Cass Scenic Railroad: Autumn in the Alleghenies 

Years ago I made it two different times would like to go for a third trip sometime soon

You would absolutely love it! I went in the Fall of 2008 and took the Bald Knob trip up the mountain with Shay 6 (she's known as BIG 6) and during an hour-long stop at the top, I was able to literally check out the Shay locomotive within inches. It is a really great experience. You would love it! 👍

Went in 2010 on a whim. It is amazing. Going this year again.

no 2

@@TheClinchfieldRailfan how about both

@@cassscenicproductions8888 ok sure

Thank you! It's well worth a visit.

Heritage Weekend is usually sometime in the spring around the start of the operating season, this year they delayed it for the Climax. I'll definitely try to make it in 2020.

Thanks! I think the Shays being at the wrong end of the train keeps a lot of photographers away outside of the heritage weekend.

Thank you!

Oh I thought it was a C&O 1 chime.

In the logging railroad days it was very common for the locomotive to be on the downhill end of a train as a safety measure to prevent the log cars from running away. When Cass became a passenger railroad they just swapped logs for people and kept operating the same way they did before.

At Cass you have two crossings - Back Mountain Rd and Gum Rd - and a gap in the trees at Gum curve. You can make it to either crossing after seeing the train leave Cass but the timing between them is tight so I recommend picking just one. Just up Gum Rd from the crossing is Shalimar Farm, where you can see the train negotiate Gum curve from afar. The farm is protective of their property and not railfan friendly but if you make sure to stay on the opposite side of the road they probably won't bother you. As for Durbin, you have to go down the unpaved (gravel) River Rd. There are a few spots where you can see across the river but the two best shots are at the very end of the road. Just before the end you can catch the train rolling along the river by a rock face, which is the shot I got in 2018, and just past there the road dead ends into a small parking space and a pedestrian bridge. Across the bridge is the famous curve shot with the old house in the background. There are lots of No Trespassing signs on the bridge but all the other railfans seem to ignore them so its up to your judgement. Back in Durbin there are plenty of spots to choose from near the depot and the campground to catch them coming back in.

@@SmokyMtnSteam Ok. Thanks!

#4 is their smallest shay, its 70 tons. #2 is 90 tons, IIRC.

@@danielday8828 I know. 2 is a "West Coast" shay.

They changed the stack last year, it is similar to the one she wore before coming to Cass.

@@SmokyMtnSteam ah.

I think they call that a Banshee whistle or something? All I know is that it it is a single chime.

Number 11 has a reading hooter.

The opening shot in Durbin was filmed on my Samsung Galaxy S8 phone, everything else was shot with a Sony FDR-AX53 camcorder. I use Vegas Movie Studio Platinum to make color & contrast corrections.

In 2015 the state government decided that it was too expensive for them to continue operating the trains out of Cass. The state still owns the railroad but the D&GV now funds and controls all operations.