Cass Scenic Railroad State Park, West Virginia

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Cass, West Virginia · Updated October 19, 2026 · 13 min read

Heritage railroad with a museumTrain ridesSteam excursions run seasonally; check the operating calendar before you go

Cass Scenic Railroad State Park preserves a whole lumber company town and the logging railroad that served it, and geared steam locomotives still push visitors up the same 1901 grades on Back Allegheny Mountain.

  • Logging railroad begun in 1901
  • Eight Shay geared steam locomotives
  • 11-mile climb to Bald Knob
  • Company houses rented as cabins
  • On the National Register since 1974
  • Campground with 100 sites

Cass Scenic Railroad State Park at a glance

Hours
Trains run on scheduled days in season; check the operating calendar before you go
Admission
Train fares vary by trip; check current prices with the park or the railroad when booking
Train rides
Steam trips to Whittaker Station, Bald Knob and Durbin on scheduled days
Seasonal events
Railfan weekends, Holiday trains, Autumn specials
Plan for
Half a day for Whittaker Station; most of a day for Bald Knob
Best for
Steam fans, families and anyone who wants an overnight stay
Best ages
Ages 3 and up; the Bald Knob trip suits ages 6 and up

Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to Cass Scenic Railroad State Park? 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 Cass.

Page 1 of 8

Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

Like it so far? See the full book

25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $13.99 with fast shipping from 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.

From the world's largest double-band sawmill to a state park

Cass began in 1901 as a company town built by the West Virginia Pulp and Paper Company to house the men who cut spruce and hemlock on the nearby mountains for its subsidiary, the West Virginia Spruce Lumber Company. That same year, immigrant workers started laying a standard gauge railroad up Back Allegheny Mountain. They set up a logging camp in a meadow now called Whittaker Station, then pushed the line on to Gobblers Knob and a mountaintop settlement named Spruce, with its own store, houses, hotel and doctor's office.

The company first wanted red spruce for paper pulp, but it soon learned the mountain held a fortune in maple, cherry, birch and oak. It built a mill at Cass to cut the hardwoods, and at one time that mill was the largest double-band sawmill in the world. Over its working life it processed an estimated 1.25 billion board feet of lumber. Track reached the top of Bald Knob before that area was logged out and the rails pulled up in the early 1910s.

In June 1942 the operation passed to the Mower Lumber Company, which cut second-growth timber off Cheat Mountain until it shut the mill and railroad on July 1, 1960. Scrapping had already begun when a group of local businessmen, led by Pennsylvania train enthusiast Russell Baum, persuaded the West Virginia legislature to turn the line into a state park. The first tourist train left the Cass depot for Whittaker Station in 1963.

The railroad joined the National Register of Historic Places on July 12, 1974, and in 1977 the park took over the entire town of Cass and the old hardwood mill. Since 2015 the Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad has run the trains under a lease with the state, while the Division of Natural Resources looks after the town, the visitor center and the cottages.

Shay engines, log cars and a town that kept its houses

The heart of a visit is a ride in converted log cars, similar to flatcars, pushed up the mountain by a geared logging locomotive on 11 miles of track first laid in 1901. The railroad owns eight Shay locomotives, plus a Heisler and a Climax, the two Pennsylvania-built rivals to the Shay design. Geared engines like these were built for exactly this kind of steep mountain grade, trading speed for pulling power.

Three trips are offered: a shorter round trip to Whittaker Station, where a logging camp has been recreated, a longer climb to the summit of Bald Knob, the highest point on Back Allegheny Mountain, and a trip along the Greenbrier River to the town of Durbin. Back in Cass, town and shop tours explain the lumber industry and let you see how the shop crew keeps these rare geared locomotives running. The park also includes model railroads and a former company store that now holds a museum and gift shop.

Don’t miss

  1. The Shay geared locomotivesThe park's eight Shays use gears and drive shafts instead of ordinary side rods, which is how they haul trains up grades that would stop a regular engine.
  2. Bald Knob summitThe longest Cass trip ends near the top of Back Allegheny Mountain, at about 4,842 feet, in a cool spruce forest with a wide view over the valleys.
  3. Whittaker Station logging campThe site of the original camp for the workers who built the railroad, now a recreated logging camp at the end of the shorter steam trip.
  4. The Cass shopOn a shop tour you can watch how the crew maintains century-old geared locomotives, a skill few places still practice.
  5. The Climax locomotiveVolunteers of the Mountain State Railroad and Logging Historical Association are restoring the park's Climax, one of the rival geared designs.
  6. The company townRows of former worker houses still line the streets of Cass, and many have been refurbished as rental cottages.

