Byesville Scenic Railway, Ohio
Heritage railroad with a museumTrain rides suspended since 2011; static displays reportedly shown by appointment
The Byesville Scenic Railway is a nonprofit group that set out to keep Guernsey County's coal mining and railroad history alive on a surviving piece of the old Cleveland & Marietta Railroad.
- Former Cleveland & Marietta line
- Coal mining and railroad history
- Nonprofit formed in 2006
- Train rides suspended since 2011
Byesville Scenic Railway at a glance
- Hours
- No posted hours; tours reportedly by appointment
- Admission
- Not posted
- Best for
- Rail and coal history fans
- Parking
- A travel blog lists free street parking on Second Street and Seneca Avenue
Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.
Look inside the book
Taking the kids to Byesville Scenic Railway? Bring Rally along.
In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Byesville.
Rally Takes the Train
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See who’s waiting at the station
Grandmommy and Papa are at the last stop. Get the full hand-painted book, $13.99 on Amazon.
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Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.
Coal country rails, saved by the county and a nonprofit
The track in Byesville began as the Cleveland & Marietta Railroad and later became part of the Pennsylvania Railroad, then Penn Central and Conrail. Its main job was hauling coal, since Guernsey County was a big coal producer. In the early 1980s most of the C&M was torn up, and the stretch from Cambridge to C&M Junction, just south of Derwent, went to the Chessie System.
Guernsey County bought the line from Byesville to C&M Junction in 1999. It sat quiet until 2003, when the Buckeye Central Scenic Railroad started tourist trains from Byesville to Derwent. In 2006 the newly formed Byesville Scenic Railway took over and kept rehabilitating the track toward C&M Junction, with longer-term hopes of rebuilding the old B&O Eastern Ohio branch to Cumberland. Train service was suspended in 2011 and, as of late 2021, had not resumed.
What you may find today
A fan group on Facebook has described the railway as a static museum alongside a Coal Miner's Museum, with tours by appointment. The railway has no official website or posted schedule, so confirm before driving out. A travel blog places the depot one block off Main Street, reached from I-77 exit 41 south of Cambridge.
Set expectations with young riders
There are no train rides right now, so this is not the place for a child who has been promised one. Older kids interested in coal mining may enjoy a tour if one can be arranged. For a ride, the Zanesville & Western Scenic Railroad is about 36 miles away.
Plan your visit: tips for Byesville Scenic Railway
- Confirm by Facebook message before visiting; no official schedule is posted.
- From I-77, take exit 41 south of Cambridge toward Main Street in Byesville.
A nonprofit holding on to local history
The Byesville Scenic Railway is a nonprofit dedicated to preserving coal mining and railroad history in Guernsey County, and Guernsey County owns the line it was formed to run. A community group called Byesville Scenic Railway Memories shares updates and photos on Facebook and is a good place to ask how to help.
Working rail sites within an hour
The Dennison Railroad Depot Museum is about 31 miles north. The Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum and the Zanesville & Western Scenic Railroad are each about 36 miles away, and the Zanesville & Western still runs weekend rides. Find more on our Ohio train museum guide.
- Dennison Railroad Depot MuseumDennison, OH · about 31 mi
- Age of Steam Roundhouse MuseumSugarcreek, OH · about 36 mi
- Zanesville & Western Scenic RailroadMount Perry, OH · about 36 mi
- Buckeye Lake Museum railroad exhibitsBuckeye Lake, OH · about 50 mi
- Hocking Valley Scenic RailwayNelsonville, OH · about 51 mi
- Orrville Railroad Heritage SocietyOrrville, OH · about 62 mi
Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive
This line was built to carry coal, and I think about the miners who worked so far from daylight. In our book there is a tunnel where everything goes dark for a moment, and then comes a big bright light and happy cheers. My mom put that moment in the story, and you can read about her on our story page.
Free for train families
Print the Rally coloring pages before you go
Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.
Get the free coloring pages
A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.
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Work or volunteer at Byesville Scenic Railway?
We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.
Sources
Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.
Byesville Scenic Railway: 20 questions answered
Is the Byesville Scenic Railway still running?
Train rides are not running. Service on the Byesville Scenic Railway was suspended in 2011 and, according to Wikipedia, had not resumed as of late 2021. A fan group has described it since as a static museum with tours by appointment, so ask before you go rather than expecting a ride.
What is the Byesville Scenic Railway?
It is a nonprofit tourist railroad in Byesville, Ohio, dedicated to preserving coal mining and railroad history in Guernsey County. It runs on track that was originally the Cleveland & Marietta Railroad. The group formed in 2006 and ran tourist trains until service was suspended in 2011.
Where can I see Byesville Scenic Railway photos?
The Facebook group Byesville Scenic Railway Memories collects photos and updates about the railroad, and one member has posted seasonal status reports since 2014. Wikipedia and rail fan forums such as Railway Preservation News also discuss the line. The railway does not have an official website with a photo gallery.
