This is just a hypothetical matter, but even if the flood of 1985 didn't occur, I think Cass and Durbin would have still been technically isolated from the national rail network until the Cass-Spruce connector track was completed in the 1991-92 offseason as the Western Maryland line connecting the two communities was abandoned in 1984.

Well I was on the #4960 on 8-12-2024

это паровоз или дизель??

Where was this filmed?

I was there

It's probably going to be decades before it's restored. If they were to restore it to operation, where would they run it?

would GTW 6325 Be restored and there's B&LE 643.

If you were early enough, you could have visited the IRM, they run steam from spring to fall. Plus they have 3 ( 1 in rebuild ) working steam locomotives. Not to forget the numerous diesels and electric equipment.

Looks like the tender is facing backwards from where it should be. I also noticed it still has the little coal auger driver steam engine attached. Thanks for making this video!

Thank you for saying “locomotive.” The “engine” is the bit with the pistons and the cylinders. Railfully, a retired railroad mechanic.

Big Steam REF 24

Last time I saw this engine, it was in the B+LE Greenville roundhouse, along with the big 0-10-2 that's on display in Greenville, in 1961. Nice that it has a home now.

Excellent presentation my friend ❤👍😎

Somewhere like the great smoky mountains railroad in north Carolina would be a good fit for a big slow engine like this.

Fired up and under steam once for a test, I was there.

You must had recorded this a long time ago, 643 is already in the shops and is pretty much halfway done with her cosmetic restoration.

Was this engine from Mckees Rocks pa.?

To be honest the group that Max lent money to were the ones that wanted the 643. The original logo was developed by them. Max took over the GCRY when they defaulted on the loan. The LS&I engines were chosen so you could have like engines to simplify maintenance. They did want to buy the running American made engines in China first but that fell through when the student revolt happened. We inspected 3759 and found it to be in great condition and very suitable for restoration. The city was going to sell us the engine. On our first official double header we had media coverage. Max announced our intention to buy 3759. Apparently the residents were unaware of the pending sale and put a stop to it. As far as leasing the other engines, the membership in some groups aren't keen on sending their engines hundreds if not thousands of miles away for someone else to use. The Mexican engines were nice and you would be able to have a fleet of like engines. The problem is it's almost impossible to get anything back out of Mexico. I got to work on the 643 and the condition that engine was in was incredible. It had spent it's entire retired life in a roundhouse. The previous owner did his best to keep it indoors but there were only so many places to do that. But that's how I found out about the GCRY and eventually ended up there. There were many management changes in the first several years and each with different visions. One of the original plans was for a hotel and resort at Apex and a theme park in Williams. They would have had diesel powered trains to shuttle people to the park. But overall when I see how Williams looks now compared to when we brought the GCRY back to life, I'd say it has been good for town.

The fact of this engine is its big heavy and worst of all, slow. It can't keep up with modern traffic and it's so large that running it would be a logistical nightmare on steroids. I wish she could run again, but facts are what they are. A 4-8-4 is probably the biggest most places could run and rightfully so. Best do-all go anyplace machine.

2:04 I never would have guessed that the locomotive in that artistic logo was based on 643, wow! And let me get this straight, GCR tried and failed to acquire 643, 6325, some Chinese KD7’s, some Mexican 4-8-4’s, Frisco 1522 (lease only), Santa Fe 3759, and SP 2472 (again, lease only). Not to mention the ones already on the property but never restored, namely 19, 20, and 539. Am I missing anything?

Been there. It IS amazing!

😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 I love you 4960.

I miss you 4960 you were built for the cb&q but grand canyon railway purchased you😢

I ❤ you 4960 happy birthday on August 12 2024

Thanks for taking me back to Durbin, Eric and Carson! I lived in Durbin above my antique store on Route 250 and worked with John Smith on the D&GVR/WVC. You're doing a wonderful service with your excellent videos. Brings back floods of memories living along the Greenbrier River in that town while working for a time on the West Virginia Central

bellisimo cabosse

I lived in Durbin, worked on the railroad and really appreciate this episode, Eric. Great job reporting, Carson!

I really like your videos, Eric. It is so fun to have your son along as the dialogue is a treat. I'm 3rd generation railroader and my dad took me to the railyards and his office at the Rio Grande Depot in SLC then office in the Roper Yard where I started working in the 1960's. I love your time in the museum as you two are having fun reading and interacting with the displays. I got to ride on a steam locomotive in the 2nd unit on DRGW from SLC to Grand Junction when I was about 10 or 11 with my dad who investigated accidents and injuries and was traveling with his job as claim agent. As we approached tunnels we would close the windows in the cab to avoid being smoked out. I learned a lot from my dad and I cherish my time on 3 different railroads in my 36 year railroad career in UT and WV. I'm glad I met you at the Grand Canyon. You're a good man, Eric. Great job on your videos.

Wow so cool

Cool,0:30

Just wondering Eric Hadder: Did you by any chance saw Felix the Roundhouse Cat during your visit to the Age of Steam Roundhouse?

Wow, I was there a few weeks ago and never got the experience you show.

