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Video of Cass Scenic ‘parade’ goes viral
Cool video…not too knowledgable about steam, but it appears the first loco had drive wheels on the tender, and the last four had drive shafts? Were they coal mountain switchers with necessary high torque?
Lumber and coal probably. They were used in West VA mountain country.
I’ve not ever seen or heard of these types of drives on steam engines, so I’m hoping someone who does know can inform me; and others.
They are all geared locomotives. Basically the steam is used to drive a drive shaft. Lead loco is a HEISLER and the rest are SHAYS. Designed to work the logging industry. They could climb VERY steep grades and go around curves that looked like corners. Great on uneven track. ALL of the trucks are driven, (powered), by the drive shaft along the side or down the center under the locos.
Their not kidding about this going “viral”, a non-rail fan front desk clerk where I work franticly searched her Facebook news feed on her phone for ten minutes to show me this video!
Thank you Bob Withorn, for the explanation.
Mr. Anderson- this is definitely a place worthy of a railfan pilgrimage. Riding behind these is absolutely amazing (actually, they push you up the mountain- 9% at one place with a switchback.) I found the train crews to be friendly and happy to talk about their locomotives. The shop tour is also pretty nice. Getting into the cab is a lesson in rail history. Since much of the town of Cass is a WV state park, you can stay in one of the old lumber company houses right there. The place is pretty far from civilization- plan to bring food from the last big town you go through. But by all means, make the trip. This is maybe 4 hours south of the Western Maryland Scenic in Cumberland, MD.
Thank you James Erena. May plan a trip next summer with the kids to Steamtown, and to TN to visit friends; be nice to stop at Roanoke also. Maybe Cass can be a stop.
Amazing video! It’s like my grand sons tripple header video of CSRX 1751 a gp9 CSRX 573 a ex mec gp7 and the 470 clubs Boston and maine painted F7A.
Alderson is known for its Federal Prison for women. Former home to Martha Stewart. It is a stop on Amtrak’s Cardinal.