West Virginia 2008 Official State Travel Guide - (Page 32) REPORTS SCENIC TRAINS by Juliet A. Terry Wonderful West Virginia Enjoy the Scenery from the MOUNTAIN STATE’S RAILS Imagine traveling through the hills of West Virginia from the comfort of a rail car. With four major scenic train systems to choose from, travelers can take their pick for day trips or full-fledged vacation excursions that evoke the days when everyone rode the rails. From top to bottom: Potomac Eagle Cass Scenic Railroad State Park . g g and feet in elevation and pass over Cheat Mountain while giving passengers a rare glimpse of nature. The West Virginia Central Railroad passes through central West Virginia counties and is a former CSX rail line that now is marketed by the Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad. Two excursion trains give passengers a choice between touring from Elkins to the High Falls of Cheat on the New Tygart Flyer or traveling on a train over Cheat Bridge on the Cheat Mountain Salamander. Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad The Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad, based in Romney, provides a peaceful three-hour journey through narrow mountain passes. Photographers have the chance to capture the elusive, sacred American Bald Eagle, and passengers are free to bring their own picnics. New River Mystery Train For a little intrigue, the New River Gorge Railroad operates the Mystery Train in addition to its more traditional day or overnight trips. On the Mystery Train, passengers become embroiled in a professional, entertaining murder-mystery while enjoying the sights both on and off the train. Ticket purchases include the rail tour with off- and on-train lodging and activities, meals and everything else needed for an all-inclusive railroad excursion. Cass Scenic Railroad New Tygart Flyer g. Cass Scenic Railroad is the state’s most famous. It transports passengers back in time while they ride a steam-driven locomotive through West Virginia’s natural wilderness. The railroad uses the same rail line built in 1901 to haul lumber, and the Shay locomotives date back more than 50 years to lumber operations from Cass to British Columbia. Once aboard, thousands of pounds of steam pressure propels passengers up and down the mountains in eastern West Virginia. Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Farther north in the Monongahela National Forest, the Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad offers a variety of trips from two to eight hours. Trains climb to more than 4,000 Depot at Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad . g 32 1 - 8 0 0 - C A L L W VA
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