November 29, 2023 • 10 mins
Embark on a unique glamping adventure in the woods in West Virginia in your own vintage caboose, retrofitted with a kitchen and modern amenities and enjoy slow travel on a breathtaking journey along the Waterfall Trail. Discover unique road trip and train travel in West Virginia with adventurer Darley Newman through historic towns like Durbin and Cass. Hop aboard a steam-drive locomotive on the Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad. Walk through an old mill town dating back to 1901, with a woman who grew up there, and drive to explore waterfalls in the Monongahela National Forest, along the Highland Scenic Highway and beyond.
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Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
Imagine being dropped off in the middle of the woods via train,
(00:04):
and the conductor leaving you with a caboose, retrofitted with a kitchen and modern amenities,
your own vintage train car for a truly unique glamping adventure.
It's an experience that you can have in West Virginia. All aboard, because on this episode of
"Travels with Darley (00:19):
Southern Trails", we're riding scenic trains, camping in an original
Wabash Railroad caboose, and chasing beautiful waterfalls on The Waterfall Trail in West Virginia.
I'm Darley Newman and I'm taking you on an immersive adventure.
Slow travel has been trending across the United States and world, as people look to enjoy nature
(00:46):
and travel in a more leisurely, perhaps introspective way. In West Virginia, I found several ways to travel
more slowly via train. Scenic train rides operate throughout the eastern part of the state,
making them accessible for travelers.
The charming town of Durbin was my first stop to board a historic train.
(01:09):
Nestled in an area blanketed in forests, in the early 1900s, Durbin became a logging town,
and the Greenbrier Division of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad
constructed train tracks to halt timber products to numerous sawmills.
Today, Durbin has a few hundred residents, and as I drive into town on Main Street, along
(01:32):
Route 92, I pass through just a few blocks with one and two story red brick and block buildings.
These house local restaurants and businesses. Following several fires in 1913,
the town's Mayor proclaims that the future Main Street buildings would be built to be fireproof.
On the other side of the street, I'm tracing train tracks that lead to a cute yellow cottage,
(01:56):
housing the Durbin Depot. I'm boarding a steam-driven locomotive,
The Durbin Rocket, to take a ride through the wilderness,
and get castaway at a camping spot in the woods.
While on the train, you can sit in comfortable seats inside vintage train cars,
listening to the sounds of the crank and thumb of the train,
(02:19):
as you pass out of civilization and into the wilds of the forest.
I took some time to step outside onto an open air car with wooden benches,
and speak with Matt Scott, an expert on the Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad.
So as we go along the Greenbrier River, we are passing through not much left of what is there now,
(02:40):
but old boarding stations of what used to be little towns along the line.
When we get to where we're going, we're going to drop off a couple of cabooses for the
night stay where people like to camp at Hevener Station.
Historically speaking, this line did have some stops along the way to the paper mills,
for example. So there was a lot of action that happened back in the day.
The Durbin Rocket locomotive was built by the Heisler Locomotive Company in Erie,
(03:05):
Pennsylvania in 1926. Known as a three-truck, Class C, 90-ton-geared logging locomotive,
it was built for power and versatility, hauling logs to the mill and operating for 40 years.
While today the area is heavily wooded, travelers and workers in the early 1900s would have seen
(03:28):
small mill towns and logging operations along the route. On today's five and a half mile ride,
you're truly traveling slow at top speeds of around five miles an hour.
Well the river is so pretty, this is going to be a nice ride.
It's hard to find a calm, serene place like this, you know, and a lot of the area now is only
accessible by rail, so you're not going to have any other traffic other than maybe some foot traffic or hiking.
(03:52):
So that's one of my favorite things about it.
For those with a sense of adventure and who book way far in advance, part of this trip can
include an overnight stay and an original Wabash Railroad caboose that's been refurbished
with modern amenities. In addition to being immersed in your own piece of nature in the West Virginia
(04:12):
woods, you're staying in a place with history. Trains have their steam engines in the front and
cabooses in the back, and train yards often had several of these cabooses on site at any given time.
