In an announcement Thursday, the privatized tourist railroad said it will launch service with a three-day special event Sept. 6-8 and featuring restored Middle Fork Railroad three-truck Climax No. 9, which has been under restoration for almost 20 years. The 9-mile line from Cass to Durbin has been out of service since a 1985 flood washed out six major sections of track, including some as long as 750 feet or more.
Cass has been a bastion of Shay geared steam locomotives since its inception in the early 1960s, and with the exception of a Heisler that came to the railroad early on, that type of locomotive has been the sole power. The Middle Fork Climax will give the railroad the chance to showcase all three types of geared steam that were popular with loggers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The engine is expected to steam this winter or spring.
More information is available at http://mountainrailwv.com/tour/rail-heritage-weekend/
Robert, give us a break. They explained there were 6 major washouts. Now picture the track bent down over the edge of the bank and broken or not broken under water and then up over the edge of the bank. Hard to measure track when it is under water. Now there were 5 other places like that may be longer or shorter, so who cares what the measured length were. It is just great they are pulling the rails back up, putting ties under the rails on a new alignment and then ballasting the track. Word is some of the work was being done by volunteers who just want to see trains running down the river. Why don’t you plan to visit and rent a on-line caboose to live in for a while in the wilds and then you would have plenty of time to measure how much rail was under water. I hope it doesn’t get flooded before they get to run over it and firm it up with heavy rip rap to prevent damage again. If you can’t say something nice, say nothing.
“as long as 750′ or more”, really, As long as 750 feet is a finite length. If it was more then that it’s not ‘as long as’. When did all we all forget how the write and talk. ‘Up to or more’, ‘as long as or more’.
Last time I checked the Hermitage Motel was still for sale by a bank (must have been repossessed). Too bad, it was a nice place to stay and had a popular restaurant especially with the local residents. There is a bed and breakfast at Slatyfork (past Horseshoe) called the Morning Glory Inn where my wife and I enjoyed ourselves 2 years ago. There is also a nearby 20 room motel called the Boyer Station Motel. Their website claims that all the rooms were renovated in 2018, which is good news as they were very outdated a few years ago. There is also the Bear Creek Lodge which is just across the river from the Cass station. They don’t have that many rooms, but they are close and have food available.
Thank you John Smith for the progress and updated news. Cass is like wilderness when it comes to news of happenings in that area. I hope when the line is opened they can run a number of air dumps in with giant boulders rip rap and dump them on the side of the tracks in the exposed areas to prevent new washout damage when the next flood hits.
What is the progress on the former BG&G 2-8-0 that was shipped to Cass from Spencer, NC to be used on the Durbin Line? That as well can add to the mix and selection of train rides with different power. Cass Scenic RR displays steam power in the extreme beyond anywhere else in the USA.
The best way to reach Durbin from the Northeast is via the Interstates to Cumberland, MD and then southwest down the valleys to get on RT 28, which has only one straight run up & over a mountain to reach US250 and Durbin, and then the same route from Durbin to Cass. All traffic free and a fine speed route on back roads. Has the Hermitage Motel at Franks ever been sold and reopened? Snowshoe is a rooming possibility besides the loggers homes in Cass.
Winter is a bit out of the question but it looks like I need to load up the tin lizzie with bear grease and kerosene and plan a trip to West Virginia…
The above comments are general in nature and do not form the basis for an attorney/client relationship. They do not constitute legal advice. I am not your attorney. Find your own damn lawyer.
A couple of minor corrections — Cass was MP 84 and Durbin was MP 98 on the old C&O Greenbrier Division making the distance between the two towns 14 miles. There actually are two Climax engines at Cass. For several years two-truck Climax #3 ran over a 5.5 mile portion of this line south from Durbin heading the excursion known as the “Durbin Rocket”. Cass Heisler #6 is now holding down that run. Climax #3 is currently in the Cass shops for rebuilding but I believe ownership belongs to the D&GVRR, unlike the other Cass engines that belong to the State of WV,