Cass West Virginia Operations.

By the "new group", you mean the same people that have successfully re-built an operating tourist line with over one hundred miles of track, vintage diesels and passenger cars and a rare Climax locomotive, re-built the bridge into Elkins, WV so trains can once again use the station and have a nice little side business of hauling freight to a few customers and storing freight cars on their unused branch lines. Yeah, they sound positively incompetent.  I'm sure they're lining up scrappers as we speak to take care of those nasty, dirty Shays.

...or it could be a few state workers out there that are trying to rile up the railfans (and others) in order to hold onto their jobs.

PLEASE.................

I live in the area. It is only an issue to those who do not live here and like rumor....the more negative the better.

D&GVR is a dedicated group. They are a very positive element in this region. If they were doing what they do in a more metropolitan area and not in the backwoods of West Virginia it would be national news. They have restored 100's of miles of track. Reconnected Cass RR with the outside world (they had no link for YEARS) they have done many things already stated. I rode with them last summer and had a chance to talk to them at length about future plans and they are GREAT. We will become THE railroad vacation spot of the country if not world. They have no reason to do anything negative to Cass RR.....and the state of WV still will own it so nothing big will happen.....the state knows Cass is a vital part of this region.

Please....stay calm. If it comes about that bad things are going to happen....I'll be the first to post. Around here you can't keep what you have for lunch a secret.  

Wow!..all that has gone on since I was last there?   Must be time for another visit to

the area...That really sounds great!

Dave and Just a Fan, thanks for the positive post, as I'm going to be with one of the nay sayers later this evening, and printing off this post, with your responses, and I'll see what kind of drama comes from that!............Thanks again...............Brandy!

There is no guarantee in life......not even for Cass RR!  But having more face to face contact with these folks for the 12 years I have lived here makes me believe they (D&GVR) will do what's best. It's in THEIR own interest to draw more people into the area. Some of the plans they have, not all public yet I don't think, are very exciting. I can't wait.

Anything can change, of course, and I can't swear that the Durbin Rocket's friends are as they were a few years ago when we were lucky enough to go down there, BUT...

if they're still as they were thrn, Cass could not be in better hands, and would have to go some to find more dedicated and knowledgeable people who seriously love steam and seem to be enjoying themselves immensely.

Anyone who has doubts should make time to go down to Durbin and ride. Make it a weekday and you'll be more likely to catch the crew when they have a chance to talk. I'd imagine you'd feel a lot better about matters (and it's a beautiful area and a good ride.)

Wife and I went to town tonight to have dinner. She's the local ER nurse and is starting a long stretch Friday.  I wore my AT&SF vintage 'The Chief' logo shirt. A fellow customer at the restaurant came up to me on the way out. We started talking trains. He had just retired from Cass RR. We started in on the D&GVR take over (which is not a done deal but paperwork is all that's left) He said he thought it would be a good thing for the RR. BUT....the concern with many who work there is job security.  The state runs a very heavy crew. Three in the cab, one brakeman on each car (that's 12 often) a 'host' and a few 'extras'.  That's 18 at least. And each run is a money looser which was OK as a state park. D&GVR runs at a profit....and that's the concern. A valid one but one that has yet to happen, and will not until 2015, and with the expansion planned who knows 

But from the front lines positive overall. Thx

Concerns over job security are understandable, but they should also realize at least in the backs of their heads that they are running a seriously overstaffed unprofitable operation right now, and that in order for the operation to survive, some people will have to find other work elsewhere.

Why do people think it's better for an operation to run itself into the ground so *EVERYONE* loses their jobs, than for the business to survive and thrive with only *SOME* loss of jobs?

What is the rationale for a three-man engine crew? And I cannot understand why there must be a brakeman for every car, especially if there is a "host" on-board each car as well.

I don't manage the RR so the 'WHY' will have to come from someone else.

There is ONE host per train. They answer questions and have a spiel about the RR and the trip.

Each car has a brakeman because the RR still sets and releases the car brakes manually. So on the trip down, at times with the loco on the up hill side, they insure a safe trip. There is other ways but that's the way it's done now. Without riding the train it's a bit hard to understand fully.  Also remember this is a signal  - less  railroad with switchbacks and blind meets with other trains.  I think the state feels it needs a crew of this size......we'll see what comes next year.

I've ridden the cab on a couple of Cass locomotives. There's always been just two (besides me) in there. Perhaps AMCDave saw a railfan riding along or maybe it was a training run for a new employee?

When I rode the train in October of last year, we had a brakeman that actually worked two cars. The "B" ends of the two cars were coupled together so it was easy for him to work the brake wheel on both cars.

Interesting. I sounds like maybe three people are needed, at least part of the time.

I've been to Cass around 10 times in my life.  I have only observed an engineer and a fireman in the cabs.  But, I have not been there since 2004, so maybe things have changed??

