Exploring the Abandoned Rail Town of Thurmond, West Virginia

[@DAKOTANSHELBY]

I plan on visiting the New River Gorge Bridge the next time I am in WV. My parents and their parents were from West Virgina. Randolph County. They moved to Cleveland in late 50s for work and most of the remaining family followed. I now live in West Michigan where I made my home. I still have relatives in Cleveland and enjoy viewing the steel mill there in The Flats. Really liked your Bethlehem Steel Mill Tour. I'm back now from Arnfest 2023 in IL. Visited with Mr. Pete and Keith R.

[@ericcone4654]

Great video Adam and Abby! Love the rail/road bridge. Thanks for sharing.

[@keithmcmurray188]

Hobo shoestring also has a video on KZbin of Thurman WV. Cool to see that you made it there also.👍👍💰💰

[@markgordon6971]

Pretty. Some interesting things.

[@dominicwroblewski5832]

You made my day getting those great shots of the coaling tower.

[@larrycleeton]

My wife and I once rode a steam train up the Gorge back in the late 80's or early 90's. It slowed as it passed through Thurmond. I remember the fancy bank building and the coal tower. I don't think the steam train operates any more.

[@elwynsmith5092]

Great video and love Abbys hat !

[@timshepherd8123]

Abby, I love your Charlie one horse I have some myself

[@slipperysam1337]

I saw hobo Shoestring was there recently too. Very cool!

[@georgecarpenter4126]

We were in that part of West Virginia last year...a beautiful part of our great country. Stay safe...

[@aquablue3803]

Luv it❤❤❤❤❤❤😂❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@marshallporter6631]

Great video! My great grandfather was the roundhouse/engine shop foreman at Thurmond from the early 1920’s till around 1950. The original buildings burned down in the early 90’s, he learned to be a machinist in the navy during WW1. We Love Thurmonds history.

[@tonyn3123]

My hometown had a coal chute almost identical to the one in Thurmond. It's since been torn down. When I wasn't run off by railroad employees, I (just a kid) liked to go look at the coal chute when I was walking nearby. The L&N railroad also constructed a reservoir 3-4 miles away to supply the engines with water. It is still very much used by locals. Can you imagine just how many rivets were heated and set during the truss bridge construction. A structural engineer once stated that hot set rivets lasted longer than bolted connections since the setting eliminated all voids and thus future corrosion was minimized. Interesting.

[@waynespyker5731]

A must watch, the movie Matewan was filmed there. A lot of coal barrons never made it across the bridge after being robbed, body ending in the New River. Amazing...... Is watching a train on the branch to Glen Jean along Thurmund Road. Struggling to climb uphill or braking a load downhill. The red/white RJ Corman equipment (line operator) was seen at the video beginning.

[@chareast9997]

my home town

[@tnbrett1273]

If you want to see some trains, I highly recommend you check out the Cass scenic railway in Cass, WV. You can go for a ride on an old Shay steam locomotive. They are some very unique machines.

[@robertkirkpatrick7903]

two different train rides at Cass and a train ride at Elkins about one hour away .

[@wvrockcrusher]

You guys should go to Cass scenic rail. They also have a rail shop there if I remember correctly.

[@ytubechannel997]

Thanks for sharing this historical part of the country.

[@sploofyog8211]

So My Fiances family is from Hinton, WV and we come up from Charlotte, NC every year for Train Days! Next time we come we are most definitely coming to see Thurmond Next time we come to Hinton! I had no clue of Thurmond until a KZbin video I came across which lead me to this video! Love WV as a whole because of how beautiful it is but i have an obsession with history and old towns!

[@sploofyog8211]

Also came to find out Hinton and Thurmond lay along the same river and used to play part in each others transfer of goods and needs to towns throughout WV as well as mining results!

[@DaveCollierCamping]

Awesome share

[@matthewmorse3307]

Is there any chance this hike you’re on is near the new river gorge in WV? That would be insane if if I recognize this from a shot of the stairs

[@trainman2860]

The round concrete circular pad just past the post office is most likely the base for the water tower from the days when steam locomotives ruled the rails.

[@AbomAdventures]

I was wondering about that! 👍🏻

[@evdoby]

Yuns planning a rafting trip on the New River to fish for smallmouth bass?

[@gumshoe5365]

Great video! Abby I love your hat. What brand is it? Thanks 🎉

[@richardcrook3427]

I believe this is still an active railroad. The Cardinal, which runs three times each week between Chicago, Illinois and New York City, New York, passes by the station three times each week in both directions.

[@AbomAdventures]

The railroad is still active yes.

[@mazchen]

The tower looks like the Zombies would be waiting just around the corner....

[@stephtenney1777]

What is the book that she is stamping in? Like a travel book? How do you collect stamps

[@ray-ew7tp]

Thomas train stamp comes from children’s UK TV program series, Thomas the tank Engine. 🇬🇧

[@bobabooie6389]

👍🇺🇲

[@classicalAnime]

I just learned the National Park Service wants to bulldoze the town and its abandoned buildings 😢