My wife and I headed to Virginia to visit with her kin over the Christmas holiday and just happened upon the neat facility that the C&O Historical Society maintains at their Heritage Center in Clifton Forge, VA. We didn't have time to linger as we had already spent the morning touring the Cold War-era former Congressional bunker at the Greenbrier Hotel in White Sulphur Springs, right on the WV/VA border, but did have time to survey the gift shop.
We were welcomed graciously and found a well-stocked shop full of C&O and other lines items, plus a considerable amount of model railroad rolling stock, structures, and other supplies. I thanked them for their quick service in getting a recent holiday gift to me for overseas shipment. Maiko found several items needed for stocking stuffers for her nieces.
It's right off I-64 in downtown Clifton Forge, so makes a great rest stop...except for the next two months when they will be closed for a winter break. I suspect normal mail order ops will continue (but neglected to ask to confirm), unless you see a notice on their order webpage. Here's a link to their website, with many C&O resources: http://cohs.org/heritage/features/
Here's a long view of the museum and some of its outdoor exhibits.
The former station, now HQ/store/etc
There's usually plenty of action on the adjacent CSX tracks, but seemed to be in some sort of maintenance lull as we only caught this Hyrailer during our 20-minute visit.
The ubiquitous GP7
I hope to find time the next time through to see the bulk of the exhibits. If you happen to find it closed during the scheduled closure over the next two months (Jan and Feb 2017) remember they'll be open again in March 2017. Their book selection covers a awide range of topics, for instance, I found several interesting Rio Grande selections and noted that you need not be a big C&O fan to find something worth taking home.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
Mike: Thanks for the heads up, and glad you had a good time. I'm surprised you made no mention of C&O 4-8-4 Greenbrier no. 614. Was she in a position to be viewed? I hope to get down that way and see the exhibits in a couple months.
Tom
ACYI'm surprised you made no mention of C&O 4-8-4 Greenbrier no. 614. Was she in a position to be viewed?
Tom,
Maybe. We just took a quick look at everything past the front gate from the parking lot. She's out there somewhere, I just didn't get that far.
Rode past on the Cardinal during the week before New Years. 614 is located behind (east of I guess) the tower as viewed in the first photo posted.
mlehmanHere's a long view of the museum and some of its outdoor exhibits.
Look carefully above the red car.
BMMECNYCLook carefully above the red car.
Ahh, OK.
We stopped for like 20 minutes and half that was in the HQ/gift shop, then walked around what was obviously not part of the inner perimeter where admission is charged just outside that bldg and in the parking lot. Not being C&O-knowledgable and without a program, I'm lost....
Thanks for posting. This is on my short list of places to visit along with Cass someday.
Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions
Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!
Don,
Glad to pass along the news and some pics. It was an unscheduled stop on a tightly scheduled holiday trip and the weather was less than ideal. I hope to get another chance to spend some quality time there, as they have some really nice exhibits (not even including the ones I'm unfamiliar with!). It's also a beautiful setting and right next to active tracks. Great location!
I'll put in a good word for Cass, also. The wife is a bit of a railfan, too, and when she's impressed, she lets me know. Cass is cool.