Conductors and brakemen working long hours on the train and in train yards might have spent more time
on these cabooses than at home with their families. We get to the end of our journey,
(04:39):
and I step off the train onto the grassy rocky footing amid the forest to check out the bright red
Wabash caboose and see the cast off. Complete with a small kitchen along one wall with a gas stove,
refrigerator, sink, desk for hanging out or eating, bathroom and shower, and adorned with trained
themed curtains, windows bring light into this train car where up to six of your group can sleep
(05:04):
inside or outdoors. Many people use the blackstone griddle and grill out, go fishing, biking, or hiking in
the woods. As the steam train detaches and casts you off, you'll realize you're on your own for this
camping adventure. There's no cell phone reception, only the bears, birds, and your own travel companions
(05:29):
here. But if you want to get off the grid amid nature, this is a truly special way to experience
the beauty of our planet. For another train adventure, I'm heading to Cass, an old mill town dating
back to 1901, founded by the West Virginia Pulp and Paper company, as a home area for loggers
(05:50):
working in the nearby mountains. Cass is now part of the Cass Scenic Railroad State Park,
and has been well preserved with a museum, historic steam engine locomotive that travelers can ride,
and popular diner. Mary Snyder, who was born and raised in Cass, takes me for a walk through town
among the old company houses. Two story white wooden homes that today travelers can rent.
(06:15):
Two are even wheelchair accessible. During its height, when Mary Snyder's dad and grandfather
worked here, Cass was home to over 2,000 residents. As we walk along the boardwalks that surface
sidewalks amid the historic homes, Mary shares her story. Growing up here, my family worked here.
My grandfather, Lambert, worked in the woods, my grandfather's neighbors worked at the mill,
(06:41):
and then my father worked there until the mid-40s when the war came. It basically looks
like it did whenever I grew up. The picket fences were everywhere, and the houses haven't changed
the outside. As West Virginia's timber industry declined, so did Cass. In 1960, the mill and
(07:02):
railroad shut down. The town was taken over by the state park system and preserved,
so visitors can take a look at the past. So how many people live here today? Oh, maybe 25?
Okay, so small community. From scenic trails to beautiful waterfalls,
West Virginia has the first ever statewide Waterfall Trail, and a great way to experience it
(07:28):
is by taking a road trip. There are over 200 waterfalls in West Virginia, and we're traveling
through the Monongahela National Forest along the Highland Scenic Highway, one of the eastern
United States' great scenic drives to spot a few. At the falls of Hills Creek, I park my car,
(07:49):
and get ready to hike into the forest, where I'll reach a series of three waterfalls.
You'll want to have good walking shoes for this trek, along a series of pathways and wooden
stairs amid a forested rocky gorge. For those keeping in mind accessibility, a three-quarter of a
mile paved trail is wheelchair accessible, reaching the Upper Falls viewing platform. The three
(08:14):
waterfalls at the falls of Hills Creek, span from 25 feet to 63 feet, the second highest waterfall
in West Virginia. The Highland Scenic Highway is 43 miles of scenic views around every turn,
and is one of my favorite off the beaten path scenic drives. Along the waterfall trail,
(08:36):
and in the Monongahela National Forest, you can also check out Seneca Creek Falls, located at the
base of the highest point in West Virginia, Spruce Knob. This longer hike is five miles along Seneca
Creek Trail, which takes you past several creeks on your way to stunning waterfalls. Seneca Creek
(08:56):
Trail is located close to Spruce Knob, which I also recommend visiting for panoramic mountain views.
Walking along a gravel path on the Whispering Spruce Trail, look out for giant boulders,
spruce trees, and an occasional patch of blueberries. Historian Rob Whetsell met me for a walk here.
(09:17):
Along the Whispering Spruce Trail, we take our time to reach the Knob Observation Tower at
over 4,000 feet above sea level. We're on the Whispering Spruce Trail, and this actually gives a great view
of the mountains to the west of Spruce Knob, and this is really what the early settlers would have
(09:38):
seen when they arrived, and they crossed over the Allegheny Front, and they would have been
looking out at this great expanse. Wow! And they realized they had a lot more mountains to go.
A lot more mountains, it really just seems, they seem to roll on forever out here.
Endless mountains. Sometimes when we take the time on our travels to get into nature,
(10:03):
we can find a world of wonders, reachable by historic train, car rides, and our own two feet.
West Virginia scenic train rides and waterfall trail provide more than a few natural wonders.
