Hi all,
I'd like to visit Cass Scenic soon and wondering if anyone here that has been there would have some advice/tips/tricks. I'll be starting on the logging operation on my layout soon but it would be really helpful to make the trip first and take lots of pictures.
For starters, what is the best time of year to go? And conversely any times to avoid. I'm not a cold weather fan and can imagine going when the new spring growth is coming to life. But not sure when that is in WV.
Any tips on overnight lodging like a B&B? My wife and I will be driving up from Florida and want to stay one night before going to visit our son in Pittsburg.
Thanks,Andy
-- Somewhat related: I ordered a new HO Heisler (DCC+sound) that is arriving Monday!!
Welcome, Andy! FYI, there is actually a forum for Tourist/Preservation question under the TRAINS part of these Kalmbach forums. You might find more info there. Cass is fantastic but I haven't been there in decades. Hope you enjoy your visit.
Thanks for the tip, I'll definitely post over on TRAINS.I watched several videos on the Cass Scenic web site and can't wait to see the Shays.
Been to Cass once, but I don't think it's changed much in the 15 years or so since. Take the longest ride you can, depending on the tolerance of your fellow travelers.
Spring is a great time of year to visit. You can start in the greenery at the bottom of the hill and find all sort of different plants at different stages of growth as the rails climb the mountain. For exact timing on this seasonal change, call them and they can tell you.
The summer is going to be hot, but you may get some relief as you go up the mountain.
If you are into logging, the display of old equipment about halfway up the mountain will be of interest.
We stayed at a comfortable, if non-descript motel in Bartow, IIRC, north of Cass not too far.
Be aware that around Cass there are places where you may experience lack of cell service. This is due to the quiet zone around the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, which is near Cass.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
It's been about 15 years since I went. As I recall, they offer two trips. One stops at the logging camp and the other goes all the way to the top. I think they call that Eagle's Nest. Definitely take the longer trip. It's worth the added time and expense. The view from the top is magnificent.
Allow yourself plenty of time to get there. I had spent the night in Alexandria, VA and badly misjudged the travel time to Cass. I drove like a maniac the last 20 miles and got there with 5 minutes to spare before my train departed.
I always schedule my sight seeing trips either before Memorial Day or after Labor Day and try to go on weekdays to avoid crowds. I'm not sure how that fits with the current Cass schedule.
The Cass trip inspired me to include a small switchback logging operation on my layout. That is currently under construction. I bought a non-DCC Heisler several years ago for this operation and by coincidence, today is the day I'm planning to add the decoder. If I had known they would come out with a factory installed decoder, I would have waited.
One side note, I returned home to Ohio right after the Cass trip ended and took the Robert Byrd Freeway across West Virginia toward Charleston where I would head north on I-77. At one point I literally traveled 20 miles without seeing another car in either direction. I thought to myself, they really needed this highway. They didn't call Robert Byrd the King of Pork for nothing. I found this photo of it. It must be rush hour becaue there is a car on it.
We went to Cass in mid-September 2021. Here are my thoughts and suggestions:
1. Cass is actually a State Park and you can stay there. When I go back some day that is what I will do. They've renovated the company houses and they can accommodate from 2 to 14 guests based on which one you choose. By doing that you can spend more time exploring the railroad, equipment, and area since you are interested in modeling it.
2. Buy your train tickets in advance. You are gambling on the weather but I will say I bought my tickets a couple months in advance and half the train was empty at that time. By the day of our trip it was sold out. The color change had barely started in mid-September and it is a pretty safe assumption that late September and early October would be very busy and sell out well in advance because of the fall foliage.
3. If you only have time for one ride, take the longer trip. The view from the top is stunning.
4. You get a box lunch on the longer trip. Most people wait until they get to the top to eat. Time flies while you're up there. Me and my wife grabbed a picnic table and ate first. Because of that I had enough time to use the restroom and get the Clark Griswold Family view of the overlook (for the uninitiated that is a reference to the movie Vacation whereby the family got a very brief look at the Grand Canyon...lol). At any rate check out the views first and then eat. You can always eat on the train.
5. Be prepared to ride the train. The cars are open air. At times the locomotive is pushing the train and other times it is pulling it because of the switchbacks. There were times that the smoke and cinders were blowing through the open cars. We sat in the car immediately behind the loco and missed most of the smoke as we sat close to the loco. If you get cinders in your eyes, do not rub them, rinse them. I would definitely have some sort of eye protection. I wear glasses and it kept most of it out of my eyes but not completely. Finally, the whistle is loud. Very very loud. If you have sensitive ears you may want to consider hearing protection especially if you are close to the locomotive.
6. You can choose your car but not your seat even though that's what it looks like when you buy tickets on their website. They do disclose that on their website but it can be overlooked. Seating on your specific car is first come first served.
7. If you want to get good pictures or video of the business side of the locomotive stand on the parking lot side of the tracks and not the station side.
8. The gift shop at the depot has a limited selection of items. The general store is where you want to go if you are wanting to buy memorabilia.
9. We didnt have time to explore the park or other aspects of Cass as this was a 2 hour side trip from where we stayed at the New River Gorge. That's why we want to go back and actually stay for a few days inside the park. If you have time, visit other parts of West Virginia. We explored much of the New River Gorge area including Thurmond, an abandondoned coal mine, and other small towns in the gorge...all places I read about as a kid in the pages of MR and RMC. It was literally a thrill to see those places in person that I grew up reading about.
10. The people of West Virginia are some of the nicest and friendliest people I have ever met. They aren't strangers, just friends you haven't met yet.
Hope this helps!
Jeff
Yes that is very helpful, thank you!
It seems I should plan on staying 2 nights instead of 1. How long is the train ride and when does it begin/end?
The long trip to the top is around 4.5 hours (roundtrip). It left the station at noon I think. The shorter trip leaves earlier. I personally didn't have alot of extra time to nose around as I had a 2.5 hour drive up from our cabin at Babcock State Park. It was a long sidetrip for us but I couldn't get that close to Cass and not go.