May 21 – 23, 2010
Cass Railfan Weekend 2010
Titans of Mountains
Return to Bald Knob
Cass, West Virginia
Three Great Days of Mountain Railroading
Friday, May 21: Whittaker Camp 1 Fire Tower Dedication & First Night Photo Train
- Train to Whittaker for dedication
- Multiple runbys at Whittaker
- Return to Cass for dinner and meeting
- Night photos at Leatherbark Creek
Friday's activities begin at 2:30 pm with the passenger train leaving Cass for Whittaker Camp 1. Upon arrival, the train will back on to the Camp 1 siding. You will be the first to visit the re-constructed Fire Tower Exhibit and attend its dedication ceremony. The Gauley Mountain fire tower is the newest exhibit at the camp. This fire tower and observation exhibit area will display and demonstrate the importance the Fire Tower Service was to the protection of the timber industry.
You will experience hands-on use of the alidade, the instrument used in the process for the observer to locate forest fires. You will receive a commemorative brass tag at the dedication. After the dedication there will be several runbys at the Whittaker camp sidings.
We will return to Cass Shops at 5:15 pm. There, the traditional Friday evening festivities will begin. Food and refreshments will be provided at the shop by local school groups (on your own, not included in your ticket price). There will be a swap meet, vendor tables, and shop tours. At 7:00 pm the annual Mountain State Railroad & Logging Historical Association membership meeting will be held, and the winners of the Greenacre Photo Contest and the MSR&LHA election will be announced.
First night photo session: At 8:00 pm we will board the train once again to be taken up Leatherbark Creek for the first night photo session. Those of you that wish to remain at the shop and enjoy this historic place may do so. The night scene will be lighted like a movie set and you will be able move to three different positions to create three different scenes. We will include several runbys for the video photographers. The night photo session will conclude with the train arriving back at Cass depot at 10:00 pm.
Saturday, May 22: Logging Day...
- Passenger and log trains go to Old Spruce and Bald Knob
- Multiple runbys at several locations
- Lunch on the mountain
- Evening activities and night photos in Cass
At the Depot: Complementary coffee, tea, and hot chocolate will be served at the depot from 7:00 am until our 8:00 am departure. We will leave Cass and start our ascent of Cass Hill, through the double switchbacks, and on past Whittaker Station. We will continue our climb up to Old Spruce Junction, where we will meet the log train for our first photo runbys. There will be toilet facilities at this location for your convenience. We will load and continue up to Oats Creek where we will take on water. This is another photo location and you will have the opportunity to photograph the Shays as they siphon water to fill their tenders the way it was done in the days of logging. Before we continue our trip up the mountain, we will do additional runbys at this location, photographing these Titans as they start up the 9% grade.
The next leg of our journey will take us up to elevations over 4,500 feet to a location that has never been photographed on a Railfan Weekend. This location is the last available water supply on the Bald Knob line, hence the name "emergency water tank." This is a spectacular curve, with the water tank in view and a great vista of the mountains in the background. The Cass track crew, and MSR&LHA volunteers, cleared and prepared this location to make it accessible to a larger group. We will then make our way up to the Bald Knob Summit, the third highest point in the State at 4,842 feet. This 11.5% grade is the steepest on the railroad. While the engines are hot we will do multiple runbys with both trains.
MSR&LHA in the past year, with the cooperation of the Park, has cleared the Bald Knob right-of-way back to it's original tree line, making it possible for you to get great photos as the Shays pull this amazing grade – true Titans of the Mountain. We will serve lunch at Bald Knob, weather permitting. If it is inclement, we will do it at a lower elevation. After lunch we will make our way back down to Old Spruce Junction, and switch to the Spruce connector track for a restroom stop. We will then continue down grade to do more runbys and take water at the lower Oats Creek water tank, with additional runbys, time permitting. We will leave Spruce and start down the mountain to arrive at Cass at 5:00 pm. There will be complementary water on the train for your convenience.
Saturday Evening, May 22 We are offering a great home cooked Loggers Dinner (all you can eat) at the Cass Community Center on Saturday evening (this dinner is not included in ticket price; please make your reservation separately). Then, Saturday evening will feature many activities throughout the town of Cass:
Whistle Blow: If you own a whistle, or can borrow one, or simply wish to blow one, then this event is for you. Ear protection is provided and required. The whistle blow is open to any Railfan Weekend participant. The event will begin at 5:00 pm, lasting until 8:00 pm.
Town Tour: Meet at 7:00 pm in front of the Company Store.
Cass Showcase: There will be multiple showings.
Kyle J. "Catty" Neighbors Memorial Lumbering Museum: The museum will be open all evening.
Restoration Shop Tours: See the progress that MSR&LHA volunteers are making in restoring the Climax locomotive at the Restoration Shop.
Night Photo Session: Night photos have been a part of the Cass Railfan Weekend for many years. We will use 25,000 watts of high powered lights to provide spectacular photo opportunities. The session will start at about 8:30 pm at the depot. Bring your camera, tripod, and a cable release if appropriate. We will supply the lights and suggestions for exposure settings. The use of high powered lights allows great photos by videographers and digital, as well as the traditional 35mm cameras.
