based upon my experiences, I'd highly recommend it!