Cass Scenic Railroad: Shays in the West Virginia Mountains 8-7-2021. No one would have thought that in 2021 we would make our way back to West Virginia to see many Shay locomotives running. But, times can change and were back.
Power for the Cass Scenic Railroad's "Whittaker" trains was their #5. It was built in 1905 by the Lima Locomotive Works as a three truck "Shay" type locomotive for the Greenbrier and Elk River Railroad. (Cass back in the logging days) Eventually it was retired when the lumber company Cass serviced shut down in 1960. However, in 1963, Cass Scenic Railroad opened as a state park, and #5 was brought back into service. #5 has been operational ever since.
*Fun fact: #5 is the state steam locomotive of West Virginia. Also, it's the oldest shay in operation.
Power for the famous "Bald Knob" train consisted of two locomotives in a double header up the mountain: Shay's 4 and 11.
#4 was built in 1922 by the Lima Locomotive Works as a three truck "Shay" for the Birch Valley Lumber Company. Later it would be sold to the Tioga Lumber Company, then sold to the G&ER in 1943, after that it would roughly have a similar history as #5.
*For all the steam buffs, 4 was wearing a Canadian Pacific 4 chime whistle. This is the first time I've ever heard the whistle anywhere, and it's my first 4 chime whistle.
#11 was built in 1923 by the Lima Locomotive Works as a three truck "Shay" for the Hutchinson Lumber Company. Later it would be sold to the Feather River Railway, then put on display in the Pacific Southwest Railroad Museum in 1967. It would move from California to Cass in 1997, and has been operable ever since.
*Also for the steam buffs, 11 was wearing the Southern Pacific Desert 5 chime whistle. It's one of my favorite 5 chimes out there.
Almost all the locomotives at Cass were designed to haul lumber over steep grades, tight corners, and rough track.
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Enjoy the sights and sounds of pure West Virginia steam.
7 авг 2021
