I had a 5:45 AM wakeup call so I could be down at Brandi's Restaurant when the breakfast buffet opened and had French Toast, bacon and sausage. I then drove back over to Cass, avoiding the deer which were out on the road this early morning. I descended through the clouds to the Cass Scenic Railroad parking lot and parked ready to finally ride this excursion train. Everyone met on the station platform where restrooms and hot drinks could be found.
At 7:45 AM, Cass Shay 2 and Heisler 6 reversed the passenger train into the station and we all boarded the train, with me taking a seat in covered open car 7.
Our route would be following Leatherbark Creek as we started up the grade.
We crossed Back Mountain Road where some photographers were waiting for us.
Our train with the cabooses bringing up the rear as we climbed the 4.55 percent grade at this point of our trip.
The engines were working hard on this steep grade.
Our train was climbing hard towards the Lower Switchback. Once we reached there, a switch would be thrown and our train would be pushed all the way to the Upper Switchback.
We were now on a 6.3 percent grade as we started up the Lower Switchback.
Our engines now pushing us hard up the grade.
Looking down at the track on which we came up from Cass.
Our engines now pushing us as we approached the Lower Switchback.
The cabooses were in the lead.
Ascending the 6.3 percent grade.
At Gum Curve, there is a fantastic view looking down towards Cass.
Working through Limestone Cut.
Our train reached the Upper Switchback.
A look to where our engines would once again be pulling our train up the grade.
The engines continuing to pull hard up the steep grade.
At Milepost 3.8, our train passed through Whittaker then passed Austin Meadows before eight hundred feet of six percent grade.
A look down through the trees.
Nearing Gobblers Knob.
Our engines continued the climb.
The engines were working up the last mile of the grade.
Fantastic steam and sound as our engines thundered.
Nearing the top of the grade.
There was a fantastic view from Overlook, a great view from a perfectly-named place. We stopped briefly at Old Spruce and it was then announced that our first photo runbys would be held just before Spruce Junction. The original grade to Spruce could be seen along the stream below us. Our train passed the junction with the line to Bald Knob, a line I would have to come back and ride in the future.
Curving into the location for the photo runbys.
We all detrained and climbed up the side of the hill. The passenger train cleared and we all waited for the log train to arrive which had followed us.
The log train's photo runby 1.
The reverse move.
The log train's photo runby 2.
The reverse move.
The log train's photo runby 3.
The reverse move.
The log train's photo runby 4.
That train reversed down the grade then took water at Spruce. I walked down off the hill to the rail to walk there.
Waiting to take water at Spruce.
Heisler 6 at rest.
Shay 2 and Heisler 6.
The log train taking water.
Lunch was served from behind the caboose as the log train watched over us.
After lunch, I decided to walk the hillside to see the view overlooking Spruce.
Heisler 6.
Overlooking Spruce. The line to the left came from Cass, the line going to the right goes to Big Cut and the line below leads to Elkins and beyond. Most of the passengers posed for a panoramic photograph and I sat on top of a log car. Once done, we all reboarded and took off north along the Shaver Fork of the Cheat River.
Starting downgrade leaving Spruce where we pulled north along the Shaver Fork to Beaver Creek to detrain for our next photo runby.
Our passenger train reversed across the bridge.
Photo runby 5.
Reverse move.
Photo runby 6 with the passenger train, which would keep going in order to clear out of the way for the log train to do some photo runbys.
Photo runby 7 with the log train.
Reverse move with our caboose, log cars and crane.
The engines reversed across the bridge.
Photo runby 8.
The log train reversed across the bridge for another runby.
Photo runby 9.
The clearing reverse move and the log train would make its way south. Our passenger train returned to pick us up and we proceeded south to the Twin Bridges for our next photo runbys.
The train reversed up the grade along the Shaver Fork of the Cheat River. When we reached the North Bridge of the Twin Bridges, the rear four carloads of passengers detrained for the photo runbys there. The front part of the train would go to the South Bridge for their runbys.
The reverse move at the North Bridge.
Photo runby 10 with the passenger train.
Photo Runby 11.
Reverse move with the log train.
Photo runby 12.
Reverse move with the log train.
Photo runby 13. The log train then reversed to Spruce to take water again. Our passenger train picked us up then the group at the South Bridge before reversing to Spruce to take on water.
Later, my future route to Bald Knob.
The view from Overlook.
The cabooses led us down the grade as our carmen applied the brakes on each of the cars to keep us under control as we descended.
A bathroom stop was made at Whittaker and a rare sight, an extended men's line due to the lack of urinals in the bathrooms.
Our train at Whittaker. The bathroom stop took longer than expected and since the clouds returning, it was decided to go directly back to Cass so we arrived there at 4:45 PM, ending another excellent day of train riding and photography at the Cass 40th Railfan Weekend. I bought a Cass T-shirt from the store before going to the Cass Community Center, a former church) for the all-you-can-eat Loggers Dinner. I then drove back to the Inn at Snowshoe and worked on this story before calling it a night.
