CASS,W.Va.– Work to repair damage to the Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad from the 1985 flood has finally been finished.
The railroad company posted news of the completion to Facebook. The last stretch was a 15 mile section between Cass and Durbin in Pocahontas County. The completion was celebrated by a trip Wednesday aboard the historic Shay Number 5 engine. Number 5 rolled with a full crew to Durbin where they retrieved the famous Heisler Number 6 engine for a much anticipated return to Cass.
The devastating flood of 1985 wiped out five miles of the railroad bed, track, and a span over a tributary creek. Work to restore the line has been ongoing for several years. All of the rails and bridge have been restored. The rail line reports the Greenbrier Express will depart Cass starting in the spring to follow the free-flowing Greenbrier River to Durbin. The ride features secluded and remote wilderness areas in the West Virginia mountains.
A schedule for the trips and reservations for those rides can be made on the social media pages of the Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad or at their website.