Open log cars, a steam whistle and cabins in the old town

Kids get to ride behind a working steam locomotive in open cars, hear the whistle echo off the mountain and watch the forest change as the train climbs. The Whittaker Station trip is the shorter choice for little ones, with a recreated logging camp to explore at the stop. The Bald Knob run takes most of a day, so it suits older kids who can sit still for a long ride.

Families can stretch the trip into a stay by renting a former company house, a caboose or a campsite. Weather on the mountain is often much cooler than in the valley, so pack layers, especially for the summit trip.

Plan your visit: tips for Cass Scenic Railroad State Park

  • Book the Whittaker Station trip for younger children and Bald Knob for older kids and adults.
  • Bring warm layers; Bald Knob sits far higher than the town of Cass.
  • Add a town or shop tour to see how the locomotives are maintained.
  • Reserve a company house, caboose or campsite early if you want to stay overnight.

Beyond the regular steam trips, Cass hosts special events through the year, including railfan weekends, autumn specials and holiday trains. Dates change from season to season, so check the operating calendar before you plan around one, and see our guide to Christmas train rides in West Virginia for more holiday ideas around the state.

A state park, a railroad operator and volunteer restorers

Cass is a team effort. The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources owns the right-of-way and equipment and cares for the town, visitor center and cottages, while the Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad runs the trains and maintains the line. Volunteers from the Mountain State Railroad and Logging Historical Association are restoring the Climax locomotive. Riding a train, renting a cottage and shopping in the company store all help keep the place going.

More rail stops around the Allegheny highlands

The Green Bank and Durbin railway exhibits are only about 5 miles away. In Elkins, roughly 37 miles away, the West Virginia Railroad Museum shares the town with the Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad, the company that runs the Cass trains. For the full list, see train museums across West Virginia.

Every train museum in West Virginia

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor of a dad lifting Rally the corgi up the big stairs of a red train car
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

The Shay engines at Cass were built to climb grades that would stop an ordinary train, slow and steady, one gear turn at a time. That made me smile, because in our book Rally's short corgi legs cannot get up the big train stairs, and Dad has to give him a boost. Sometimes the little ones just need a bit of extra push. You can print that stairs moment from our coloring pages.

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
Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

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.

Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

More for train families

Work or volunteer at Cass Scenic Railroad State Park?

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.

Cass Scenic Railroad State Park: 20 questions before you ride

Where is Cass Scenic Railroad State Park?

Cass Scenic Railroad State Park is at 12363 Cass Road in Cass, West Virginia 24927. The park centers on the old lumber company town of Cass, high in the Allegheny Mountains, with the railroad climbing Back Allegheny Mountain above it. Trains board in town, so use the Cass Road address in your GPS and allow time for winding mountain roads.

What county is Cass Scenic Railroad State Park in?

Cass Scenic Railroad State Park is in Pocahontas County, West Virginia. The county is home to Back Allegheny Mountain and Bald Knob, the summit the longest Cass train climbs toward. Durbin, the other end of the Greenbrier River trip, is also in this part of the state, and the Green Bank area is only a few miles away.

How much does the Cass Scenic Railroad cost?

Fares depend on which trip you take, since the Whittaker Station, Bald Knob and Durbin rides differ in length. The park does not post one standard price list in one place, so check current fares with the Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad, which runs the trains, or call the park at (304) 456-4300 before you book.

Are there senior or per-person prices for the Cass Scenic Railroad?

Tickets are sold per person, and fares are set by trip. Senior, child and other categories are listed when you book with the railroad operator, which sets prices season by season. Because rates can change, especially in the busy fall weeks, confirm current senior pricing when you reserve rather than relying on older reviews or forum posts.

How do I buy Cass Scenic Railroad tickets?

Tickets for the Cass steam trains are handled by the Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad, which has operated the line under a lease with the state since 2015. Reserving ahead is the safest plan, since trains do not run every day. For park questions such as cottages or the campground, call (304) 456-4300 or email cassrailroadsp@wv.gov.

What train rides are offered at Cass Scenic Railroad?

