Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - 40
IF YOU
GO
WANT TO RIDE?
Potomac Eagle Scenic
Railroad, 304-424-0736,
potomaceagle.info
WANT TO STAY?
Koolwink Motel, 304822-3595, koolwink.com
ABOVE: Rodney Matheny is operations
manager of the Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad.
"The Trough Trip" spans a roundtrip
ride of 34 miles.
And it's, oh, so slow.
Translation in time: It's a three-hour
tour.
"We run slow enough that people can
see what we want them to see," Shoemaker says. "We could run faster but
then people would miss a lot."
You'll see eagles in flight or even dipping into the South Branch of the Potomac River-quite the feathery fishermen-inside the giant, natural ravine
dubbed "The Trough."
"Our slow time is in that trough because of the eagles' nest and the possibility of seeing birds," Shoemaker says.
"We see eagles. It's very, very rare that we
don't see at least one."
'JUST LIKE A JUGGLER'
The Trough Trip is one of several rides.
An occasional up-and-back goes to Green
Spring. An all-day excursion pulls passengers to Petersburg.
"It's a tourist train," Kesner says. Cars
come from the glory years of passenger
rail service. "They date anywhere from
1917 to 1963," says Rodney Matheny.
As the railroad's operations manager, it's
Matheny's job to serve as an engineer,
conductor, mechanic-and more.
"It's just like a juggler," says Matheny,
63. "You throw everything up in the air
You'll see eagles in flight
or even dipping into the South
Branch of the Potomac River.
40
BLUERIDGECOUNTRY.COM
ABOVE LEFT: Licensed conductor Greg
Kesner greets passengers aboard the Potomac
Eagle Scenic Railroad.
and, just as it comes down, you know
how to sort it and put it in its position
and how to make it work."
'NEVER GET TIRED'
History spans centuries along this line.
Why, none other than George Washington commented in his journal that
"The Trough" was impassable, Shoemaker says. "He said the only way to get
below The Trough was to ride around the
mountains."
Today, of course, you can simply take
the train.
An open-and-flat gondola car gives
passengers an extra-close opportunity for
bird watching: outside, without a roof.
"It's just a big draw that people want
to be out there, to ride through The
Trough," Shoemaker says.
Inside a passenger car, at her microphone, Shoemaker sees nearly the same
view from an open window.
"I never get tired of seeing The
Trough," Shoemaker says. "And I also get
the opportunity to tell the history."
http://www.potomaceagle.info
http://www.koolwink.com
http://www.BLUERIDGECOUNTRY.COM
Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019
Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - Intro
Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - Cover1
Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - Cover2
Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - 3
Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - 4
Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - 5
Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - 6
Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - 7
Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - 8
Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - 9
Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - 10
Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - 11
Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - 12
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Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - 14
Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - 15
Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - 16
Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - 17
Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - 18
Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - 19
Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - 20
Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - 21
Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - 22
Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - 23
Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - 24
Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - 25
Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - 26
Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - 27
Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - 28
Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - 29
Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - 30
Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - 31
Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - 32
Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - 33
Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - 34
Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - 35
Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - 36
Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - 37
Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - 38
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Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - 40
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Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - 51
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Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - 55
Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - 56
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Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - 65
Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - 66
Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - Cover3
Blue Ridge Country - March/April 2019 - Cover4
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