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Deep in the heart of West Virginia, among the towering mountains of remote Appalachia, is the small town of Cass. The town of Cass was first established as a company town that served the lumber industry on and around Cheat Mountain, and as time went on the logging industry in the area eventually subsided, so to did the rails that covered Cheat Mountain. However in 1963, three years after the end of logging rail operations on Cheat Mountain, the Cass Scenic Railroad opened to the public and ushered in a new era of steam railroading, hauling tourists instead of logs. The allure of the various Shay locomotives pounding the rails up some of the steepest adhesive inclines in the United States regularly draws visitors from all over the world every year to experience the wonder of Cass.
This video showcases the Bald Knob Excursion, a 22 mile round trip excursion over grades that reach up to 11% in spots, which is popular among many visitors that wish to take a full day journey to the top of the mountain. Featured in this video are historic three-truck Shay locomotives: Shay #2, built in 1928 by the Lima Locomotive Works for the Mayo Logging Company of British Columbia, and Shay #11, which was also built by Lima in 1923 for the Hutchinson Lumber Company of California. Now, please enjoy this exciting video of a journey through what John Denver once described as “Almost Heaven” in this video brought to you by Blue Comet Productions!
This video was filmed on August 4th, 5th, and 6th, 2023.