I was there today and rode the 12:00 train up to Bald Knob.  Ticket price was $25.00 per person.  We arrived about ten minutes to 12 and purchased tickets.  The train left promptly at 12.  All the attached cars were full.  I stood up for the whole trip about four and one half hours.  On the way up the hill we met the 11:00 train coming down at the upper switch back.  Our train pulled past while they went down the hill.  The first stop on the long train was Whittaker Station where the train stops for about twenty minutes. Whittaker Station has a little snack bar with a coke machine and a couple of old logging pieces on display.  One the way up to Bald Know the train stops for about fifteen minutes to take on water a continues up the hill to Bald Knob.  Up at the top at Bald Knob the train stops for a short twenty or so minute stop.  There is a bathroom and viewing platform where you can look over the valley below.  Heading back down the train stopped at the flag stop to pick up a couple that spent the night in on of the cabooses and dropped off another couple that was staying the night on the mountain.  The train stopped again at the water stop on the way down.  When the train reached the wye the engine disconnected and turned around so it was facing the right direction for an event on Saturday.  For a July day it was a little cool on top of the mountain.  There was a brake person on every car applying the hand brakes on the way down.  I'm not sure how many were in the cab because when the train stopped everyone got off and mingled with the guests.  There was also a narrator on the train.  

Thank you for the review of it, jmiller320.  My wife and I want togo up and do this again.  It has been along time since we were there.  You just don't get to see many Shays and such . . . Cass is a really nifty place!

jmiller......

The coldest I have ever been, no matter the time of year, was in West Virginia in July!

This week at lower elevations we got done into the 40's at night.....so it can get cool.

Last Fall I was at Cass just doing some photography when a bus of college kids pulled up for the Blad Knob train. Almost all of them were dressed like they were going to the beach. And while it was 70 degrees in Cass......I was told by the conductor of the train it was high 30's with snow on top of the mountain!

Hope you enjoyed your trip!

I just got back from Cass. I was told by a friend of mine who is a conductor/brakeman that the changes will take place on the first of November.  The State of West Virginia currently loses over a million dollars a year operating the railroad.  He said this change might be what saves this railroad. 

They can (and sometimes do) use the air brakes on the trip down, but have used the hand brakes as a demonstration of how it was done "in the day."    You have to figure this is one area where some money could be saved, and as others have pointed out could save the railroad.  Also hiding under the bushes is in the recent past some of the state employees where brought up on charges for theft of park property.  This was reported in TRAINS magazine about a year ago.  I've never seen a three person engine crew.  D&GVR has been very active in sending their vintage diesels (and restored cars) to special events, including the 100th anniversary of Washington Union Station and the recent Spencer event.

Bob

Mt Washington Cog Railroad, New Hampshire. The cars are not coupled to the locomotives.

These hand brakes on the car are used on the way down.

Cass is easily my favorite train place is the world.  When we lived in Maryland I would go there often.  Now that I live in Colorado I can't get there as much.  Saturday my wife and I rode the Georgetown Loop Railroad which is one of the wonders of the railroad world.  Plus it has a Westside Shay so it's my only way to get my Shay "fix" while in Colorado.  (Yes I know about the two other Westside Shays in Golden but they don't operator regularly.)

The Georgetown Loop regular coach fare is $25.95 for a one hour trip.  Cass' weekend Bald Knob fare is $28.00 for a 4.5 hour trip with doubleheaded Shays which is a much better deal.  If they have to raise that fare to $38.00 it would still be a great deal.  Where else in the U.S. can you see so many operating, standard gauge steam engines?  In Colorado we have the "equivalent" in numbers of operating steam engines at both the Durango and Silverton and the Cumbres and Toltec.  I miss Cass very much but these two railroads, and the Loop, are great consolations. 

Hey Bbunge; What equipment did D&GVR send to Washington Union Station and Spencer???????

Gary,

Thank you, for pointing out my mistake.  The equipment I was thinking of was sent by the Potomac Eagle Scenic.  My apologies.

Bob

Made a visit to Cass today with the kids and grandkids.  We didn't ride as we were just out sight seeing today. (hope to ride Sunday)

But I did get the chance to talk to some folks about the 'fate' of Cass and the entire region as it pertains to railroading. 

All I heard was positive. Plans for tourist railroading in the region continue to grow. Some of the things in 'planing' are a bit early to talk about....but one thing that was brought up is passenger rail service being restored to Slatyfork WV. This is very close to Snowshoe ski resort.....think Rio Grande ski train in winter and a great trip through a very rural section of WV in summer. Not 100% it will happen but I sure hope so.....some great rails on this trip.

Overall great things happening here railroad wise.

Its on my bucket lsit of places t visit.

Steve

Mine, too!