Salamander, and W.Va. RR Museum

The Salamander isn't being used anymore.  Very rough riding beast anyway.  Last time I was there, it was stored up in Belington, and was up for sale.  They have gone to passenger cars.  Actually, I'm not even sure if they are operating out of Cheat Bridge at the moment or not.  There is the river mitigation project that was precluding operation from Cheat Bridge down to Spruce/Big Cut, and I thought they were going to go the other way once that part was completed.  Best check the website.

VERY scenic ride....especially from Cheat Bridge up through High Falls.  Probably the most remote stretch of railroad on the east coast with over 40 miles between grade crossings.  Goes right beside the river the entire way.  Not sure if the BL2 is being used much these days.  May just be the set of Fs.  Either way, it's well worth the ride.

Durbin is an interesting operation.  Originally the C&O, and boasting all sorts of steam power including Reading 4-8-4 #2102 in the early 70s.  Then, the trackage was abandoned and subjected to many floods.  They have rebuilt several miles going south from Durbin towards Cass.  As the joke goes, Cass was a logging railroad that has had so much trackwork that it looks like a mainline.  Durbin was a mainline that now looks like a logging railroad.  Very scenic line, and that little Climax has a wonderful personality.  I was up there last year, and they had a few freight cars for photography purposes on top of the normal mixed train, then picked up 2 "cabeese" at the far end just before this massive rainstorm hit.  Coming back with that heavy train, they worked that thing down to a stall.  Finally ended up dropping the 2 cabooses and doubled the hill.

Durbin itself is a bit of a timewarp.  If you get there early, you can see them firing the engine up, then all the servicing before train time.  It really does feel like a logging railroad.  Oh, and maybe the best hamburger I've ever eaten at the little bar/restaurant across the street from the Durbin depot.

Kevin

The Durbin Rocket on our Northern Central Highrailer's "O" Gauge Group trip to the Cass RR weekend.

The Overnight Caboose in the woods:

Wow...all very interesting!  Too bad the season is over...should have found this

brochure sooner...looks like a place to check out on the way to or from York.  I headed this thread with the W.Va. RR Museum, which I had a flyer on, also, but forgot

to ask about?  Sorry the Salamander is no longer in use...shoulda gotten on that

when I first ran across it...the EBT is the only place I've ridden a gas electric, but

don't think that is the only one running as a tourist ride?

The 55 ton two truck Climax Durbin Rocket looks like something I'd like a model of,

too, in three rail, not On30. (that classic slope walled cupola Wabash caboose must be far, far from home in rural W.Va.)

If they drop the caboose off in the middle of nowhere, what happens in the event of an emergency?

The Wilmington & Western Railroad in Delaware operates ex-PRR 4662. The car was built as a gas-electric and converted to diesel-electric by the PRR. Brief history, photo and schedule on W&W website: www.wwrr.com

Strasburg Rail Road operates a former Lancaster Oxford & Southern motor car. It has been converted from narrow gauge and has IINM gasoline mechanical or hydraulic drive. 

I did a weekend trip a number of years ago and rode the Tygart Flyer on a Saturday and then the Durbin Rocket on Sunday before heading home.  When we got to the falls on Saturday, the old Salamander was already there (it came from the opposite direction on the same line).  Here are a few pix:

 The Tygart Flyer

The old Salamander

The Durbin Rocket

If they drop the caboose off in the middle of nowhere, what happens in the event of an emergency?

I think I remember them saying that the caboose was equipped with a radio for emergencies.  Not 100% positive, though.

Andy