On a cool and rainy October 14, 2018 I concluded my trip to West Virginia with a brief visit to the small town of Durbin, home to the Durbin Rocket. The Rocket runs along the old C&O Greenbrier line along the river of the same name to Heavener Station, about 5 miles from town. Work is currently underway to rebuild the remainder of the Greenbrier line to Cass, which will allow number 6 to return home. Usual motive power for the Rocket was once Moore-Keppel Co. 3, a two-truck Climax locomotive, but as it needed a rebuilt after the 2015 season it was temporarily traded for Cass Scenic Railroad's number 6, a three-truck Heisler. Once 3 and the tracks to Cass are rebuilt, both locomotives will return to their respective homes.
Just a few weeks before my visit the locomotive's Cass-style diamond stack was a replaced with a Radley & Hunter stack reminiscent of its time at the Meadow River Lumber Co., which in my opinion looks great.
25 окт 2018
