Cass Climax nearing completion NEWSWIRE

CASS, W.Va. — In less than 12 weeks, a more than decade-long project will be completed when Cass Scenic Railroad crews finish the restoration of Middle Fork Climax No. 9. Cass shop crews are expecting the arrival of the locomotive’s steam chest during the week of June 3rd. New air tanks are currently ordered and will arrive at the shop facility in the upcoming weeks. With the arrival of the steam chest and expected air tanks, crews will soon begin reassembling the drive shaft – the final component to the project.

Cass shop crews spent much of the late winter on final piping and putting together the various injector lines. The locomotive successfully passed a boiler test in March 2019.

Final touch up and cosmetic work will take place once the drive shaft has been reassembled and the air tanks are installed.

“Middle Fork Climax No. 9 will return to steam within the next two months. We suspect the first true debut will be during our Rail Heritage Weekend on Sept. 6-8, 2019,” says Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad Marketing and Business Development Manager Chase Gunnoe. “This project demonstrates the collaboration of many talented people and we’re excited to see this project become a reality,” Gunnoe adds.

Cass has not announced a definitive date on when the locomotive will be under the steam, pending these final items. Please refer to the railroad’s ‘Legacy’ page for additional details on this and other exciting projects.