“outbound” portion of our trip, was able to join us during the return run, when the C&O-decorated locomotive was doing the work. “I came here — I was living at the time in southeastern Ohio — in September of 1999 to ride the train,” he says. “I was hooked. I knew one of the owners, and he in- vited me to go to work on the train on week- ends. I drove 221 miles from my home to Romney on Friday, then returned home Sun- day night.” In 2003 he was offered a full time job, and today serves as both an engineer and as Operations Manager.
America the Beautiful
The train generally follows the South Branch of the Potomac River. En route we saw a goodly number of people paddling downstream in canoes and kayaks, plus the occasional fisherman; passed an authentic swimming hole — occupants were all wear- ing bathing suits, so it couldn’t be called an “Old-timey swimming hole;” and came upon a small herd of cattle standing in the river. The patriarch of the family celebrating a birthday raised cattle, so we learned the cows were in the water to get away from the flies that bite their bellies. There were two deer — one standing on the bank of the river studying the passing train (no doubt a B&O afficionado) and the other at mid-stream taking a drink, and what we believed to be eagles soaring overhead. Of the latter we could not be certain, as they were so high up. This is, after all, a relatively deep gorge. The trip originates at Wappocomo Sta-
tion, a mile and a half north of downtown Romney on WV Route 28, and adjacent to a colonial-era (1754) brick and stone farm- house. It follows 18 miles of the former CSX, ex-Baltimore & Ohio route along the valley of the river. Today the route is part of the South Branch Valley Railroad. West Virginia owns the 52 mile right of way that runs from an interchange in Green Spring,
W.Va., south to Petersburg. That explains why the Potomac Eagle is sitting on a siding prior to departure. We travel through bucolic coun- tryside for the entire trip, passing log and stone farmhouses, remnants of former homesteads and highways, and sites of Civil War action (Romney was said to have been occupied by either Confederate or Union forces 56 different times, once three times in one day). Twelve miles out, we stop just be- fore entering the Trough so those passen- gers wishing to do so can go “outside” and take up seats in the gondola. This is the sce- nic highlight of the journey. The Trough is a narrow gorge, the steep walls forcing the railroad to run close to the river. It is also where one is most likely to spot eagles soar- ing high overhead. At the south end of the Trough, we stop again so passengers who want to can depart or enter the gondola, and so the engine crew can move to the other lo- comotive for the run back. For The Record: The Potomac Eagle is a season operation (May through October) op- erating generally on Saturdays, except dur- ing October, when runs are scheduled dai- ly — this year from October 3-27, with two runs scheduled on October 12-13 and 19-20. On one Saturday, May to August, the train runs all the way to Petersburg, and one weekend each year it operates over the en- tire South Branch Valley Railroad. Other special trains operate from time to time. For more information, go to http://www. po-
tomaceagle.info or call 304/424-0736.
So
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