Thanks for tuning into my West Virginia podcast on scenic trains and the waterfall trail.
Check out my podcast on West Virginia's newest national park and other adventures in this series.
I'm Darley Newman, and thanks so much for joining me on "Travel with Darley (10:29):
Southern Trails" in West Virginia.
Imagine being dropped off in the middle of the woods via train,
(00:04):
and the conductor leaving you with a caboose, retrofitted with a kitchen and modern amenities,
your own vintage train car for a truly unique glamping adventure.
It's an experience that you can have in West Virginia. All aboard, because on this episode of
"Travels with Darley (00:19):
Southern Trails", we're riding scenic trains, camping in an original
Wabash Railroad caboose, and chasing beautiful waterfalls on The Waterfall Trail in West Virginia.
I'm Darley Newman and I'm taking you on an immersive adventure.
Slow travel has been trending across the United States and world, as people look to enjoy nature
(00:46):
and travel in a more leisurely, perhaps introspective way. In West Virginia, I found several ways to travel
more slowly via train. Scenic train rides operate throughout the eastern part of the state,
making them accessible for travelers.
The charming town of Durbin was my first stop to board a historic train.
(01:09):
Nestled in an area blanketed in forests, in the early 1900s, Durbin became a logging town,
and the Greenbrier Division of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad
constructed train tracks to halt timber products to numerous sawmills.
Today, Durbin has a few hundred residents, and as I drive into town on Main Street, along
(01:32):
Route 92, I pass through just a few blocks with one and two story red brick and block buildings.
These house local restaurants and businesses. Following several fires in 1913,
the town's Mayor proclaims that the future Main Street buildings would be built to be fireproof.
On the other side of the street, I'm tracing train tracks that lead to a cute yellow cottage,
(01:56):
housing the Durbin Depot. I'm boarding a steam-driven locomotive,
The Durbin Rocket, to take a ride through the wilderness,
and get castaway at a camping spot in the woods.
While on the train, you can sit in comfortable seats inside vintage train cars,
listening to the sounds of the crank and thumb of the train,
(02:19):
as you pass out of civilization and into the wilds of the forest.
I took some time to step outside onto an open air car with wooden benches,
and speak with Matt Scott, an expert on the Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad.
So as we go along the Greenbrier River, we are passing through not much left of what is there now,
(02:40):
but old boarding stations of what used to be little towns along the line.
When we get to where we're going, we're going to drop off a couple of cabooses for the
night stay where people like to camp at Hevener Station.
Historically speaking, this line did have some stops along the way to the paper mills,
for example. So there was a lot of action that happened back in the day.
The Durbin Rocket locomotive was built by the Heisler Locomotive Company in Erie,
(03:05):
Pennsylvania in 1926. Known as a three-truck, Class C, 90-ton-geared logging locomotive,
it was built for power and versatility, hauling logs to the mill and operating for 40 years.
While today the area is heavily wooded, travelers and workers in the early 1900s would have seen
(03:28):
small mill towns and logging operations along the route. On today's five and a half mile ride,
you're truly traveling slow at top speeds of around five miles an hour.
Well the river is so pretty, this is going to be a nice ride.
It's hard to find a calm, serene place like this, you know, and a lot of the area now is only
accessible by rail, so you're not going to have any other traffic other than maybe some foot traffic or hiking.
(03:52):
So that's one of my favorite things about it.
For those with a sense of adventure and who book way far in advance, part of this trip can
include an overnight stay and an original Wabash Railroad caboose that's been refurbished
with modern amenities. In addition to being immersed in your own piece of nature in the West Virginia
(04:12):
woods, you're staying in a place with history. Trains have their steam engines in the front and
cabooses in the back, and train yards often had several of these cabooses on site at any given time.
