I just returned from a 4 day visit to the D&GVRR on three of its trains: The Cheat River Salamander Elkins-Spruce, Cass RR Spruce-Cass, and the Durbin Rocket that operates a few miles along the river from Durbin on a former C&O branch line. We tried to get on the parlor car for the dinner train as well as the Durbin castaway caboose. Both were sold out.
A call to their office in Elkins provided a well integrated package that included the roundtrip to Cass via the Spruce connection, overnight in Cass company house, and the Durbin trip. The high points for us were:
1.- As a former railroader, the cab ride in the BL-2 on the Spruce train (second unit was a F-7) and the informative stories and information we got from the engineer along with the great scenery was a real treat. On the return we got to speak with the owner and learn of his ambitious plans that included reopening the line from Cheat Jct through Durbin to Cass. The Durbin to Cass portion he plans to opern in 2 years using a Buffalo Creek and Gauley 2-8-0 they acquired. He has a supply of cabooses and will expand his use of the fully equiped castaway cabooses now being used in Durbin. This includes shoving one up to Bald Knob (el. 4700') on Cass. It was his idea to provide the 'cross platform' (ok, it was cinders) connection at Spruce between the Elkins train and Cass. He also has a small freight business from the interchange in Belington to Elkins. Traffic is material for the highway department, mostly salt, and some scrap iron out of Elkins. He's working on getting more.
2.- The Cass house was a real time warp - we felt like it was 1916. Since we had the package the train hostess called out our names on arrival. As we got off she told us the ***'t Park Supt. would give us a ride to our house in his pickup. Nice guy that lived just across the street. The State Parks still operate the houses (and still own Cass RR but lease out the operation). We loved the evening sitting on the porch listenting to the night sounds as lights popped on in the houses. Someone two houses up was playing their banjo that really added to the mood. The week prior to our visit the Last Run restaurant in the old store acrross from the station extended their dinner hours to 6:30pm. So we had time for a beverage before walking to a good dinner. That evening we got an ad hoc shop tour by the night hostler who tended the four engines under steam all night. The next day we took the formal park shop tour - both very infomrative. Our train returning to Spruce was double headed because of extra cars to accomodate a WM Hist. Society group.
3. We stayed in one of the four motel rooms over the Station 2 restaurant in Durbin. About as basic as you could get, yet roomy, clean and convenient. Sandy and her husband, the local fire chief (hence Station 2), contractor, and entrepeneur in that very small and poor town run a good operation. Dinner and breakfast were hearty and good. Full breakfast included in the rate. The Durbin Rocket was a pleasant surprise. We weren't expecting much on a slow 5 mile trip, but it was great. The handful of passengers had the run of the train that included a D&H baggage-mail car, a coach with open sides (former trolley car), and a wood caboose. It was great fun to sit in the cupola with the window open on a cool damp morning as we clicked down the rails and spotted deer and an eagle. At the end we picked up the two Castaway cabooses that were parked a couple hundred yards apart on the river. Each had its own river deck with picnic table. We talked with a couple in one of them and they said it was great but had to book a year in advance. Our train was powered by a nice Heisler subbing for the regular Climax that was in the shop.
Can't wait to return in two years to ride the Durbin line to Cass behind the 2-8-0, try the parlor car on the dinner train (an open platform office car outfitted with tables), and ride the Castaway caboose up to Bald knob.