Three trips are offered: a shorter round trip to Whittaker Station, a long climb to Bald Knob, the highest point on Back Allegheny Mountain, and a trip along the Greenbrier River to the town of Durbin. All run on the old logging line, and riders sit in converted log cars pushed by a geared steam locomotive.

What is the Cass Scenic Railroad train schedule?

The Cass trains run on scheduled days during the operating season rather than every day of the year. The Whittaker Station trip takes roughly two hours, the Bald Knob trip about five, and the Durbin trip about five and a half. Check the current operating calendar before you drive in, since departures change by season.

How long is the Bald Knob train ride at Cass?

The Bald Knob trip covers 11 miles each way and takes about four and a half to five hours round trip. The train climbs to near the summit, at about 4,842 feet, through red spruce forest that feels far cooler than the town below. Bring layers, snacks and patience for a long, slow climb.

Can you stay in a company house at Cass Scenic Railroad State Park?

Yes. Former company houses in the town of Cass, built for the lumber workers who once lived there, have been refurbished and are rented through the park. A small cabin on Bald Knob is also available, and cabooses can be reserved for private use. Call (304) 456-4300 for availability, especially for fall weekends.

Is there a campground at Cass Scenic Railroad State Park?

Yes. The Cass Campground has 100 campsites, along with bathhouses and laundry facilities, so you can camp close to the trains. Reservations are made through West Virginia State Parks. If the campground is full, the company houses and caboose rentals in town are another way to stay right in Cass.

What lodging is available at Cass Scenic Railroad State Park?

The park offers several ways to stay: refurbished company houses in the historic town, a small cabin on Bald Knob, cabooses reserved for private use, and the 100-site Cass Campground. Each option books separately, so decide whether you want a house in town or a night on the mountain before you call (304) 456-4300.

What locomotives are at Cass Scenic Railroad?

The railroad owns eight Shay locomotives, one Heisler and one Climax. All three are geared designs built for steep logging grades, and the Heisler and Climax, both made in Pennsylvania, were rivals to the Shay. The Climax is being restored by volunteers of the Mountain State Railroad and Logging Historical Association.

When was the Cass railroad built?

Work on the Cass railroad began in 1901, when the West Virginia Pulp and Paper Company founded the town and started laying standard gauge track up Back Allegheny Mountain with immigrant workers. Logging continued until July 1, 1960, and the first tourist excursion ran to Whittaker Station in 1963, after the state stepped in to save the line.

Can you tour the town and shops at Cass?

Yes. Town and shop tours are offered to visitors who want to learn more about the town and its lumber industry. The shop tour shows how the Cass crew maintains the rare geared locomotives. It pairs well with a shorter train trip if you want a full day without committing to Bald Knob.

Is Cass Scenic Railroad good for young kids?

Yes, if you pick the right trip. The roughly two-hour ride to Whittaker Station is the easiest choice for toddlers and preschoolers, and the recreated logging camp at the stop gives them room to move. The Bald Knob trip is much longer, so it suits older children who can handle several hours on the train.

What should I bring to Cass Scenic Railroad?

Bring warm layers, even in summer, because the climb to Bald Knob reaches about 4,842 feet and the weather on top can differ a lot from the town. Comfortable shoes help for the logging camp and town walks. A camera is worth packing too, since the views and the steam locomotives draw many photographers.

Does Cass Scenic Railroad have special events?

Yes. Cass hosts special events through the year, including railfan weekends, autumn specials and holiday trains, alongside the regular steam trips. Dates change each season, so check the operating calendar or call (304) 456-4300 before you plan a trip around a specific event.

Is there a gift shop at Cass Scenic Railroad State Park?

Yes. The former company store in Cass now holds a museum and gift shop, so you can browse for souvenirs and learn about the lumber town in the same building. It is an easy stop before or after your train ride, and a good place to warm up after a cool trip to Bald Knob.

Who runs the Cass Scenic Railroad?

Since 2015, the Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad has run the trains day to day under a lease with the State of West Virginia, handling scheduling, crews and equipment. The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources keeps ownership of the right-of-way and equipment and runs the town, visitor center and overnight cottages.

What train attractions are near Cass Scenic Railroad State Park?

The Green Bank and Durbin railway exhibits are about 5 miles away. Elkins, around 37 miles away, has the West Virginia Railroad Museum and is home base for the Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad, which runs the Cass trains. Across the Virginia line, the C&O Railway Heritage Center in Clifton Forge is roughly 40 miles away.

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Kelsey Cecil
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