Conductors and brakemen working long hours on the train and in train yards might have spent more time
on these cabooses than at home with their families. We get to the end of our journey,
(04:39):
and I step off the train onto the grassy rocky footing amid the forest to check out the bright red
Wabash caboose and see the cast off. Complete with a small kitchen along one wall with a gas stove,
refrigerator, sink, desk for hanging out or eating, bathroom and shower, and adorned with trained
themed curtains, windows bring light into this train car where up to six of your group can sleep
(05:04):
inside or outdoors. Many people use the blackstone griddle and grill out, go fishing, biking, or hiking in
the woods. As the steam train detaches and casts you off, you'll realize you're on your own for this
camping adventure. There's no cell phone reception, only the bears, birds, and your own travel companions
(05:29):
here. But if you want to get off the grid amid nature, this is a truly special way to experience
the beauty of our planet. For another train adventure, I'm heading to Cass, an old mill town dating
back to 1901, founded by the West Virginia Pulp and Paper company, as a home area for loggers
(05:50):
working in the nearby mountains. Cass is now part of the Cass Scenic Railroad State Park,
and has been well preserved with a museum, historic steam engine locomotive that travelers can ride,
and popular diner. Mary Snyder, who was born and raised in Cass, takes me for a walk through town
among the old company houses. Two story white wooden homes that today travelers can rent.
(06:15):
Two are even wheelchair accessible. During its height, when Mary Snyder's dad and grandfather
worked here, Cass was home to over 2,000 residents. As we walk along the boardwalks that surface
sidewalks amid the historic homes, Mary shares her story. Growing up here, my family worked here.
My grandfather, Lambert, worked in the woods, my grandfather's neighbors worked at the mill,
(06:41):
and then my father worked there until the mid-40s when the war came. It basically looks
like it did whenever I grew up. The picket fences were everywhere, and the houses haven't changed
the outside. As West Virginia's timber industry declined, so did Cass. In 1960, the mill and
(07:02):
railroad shut down. The town was taken over by the state park system and preserved,
so visitors can take a look at the past. So how many people live here today? Oh, maybe 25?
Okay, so small community. From scenic trails to beautiful waterfalls,
West Virginia has the first ever statewide Waterfall Trail, and a great way to experience it
(07:28):
is by taking a road trip. There are over 200 waterfalls in West Virginia, and we're traveling
through the Monongahela National Forest along the Highland Scenic Highway, one of the eastern
United States' great scenic drives to spot a few. At the falls of Hills Creek, I park my car,
(07:49):
and get ready to hike into the forest, where I'll reach a series of three waterfalls.
You'll want to have good walking shoes for this trek, along a series of pathways and wooden
stairs amid a forested rocky gorge. For those keeping in mind accessibility, a three-quarter of a
mile paved trail is wheelchair accessible, reaching the Upper Falls viewing platform. The three
(08:14):
waterfalls at the falls of Hills Creek, span from 25 feet to 63 feet, the second highest waterfall
in West Virginia. The Highland Scenic Highway is 43 miles of scenic views around every turn,
and is one of my favorite off the beaten path scenic drives. Along the waterfall trail,
(08:36):
and in the Monongahela National Forest, you can also check out Seneca Creek Falls, located at the
base of the highest point in West Virginia, Spruce Knob. This longer hike is five miles along Seneca
Creek Trail, which takes you past several creeks on your way to stunning waterfalls. Seneca Creek
(08:56):
Trail is located close to Spruce Knob, which I also recommend visiting for panoramic mountain views.
Walking along a gravel path on the Whispering Spruce Trail, look out for giant boulders,
spruce trees, and an occasional patch of blueberries. Historian Rob Whetsell met me for a walk here.
(09:17):
Along the Whispering Spruce Trail, we take our time to reach the Knob Observation Tower at
over 4,000 feet above sea level. We're on the Whispering Spruce Trail, and this actually gives a great view
of the mountains to the west of Spruce Knob, and this is really what the early settlers would have
(09:38):
seen when they arrived, and they crossed over the Allegheny Front, and they would have been
looking out at this great expanse. Wow! And they realized they had a lot more mountains to go.
A lot more mountains, it really just seems, they seem to roll on forever out here.
Endless mountains. Sometimes when we take the time on our travels to get into nature,
(10:03):
we can find a world of wonders, reachable by historic train, car rides, and our own two feet.
West Virginia scenic train rides and waterfall trail provide more than a few natural wonders.
Thanks for tuning into my West Virginia podcast on scenic trains and the waterfall trail.
Check out my podcast on West Virginia's newest national park and other adventures in this series.
I'm Darley Newman, and thanks so much for joining me on "Travel with Darley (10:29):
Southern Trails" in West Virginia.
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