I have visited the Age of Steam Roundhouse and grounds several times since it opened. Absolutely amazing. An absolute MUST for lovers of steam and railroading!!

Thats neat to see 2630 one from fort eutis made its appearance in the vedio so to answer your question where is fort eutis its in newport news va not far from yorktown va. Ive always wondered where it went to after it left cass.

1187 my beloved. So happy to see it in such good shape :)

Consider setting up PPP as a way to get outside funds. It’s used in Class 2/3 to attract investment. 6323 and 763 would look awesome.😊

I'd love to see both CP 1278 and 1293 restored to operation. They're both sisters (they're both G-5d class locomotives) and have some very cool fun facts about them. 1278 suffered a partial boiler explosion (unfortunately), and 1293 was used in the 1980 film Terror Train. In fact, I sometimes refer to 1293 as the Terror Train.

cp 1278 was in the movie funny girl

Despite the wait we had to do for this video, I'm glad it's finally out. If I ever find myself in Ohio, I will surely visit this place. And cause its home to my favorite steam engine and third fav Northern but also having big rolls in a book I've been working on that should be out before the years end.

W

So an oil fired locomotive is just a massive oil lamp in a way

The turntables @11:21 & 15:50 don't look big enough to turn the big #2102 loco, maybe only 50 & 70 footers each. Great episodes you have posted, and I am sure your son will have many wonderful memoires of these trips for the rest of his life. 👍💯

In my 3 trips to Cass, I've been fortunate to be pulled by shays #2, 4, 5 & 6 and Heisler #6. The 2 trips I have made to Bald Knob were both double headers. How many people rode this train to Durbin that required 4 passenger cars? I am also curious as to how they get fresh water to the camping cabooses and also what sort of interior cooking and refrigeration units they have in them. Your son's analysis of the 2 rides is spot on, smart boy 😛

I have been to Cass 3-times, twice to Bald Knob and once to Whittiker Station but never stayed in a company home, wish we had. The 1st time I was went was with my dad back in 1976 and the old mill was still stand but the huge drying shed had been blown down in a windstorm. The drying shed and lumber yard are now the big parking lot. Also, when we first went, the original C&O station in Cass had been burned down in a vandalism incident and the ticket office was being run out of a temporary trailer, this was back when state of WVA. still ran the show and the ticket agent was kind enough to show me the blueprints for rebuilding a replica of the original C&O station. I asked him if there was any chance the state would fix up the old mill in order to be able to give tours inside and he said basically "fat chance" and of course a few years later an arsonist took care of it. Another interesting this was that just like 1 year earlier in 1975, the Cass shops complex caught fire and burned with #9 Climax caught inside and there was another loco #4 or#5 inside but they were able to drag it out before the building was consumed. #9 was sitting trackside with a collapsed cab and rusted all over and looked like it would never run again, so I was glad to see it fixed up now. And when we made out trip up to Bald Knob, we had like 11-13 passenger flats and they used 2 shays to take up and they cut off the 2nd engine at the wye before we made the last leg up to Bald Knob. The other time I took my son to Bald Knob and they used just #6 for the entire trip. In 1976 the C&O mainline was still active and they used to run Fall Colors passenger trains along the whole route from Ronceverte to Durbin and back. Now it's just a hiking trail. There is another steam line that runs out of Durbin using the old WM line, not sure if they are still in operation. Anyone who loves geared locomotives, this place is a bucket list trip 100%. Also, I think this is a dry county, so if you want a cold beer or a stiff drink, BYO.

I stopped watching not even 9-mins in because there was a lot of other people talking over you and I really couldn't hear what you were saying. So maybe in the future you might want to edit solo in a private room and ditch on-site audio.

I would have rather been in the engine helping to shovel coal than ride in the caboose, but the tail end would be my 2nd choice. When I was teenager living in Miami, Fla. My dad took me and 1 of my friends to the Gold Coast Railroad and they had a great display including the armored Presidential Passenger Car that FDR used to ride around in during WW2. But one of the coolest features they had was that you buy a cab ride in the steam loco which was a FEC 4-6-0 or 4-6-2 I forget and the ticket price was $5 and a normal ticket I think was around $1.50-$2.00, but if you were underage, you had to have an adult accompany you, so my dad paid for it and me and him rode in the cab sitting on the coal in the tender and my friend had to ride in a passenger car alone because the GCRR had a strict limitation of 2 "observers" in the steam engine. But it was darn well worth it and I even learned how to shovel coal into the firebox and even though we only went up & down the track in forward and reverse, the only thing that mattered to me was feeding that coal into the fire and keeping her a running 😛 I think that would be another way for the EBTF to raise funds by offering "Cab" rides at an inflated price and you have to work the job too, so you get the emersion effect. My ride was back in the mid-1970's, so I wouldn't know what to charge in today's money, maybe $50?

Your videos are great! Thanks for sharing!

40:45 I see 5313’s tender

It's THE OLDEST continuously operating railroad in the USA.

Watching this sure makes me excited for my visit as I'll be there a week from today. While Skookum & number 2 won't be there, I will be seeing number 2 the next day when I visit ORHC.