Falling For Cass

Fall, despite its tendency to become Winter, has its moments. In our 1997 Autumn of Pure Wanderlust, my soul mate and I found our way to Cass, WV. Cass was at one time a busy little logging town, but by the time I first visited there with my father in the late 70s, its Shay-locomotive-powered mountain railroad had begun to carry only tourists. Fall is obviously the best time to make this trip, as evidenced by the panorama above, shot from the train about halfway up Bald Knob from Cass.

On our way from the hotel at Snow Shoe to Cass, this fog-filled valley caught our attention and insisted that we photograph it. I especially like the lone tree silhouetted against the fog in the second shot (center, near the bottom of the frame).

Two shots of Cass Scenic RR Shay #2. The detail shot shows the builder's plate: Lima Locomotive Works, 1928. If only my Chevy would last as long.

Okay, the two shots above were mistakes (I forgot to adjust my shutter speed for the wooded portion of the climb up the mountain), but I really like the resulting images. I'm not sure I could depict the motion of the train ride any better, and if I ever return to Cass, I'm going to be trying a whole bunch more shots like these.

Back out into the sunshine, we were treated to colors like this everywhere we looked.

Shay #4, which had helped #2 get us up the hill, cut off the train on the fly as we reached the summit. Smooth as silk.

Red cabooses stored at Cass, WV. Gotta love a good caboose!

Okay, friends. That'll do for now. That'll do...

The Map Stayed Closed

More shots from the "Cruising Years." We wandered farther and farther from home (Germantown, MD) - deeper into West Virginia, and into the Ohio Valley - in search of whatever caught our eye. When we came across the cool sign for Coolville, OH above, it was time to turn around and head back east, so we didn't get to see the town. Bet it was cool, though.

Here today, gone tomorrow. Identical compositions, shot from the same spot in Cambria, WV in 1997. The power plant at Haywood is only a couple of miles away, so the second shot is a good indication of just how thick the fog between the hills can get.

Two frames of former Western Maryland Railway's old shay locomotive #6 at Cass, WV in 1997. These heavy little brutes were used for decades to haul timber down from the mountains, and required a unique design in order to handle the steep grades they had to climb. They had one long set of connecting rods that powered all the wheels under the engine and tender, rather than just a few drivers under the boiler. It's the steam locomotive equivalent of all-wheel drive.

Cass, WV may be synonymous with the tourist railroad now, but it was born as a logging town. The forests have mostly grown back, but a few decades ago the dilapidated mill shown above was busy, the trains carried timber and the surrounding hills were nearly devoid of trees.

"Tobacco Barn - Southern MD - 1998." Hastily shot by [Maris] from the car. You would think shots like this would be easier to get in Southern MD, but no. Apparently, tobacco is very shy.

Closer to home, we couldn't resist the light on St. John's Episcopal Church in Olney, MD - 1999.

Hard to resist the sunset light on the old town hall building in Poolesville, MD in the summer of 1998.

"Sunset Over Ohio Corn - Rt. 7, OH - 1997." He wants you, too, Malachai! He wants you, too...