Can I visit the Byesville Scenic Railway?
Possibly, by appointment. A post in a Facebook fan group describes the railway as a static museum alongside a Coal Miner's Museum, with tours given by appointment. That post is not an official announcement and its date is unclear, so reach out through the Facebook group first.
Where is the Byesville Scenic Railway depot?
A travel blog says the depot is in Byesville just off I-77 at exit 41, south of Cambridge. Head toward Main Street, turn left at the traffic light, and the depot is one block on the right. The same blog notes free parking along Second Street and Seneca Avenue.
When did the Byesville Scenic Railway stop running trains?
Train service was suspended in 2011. Before that, the Byesville Scenic Railway had operated since 2006, after taking over from the Buckeye Central Scenic Railroad, which ran tourist trains from Byesville to Derwent starting in 2003. A rail fan forum thread from the time covers the suspension.
What railroad line does the Byesville Scenic Railway use?
The track was originally the Cleveland & Marietta Railroad, later part of the Pennsylvania Railroad, then Penn Central and Conrail. Most of the C&M was removed in the early 1980s. Guernsey County bought the section from Byesville to C&M Junction, just south of Derwent, in 1999.
Who owns the Byesville rail line?
Guernsey County purchased the line from Byesville to C&M Junction in 1999. The county's track sat dormant until 2003, when tourist trains began, and the Byesville Scenic Railway nonprofit began operating it in 2006. The nonprofit worked on rehabilitating the line toward C&M Junction.
What did the Byesville railroad haul?
The line's primary freight was coal. Guernsey County was a large coal producer, and the Cleveland & Marietta and its successors carried that coal out of the region. The Byesville Scenic Railway's mission ties the railroad's story directly to the county's coal mining history.
Is there a coal mining museum at the Byesville Scenic Railway?
A Facebook fan group post says the railway has operated as a static museum together with a Coal Miner's Museum, with tours by appointment. Wikipedia's list of Ohio rail museums also describes it as a heritage railroad and mining museum display. Confirm what is open before visiting.
Was the Byesville Scenic Railway on the B&O?
The track came from the Cleveland & Marietta and Pennsylvania Railroad, according to Wikipedia. One directory claims a B&O origin and a 1972 founding, but that conflicts with the better-documented history. The B&O connection is in the railway's plans: it hoped to rebuild the old B&O Eastern Ohio branch to Cumberland.
Does the Byesville Scenic Railway have Christmas trains?
No train rides have run since 2011, so there are no Christmas trains here now. For a Santa train in southeast Ohio, the Zanesville & Western Scenic Railroad near Mt. Perry, about 36 miles away, runs holiday rides on December weekends. Check its schedule for current dates.
Is the Byesville Scenic Railway good for kids?
Not for kids hoping to ride. With service suspended, a visit would be a look at static displays, and only if a tour can be arranged. Older children curious about coal mining may enjoy that. Families wanting a real ride should try the Zanesville & Western or Hocking Valley Scenic Railway.
How do I contact the Byesville Scenic Railway?
The railway does not post an official phone number, email or website. The most active online presence is the Facebook group Byesville Scenic Railway Memories, which is fan run. Posting a question there is the most practical way to reach people connected to the line.
Will the Byesville Scenic Railway reopen?
No reopening date has been announced. Wikipedia reports that service had not resumed as of late 2021. Before the suspension, the nonprofit had been rehabilitating the line toward C&M Junction and planned to rebuild a former B&O branch to Cumberland. Watch the Facebook group for news.
How can I support the Byesville Scenic Railway?
The railway is a nonprofit focused on Guernsey County's coal and rail heritage. The railway does not post a membership or donation program online, so ask in the Byesville Scenic Railway Memories Facebook group how to help. Sharing old photos and memories of the trains there also helps preserve the story.
What was the Buckeye Central Scenic Railroad?
The Buckeye Central Scenic Railroad began running a tourist train from Byesville to Derwent in 2003 on the county-owned former Cleveland & Marietta line. In 2006, the newly formed Byesville Scenic Railway began operations and continued work on the line, carrying on the tourist train idea.
Where is Byesville, Ohio?
Byesville is a village in Guernsey County in southeast Ohio, just south of Cambridge along I-77. Exit 41 is the closest interchange for the old railway depot. The area is known for its coal mining history, which the Byesville Scenic Railway was formed to preserve.
Where can I ride a train near Byesville, Ohio?
The Zanesville & Western Scenic Railroad near Mt. Perry, about 36 miles away, runs 40-minute weekend rides from August through December dates. The Hocking Valley Scenic Railway in Nelsonville is about 51 miles away. Both are better choices than Byesville for a family train ride.
What train museums are near the Byesville Scenic Railway?
The Dennison Railroad Depot Museum is about 31 miles away, and the Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum in Sugarcreek is about 36 miles. The Buckeye Lake Museum railroad exhibits are about 50 miles west, and the Orrville Railroad Heritage Society is about 62 miles north.
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