Sunday, May 23: Wood Hicks and Trains...
- Passenger and log train go to Whittaker Station
- Multiple runbys at several locations
- Lunch at Whittaker Station
- Demonstration by World Champion Wood Choppers during lunch
- Return to Cass at 2:30 pm
We will offer complementary coffee, tea, and hot chocolate at the depot from 7:00 am until departure. At 8:00 am we will start our photo runbys at the Cass road crossing with multiple passes with the log train. We then move up to the end of the parking lot to do the Triple Engine Runby, then load the passenger train at this location for your convenience. We will proceed up Leatherbark Creek to do multiple runbys. The engines will back down to the water tank at Cass to fill their tenders before we climb Cass Hill to Gum Field for more runbys. Then on to the second switchback, with photos at the "S" curve followed by our arrival at Whittaker Station for lunch.
After lunch you will be treated to a "Wood Hick" (a logger) demonstration of the traditional competitions that occurred between the various log camps. The World Champion Wood Choppers, Arden Coger, and his group will present their log chopping, crosscut sawing, ax throwing, and the world famous Power Chain Saw Competition exhibition. We thought this would be most appropriate in recognizing the 50th year since the Mower logging operation ceased at Cass. We will return to Cass at 2:30 pm to permit those who need to leave early to depart for a safe trip home.
Breakfast: The 8th grade class at the Green Bank Middle School will serve breakfast on Saturday and Sunday morning at the Cass Fire House, about 1/2 mile west of the Cass depot on Route 66. The cost is $6.00 each day; the menus are shown on the ticket order form. Advance reservations are required and tickets may be ordered along with your Railfan Weekend tickets.
Photo Contest: The annual Greenacre Photo Contest has a $100.00 cash prize for the best photograph taken at the previous Railfan Weekend or other MSR&LHA sponsored event in 2009. A maximum of three photos must be submitted by mail and be received by the contest coordinator not later than 10 calendar days prior to Railfan Weekend. Check our Web site, www.msrlha.org/greenacre.html, or contact the contest coordinator, Walter Scriptunas II (2913 Kanawha Ave SE, Charleston, WV 25304, e-mail wscriptunas@aol.com, phone (304-932-3686) for full information and rules.
Tickets & Information:
Tickets and Reservations are for: "Railfan Weekend 2010." Contact Cass Scenic Railroad State Park, PO Box 107, Cass WV, 24927. Or, call TOLL FREE 1-800-225-5982; ask for Cass Scenic Railroad. Visa, Master Card, Discover, American Express, and debit cards are accepted. Office hours: Monday to Saturday 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Sunday 8:30 am to 12:30 pm.
Price of a ticket is $ 200.00 for all three days, including box lunch for Saturday and Sunday, complementary coffee, tea, and chocolate, water on trains, both night photo sessions, and the World Champion Wood Chopping demonstration. A Sunday-only ticket is $75.00 includes one box lunch. There are no Saturday-only tickets.
- Saturday breakfast (starts at 6:00 am) — $6
- Sunday breakfast (starts at 6:00 am) — $6
- Saturday Loggers Dinner — $12
Cass Lodging Information: There are three primary motels within 15 miles of Cass:
- Boyer Motel (10 miles from Cass) 304-456-4667
- Hermitage Motel (12 miles from Cass) 1-888-456-4808
- Inn at Snowshoe (9 miles from Cass) 1-877-441-4386
The Inn at Snowshoe is offering a discounted rate of $69 per night (plus tax). Ask for the "Group Code 50N1E7 Railfan weekend May 21-23" rate. There are other accommodations available near Cass, including several bed and breakfast places. Additional lodging information will be sent with your tickets, or you can contact the Pocahontas County Convention & Visitors Bureau at 1-800-336-7009 or www.pocahontascountywv.com.
Policies: Trains run rain or shine. Schedules, equipment, and photo runbys are subject to change due to availability, conditions of the railroad, safety, and weather. Please allow two weeks for ticket delivery. No refunds after May 19, 2010.
MSR&LHA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. All proceeds go toward historic rail and logging preservation and interpretation projects. Group discounts are available; please call for information. No portion of ticket price is considered tax-deductible by the IRS.
For more information go to the Cass Railroad web site at: www.cassrailroad.com. |
The Old 97, a Southern Railway mail train en route to Spencer, NC, derailed at Stillhouse Trestle near Danville, Virginia, on September 27, 1903, killing 11. The event served as an inspiration for songwriters and balladeers, and the result is the now-famous "Wreck of the Old 97". The Centennial Commemoration of the Wreck of the Old 97 was held on September 27, 2003 at the Crossing at the Dan. The event was organized by Lawrence McFall of the Danville Historical Society in conjunction with the Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department of the City of Danville. The celebration has turned into an annual event to be held on the fourth weekend in September.
