5/20/2007 I awoke again at 5:45 AM and was down at Brandi's for another breakfast then checked out and drove back to Cass. I put my bag in Coach 7 again and relaxed as I worked out my rail mileage for the weekend. At 8:00 AM, the first photo runbys were announced for the station area and our train trip would leave afterwards. I detrained for the start of Day 3 of the Cass Scenic 40th Railfan Weekend.
I walked down to the photo line and it was then announced that the line would be by the station. Most people left to make that photo line but some of us stayed put and a few minutes later, we were informed the runbys would go all the way to the water tower, so we were fine.
The double-headed log train reversed down beyond the highway to start the first photo runby of the day.
Photo runby 1.
Reverse move.
Photo runby 2, after which I switched to a different location.
Reverse move.
Photo runby 3. Once complete, the steam engines were separated for what would be known as the "Steam Engine Race".
Heisler 6.
Gentlemen, steam your engines!
Race 1.
Race 2.
Race 3. I returned to the train to board.
At 9:03 AM, we departed Cass station, passed the log train waiting to follow us up the grade, the water tower and the shop. It was announced that our next photo runby would be at Leatherbark Creek.
Photo runby 4 was with our passenger train.
Photo runby 5. Our passenger train then went up the grade to clear out of the way of the log train that would be coming next.
Photo runby 6 was with the log train.
Photo runby 7. Once the log train reversed. it returned to the water tower to take on water. Our passenger train then picked us up and we also reversed to the water tower.
Our two engines were being watered. Once done, we resumed our journey up the grade to the Lower Switchback, reversed direction and reversed up the grade to the Gum Curve, where we all detrained.
Reversing up the grade to be in position for the next photo runby.
This is what you call a photo line!
Photo runby 9 was with the passenger train.
Next the log train reversed up the grade.
Photo runby 10.
The log train reverse move.
Photo runby 11.
Reverse move. We all walked up the track to our next location at Log Road.
The log train reversed up the grade.
Photo runby 12.
Reverse move.
Photo runby 13 with the log train which kept going down the grade to clear out of the way.
After our passenger train returned to pick us up, we proceeded up the grade to Whittaker for lunch.
Arriving at the Upper Switchback.
Our train arrived at Whittaker and everyone detrained.
Meadow River Lumber Company skidder 1 built by the company in 1945. Standing 96 feet from its base in operating condition and with over 3,000 feet of cable capability, it was one of the largest high-lead skidders ever used in the East. The purpose of the rebuild was related to handling tree-length logs; service ended sometime in 1966 (it was the last operating steam skidder in the East); brought to Rainelle in early 1968 and stored on a siding across the mill pond from MRL's bandsaw plant). It was shipped to Cass as part of the donated equipment in 1972 and was moved to Whittaker by Shays 2 and 5 in 1993.
Maedow Valley Lumber Company log loader built in 1953, a one-of-a-kind device for heel-booming the butt ends of tree-length logs. It was active until the end of rail-logging by MRL successor, Georgia-Pacific in 1971.
The log train waited at Whittaker at lunch.
The front of our passenger train.
Our group having lunch.
I was riding in covered open car 7 today.
Cass Scenic Railroad caboose 51, ex. lettered for Western Maryland 1894 1981, exx. Cass Scenic 90789, exxx. Meadow River Lumber Company 3 1956, nee Chesapeake and Ohio 90658 built by the railroad in 1924. It was donated by successor Georgia-Pacific Corporation in 1971 and arrived in 1972. It first operated during railfan events in 1973.
Cass Scenic Railroad caboose 50, nee Chesapeake and Ohio Railway 90788 built by Standard Steel Car in 1924. It was last used in work train service on the Hinton Division then sold to State of West Virginia in 1966.
Cass Scenic Railroad caboose 311, nee Virginian Railway 311 built by St. Louis Car Company in 1947.
The reverse move with the log train.
Photo runby 14.
Reverse move.
Photo runby.
The log train then reversed out of Whittaker and started down the grade.
The passenger train returned to pick us up and we then started back down the grade towards Cass.
We reversed down the switchbacks.
Hand brakes worked to get us down to Back Mountain Road, where the final runbys of the trip occurred. We all detrained and our train went back up the grade to clear for the log train.
Log train photo runby 16.
Photo runby 17. The log train reversed to Cass before the passenger train came down the grade to pick us up. Once we were all back onboard, the train returned us to Cass and I said goodbye to all of my new friends in my car before detraining, ending a fantastic Cass Scenic 40th Railfan Weekend.
I drove down Highway 62 back to Highway 92 to US 250 which I took east. I had to drive over five mountain ridges and even had a black bear cross the road in front of me. I filled the car before Staunton, Virginia then took the "Loop" around town to Interstate 81, stopping at a KFC in Woodstock for an early dinner before driving north to Virginia 7, which I took east to US 340. I drove through Harpers Ferry, West Virginia and crossed the Potomac River to Interstate 70, taking that east to Baltimore and exiting onto Interstate 695 to US 40, which took me to the Days Inn.
I checked in and filled the rental car before settling into my hotel room where I checked e-mail then watched "Natural Treasure" before calling it a night for an early morning wake-up call.
5/21/2007 I awoke at 4:48, showered and watched ESPN Sports Center Bottom Line to learn that the Anaheim Ducks beat the Detroit Red Wings yesterday. I checked out and drove back to BWI Airport to return my rental car then caught a waiting shuttle to the United Airlines terminal and acquired my boarding pass. The security line stretched half-a-mile, even though this was 6:00 AM, but I went through it in fifteen minutes and walked to Gate D-13 to wait for my flight. I wrote this morning's tale and did some Sudoku puzzles while I waited.
United Airlines 305 Coming Home 5/21/2007We took off at 8:46 EDT and I saw an Acela Express going south on its way to Washington, DC as we climbed from Baltimore. After we passed over a cloudy West Virginia, the film "Bridge to Terabithia" was shown followed by "NBC on United". Rush's "Snakes and Arrows" took me back to California and the plane landed through the marine layer at 10:30 AM PDT. I was out at the bus curb at 10:53 AM and was picked up by the LAX Flyaway Bus at 11:07 AM.
Twenty-five minutes later, I was back at LAUPT and as I debussed, saw a railroad display and since I had some time, went over.
General Electric hybrid locomotive 2010 with GECX 90, an engineering development laboratory along with Union Pacific C45ACCTE 7625. I walked down the tunnel towards the station and found my train crew for Pacific Surfliner 774 coming my way. I returned to Track 12 and the train for home. We departed on time and stopped at Fullerton, Anaheim and then Santa Ana, ending another exciting rail adventure, this time to the Cass 40th Railfan weekend, Seneca Caverns and the B&O Railroad Museum.
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