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Cass 40th Railfan Weekend New Tygart Flyer 5/18/2007



by Chris Guenzler



It was pouring down rain as I waited under my umbrella for the train to show up which it finally did at 9:17 AM. This is the first trip of the Cass 40th Railfan Weekend.





The train pulled in with Western Maryland BL-2 82, FP7B 415 and FP7A 67, WVC 120 Observation Car First Class, WVC 506 Lounge, WVC 324 Coach, WVC 850 Table Car, Diner WVC 8030 and Generator Car, three hoppers and a B&O Caboose. The freight cars would be used as a photo freight train once we got to Woodrow.





A face full of Western Maryland FP7A 67. I had to walk through the train to get to the First Class Section in the Observation Car.





Passengers were enjoying the observation car.





I sat at a table and was joined by these three other people. Once on the move at 9:36 AM on this rainy day it was announced in our car about me being the Million Mile Rail Man by a reader of Trainorders.com so I had to pass out my business cards with my web site on them. The train climbed the grade to the 1,716.5 foot tunnel while I enjoyed a muffin. They announced the first runby of the morning at the east portal of the Tunnel 1. Our train traveled through the bore and stopped just east of it where we all detrained for the first Photo Runby of the morning. The rain continued to fall and I detrained with my umbrella as I climbed the hill for the Photo Runby.









The back up move.





Photo Runby 1 at Tunnel 1.





Back up move 2. I relocated track side for the next picture.





Photo Runby 2. A face full of a BL-2 82 at Tunnel 1. Photo Runby 3 I just watched and listened to. Once that one was done, we all reboarded to dry off before I took a walk of our train.





The lounge car WVC 506.





Coach WVC 324.





Table Car WVC 850.





Diner WVC 8030.





The Kitchen. I walked back to the Observation Car.





Food Spread





After my walk I answered questions about my train travels and told the Hotel Roosevelt Story. Our route descended to the Shaver Fork of the Cheat River. The train went under US 33 and followed the river to Bowden and Woodrow where our next Photo Runbys would be held. First the motive power would run around the train.





The power ran by our train. The F units would cut off and be put on the head of the Tygart Flyer while the BL-2 would power the freight train.





The Tygart Flyer then backed up.





The freight train then came up the siding.





Photo Runby 4 at Woodrow.





The freight then moved further down the siding.





The Tygart Flyer then backed by as some snow globs were falling.





Photo Runby 5 at Woodrow.





The Tygart Flyer then backed by me before slowly pulling forward for Photo Runby 6.





Western Maryland FP7A 67.







Photo Runby 6 at Woodrow. Once again we all reboarded and our F units would push us to the High Falls of the Cheat River.





The train ran by Bemis, West Virginia. The train took us to Greenbrier Jct and we would detrain for our next series of Photo Runbys as it was trying to snow.





The Tygart Flyer backed across the bridge and went down the tracks to clear.





Photo Runby 7 with the freight train.





Freight train back up move.





Photo Runby 8 with the freight train.





Back up and clearing move with the freight train.





Photo Runby 9 with the Tygart Flyer.





Back up move with the Tygart Flyer.





Photo Runby 10 with the Tygart Flyer.





We all reboarded and here is a picture of that bridge from the train. Lunch was served with me having a pair of Roast Beef Sandwiches as the train made its way to the High Falls of the Cheat River where they gave us thirty minutes to look around.





I was the first one off of the train and lead the way to the High Falls of the Cheat River.







There is a lower view of the High Falls of the Cheat River





The upper view of the High Falls of the Cheat River. I then walked back up to the train.





The rear of our train.





The front of our train at the High Falls of the Cheat River. After the thirty minutes was up we headed back towards Elkins.





Looking back from where we had come from.





Our train ran through Tunnel 1. The train then returned us to Elkins. After such a fantastic trip I detrained for a few more pictures out in the rain.





Western Maryland FP7B 415.





Western Maryland FP7A 67.





One last view of the Tygart Flyer. This is one train I want to ride again someday in the future. Now it is time to drive to Cass.



Click here for the next part of the Cass 40th Railfan Weekend