Cass Scenic Railroad (snow excursion)

You simply must check out this private excursion on the Cass Scenic RR under harsh winter-like blizzard conditions! Problem is, this was NOT a winter excursion, but rather a SPRING excursion in MAY! Yes, I said MAY!! This was shot on MAY(!!) 10 1997. Actually we experience THREE seasons on this day! We depart in the fall, arrive at Bald Knob in winter, and arrive back at Cass in the spring! All within 8 hours! The temperature at Cass upon departure was about 35 degrees. At Bald Knob it was about 20, but upon our return to Cass it was almost 60! After departing Bald Knob (the line's highest point) we go on to Spruce, the site of a onetime mill town, now well past the ghost town stage. Interesting stereo effects here as the locomotive whistles echo off the mountains! Then back to Cass where there was still a bit of rain but now considerably warmer! Most of us expected a balmy spring day and didn't come prepared for a blizzard! Where I'm from we don't git no snow in May! (FYI-On our private Cass excursions we have two trains-a re-created logging train and a photographers' [photo] train that the logging train closely follows. Most of us stand on the open car at the back of the photo train and photograph the logging train as it follows us. That way we get the ultimate historical experience-the logging train as it appeared in the logging days when West Virginia Pulp and Paper [now Westvaco and relocated in Luke MD] and later Mower Lumber Company [now defunct] operated it. Mower ceased operation in 1960. Then the state took over the line to convert to scenic operations and the rest is, well, history!) P.S. The next day the sun came out, warmed the day up to 75, and all the snow melted, though in the morning we still had "sno-caps" (snow capped mountains, that is). Mastered in 720p hi-def for best quality. For best results I highly recommend downloading this video and playing through a surround sound system!

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Cass Scenic RR
• snow excursion
• trains

[BaltimoreAndOhioRR]

I've seen pics of the shays, and looked at the one at the b&o museum, but i never realized it was asymmetrical/offset! also, i knew it was all-wheel-drive, but never took notice before that the tender wheels are also part of the driveline! great shots in some great weather (snow) -another fantastic classic video!

[bullfrog1954]

@BaltimoreAndOhioRR The Shay at the Museum is fun to look at, but the real experience is riding behind one (or in the cab)! The off-center boiler caught me off-guard too at first! In fact, Henry Ford thought Shays to be UGLY and didn't allow them on his property! He had one designed with a centered boiler by Heisler that looked more conventional. The story behind these is traction-hence geared tender wheels, tho I have seen Shays slip!

Thanx 4 viewing-as usual.

[bdkalltheway]

Great video. Good detail, and its nice to see captions. No shaking of camera and no blurring.

[bullfrog1954]

@bdkalltheway Thanx! Considering how cold and miserable the day was it was a real challenge! Some scenes were shot with the camera on a tripod; others were handheld, but I managed to pull it off despite shivering all day! And I try to be professional in my editing with captions and things. Again-thanx!

[david245611]

@david245611 He also inspired engineers on shay 4 from 2007 to now to have the lunkinhiemer 3 chime on her in fact it is the most used whistle on shay 4 today. That includes Danny who ran shay 4 in 2008 Railfan weekend, and alittle bit in the cass season in 08 09 and last year. also Garry Cassel, and Rex Cassel. Most of the time they have the lunk on shay 4. That is also why Richard Carter was well knowed in Cass. To have the lunkinheimer 3 chime on #4

[david245611]

@bullfrog1954 yes its true there is an engineer richard carter. He was engineer at cass from i belive in the late 70's, about the same time as artie, and then he ended his engineer season in 1999 (when shay 4 was down because of a boiler problem. Sadly Richard Carter died sometime in the early 2000's. Be he was knowed for his lunkimheimer 3 chime on shay 4 in the 1990 season. He is also famous for the whistle blow style on shay 4 in this video.

[bullfrog1954]

@david245611 Really? I honestly don't recall anybody there in 1997 named Richard Carter! But you could be right! I just don't recall the name since I've been going there in 1986! My last visit there was 2003 and still don't remember a Richard Carter!

[david245611]

@bullfrog1954 no its Danny Artie, and Richard Carter

[bullfrog1954]

@tylereightynine I know Danny Seldomridge, Wayne Cassell and Artie Barklay were all there but it's been a while and I can't really remember who was operating which loco.

[tylereightynine]

who are running big 6 and 2?