I knew Jon would like Cass. 
Yes Jon , those were my thoughts also , going up the mountain standing in a open car almost touching the front of old number 5 shay . CASS is heaven for a steam powered train ride . unforgetable
I did Cass twice this year - it was great each time! Neat place.
Thanks guys -
Rainy weather today has dictated that tomorrow will be my second ‘solo’ day at Cass. That leaves a possibility for the Spruce run. I’ll definitely do the shop tour in the morning before the trains go out.
My goal for this return trip is to get some video, primarily to capture the sound of a Shay working hard pushing up the steep grades and those wonderful whistles. That, and to try and get some better pictures. The 3+ Mb I have so far are mostly crap. I’d like to come home with at least one or two I can post 
Jon,
You said - "I’d like to come home with at least one or two I can post "
I think we would like that, also.
Sounds like you’re having a LOT OF FUN ! I look forward to your pictures.
Good Railroadin’, . . . .
We arrived back in CT last night about 9PM. The return trip from Elkins was broken up with an overnight in Burnt Cabins, PA on Sunday. I’d hoped to get up to EBT, but very bad weather in Elkins delayed our start and we didn’t get to Burnt Cabins until after the last train had run. We did get to tour the old grist mill there Just finished getting the RV settled back in Camp Backyard and partially unpacked. Have the day off today to re-group so I’ll try to get through some of the pictures. This first one is Mountain Thunder, Western Maryland 734 entering Brush tunnel on the Western Maryland Scenic RR on the way up to Frostburg Md. from Cumberland. [url=lsc.cvsry.com/WM734-1024.JPG]
(http://lsc.cvsry.com/WM734-640.JPG)
[/url][color=blue]FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color] Note the bike trail next to the tracks. Matt rented a bike in Frostburg and raced the train back down the mountain to Cumberland. He won the race 
WM 734 takes a spin on the turntable in Frostburg, Md. This is a great prototype to use at the end of a branch line. The main ends at a turntable with a short passing siding to run the engine around the train. [url=lsc.cvsry.com/WM734-1024-01.JPG]
(http://lsc.cvsry.com/WM734-640-01.JPG)
[/url][color=blue]FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color] And here’s Marilyn, Matthew and Snowflake relaxing around the campfire near Rocky Gap State Park in Maryland after riding the WMSRR. [url=lsc.cvsry.com/MSR-JMR-RV-1024.jpg]
(http://lsc.cvsry.com/MSR-JMR-RV-640.jpg)
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A few days later we moved camp to Elkins, WV and then drove down to Cass. After seeing the roads between Elkins and Cass our decision not to pull the RV any deeper into the mountains was validated. No way I’m going to pull that thing over those 9% grades and hairpin turns :o Heres The Cass Scenic RR’s big Shay #6 rounding the last curve just before Whittaker on our way up to Bald Knob. [url=lsc.cvsry.com/CSRR-6-1024-01.jpg]
(http://lsc.cvsry.com/CSRR-6-640-01.jpg)
[/url][color=blue]FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color] On the way up to Bald Knob there is quite a bit of twisty track. I caught this example as we rounded a curve… [url=lsc.cvsry.com/CSRR-6-1024-02.jpg]
(http://lsc.cvsry.com/CSRR-6-640-02.jpg)
[/url][color=blue]FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color] Note that, except for one switchback, the train is pushed uphill which is prototypical of the way the logging railroad ran. This is to protect the traain from runaway cars by always keeping the engine on the downhill end. Heres a shot that shows how quickly this line climbs. Some places are 9% grade. [url=lsc.cvsry.com/CSRR-6-1024-03.jpg]
(http://lsc.cvsry.com/CSRR-6-640-03.jpg)
[/url][color=blue]FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color] Finally we arrive at Bald Know. This phoo taken from the observation platform. Unfortunately it was pretty hazy, but still a great view. [url=lsc.cvsry.com/CSRR-6-1024-04.jpg]
(http://lsc.cvsry.com/CSRR-6-640-04.jpg)
[/url][color=blue]FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color] That round white thing in the center of the photo just over the second ridge is the big dish at the Green Bank Observatory, 4 miles away. Matthew and Marilyn toured the NRO while I did another run on the Cass Scenic. On the way back down to Cass, we met the 2:30 Whitaker train at the switchback. CSRR has built enough track on the tail of the switchback to allow the two trains to pass here. [url=lsc.cvsry.com/CSRR-6-1024-05.jpg]
(http://lsc.cvsry.com/CSRR-6-640-05.jpg)
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Nice pictures. Sounds like you had a great time. I think I have several of those same shots. We sat in the same place…my hearing is almost back to normal now - love that whistle.
I still feel that road, coming from the south, to Cass is very challenging. I’m sure coming from the other direction was not much better. Good decision to leave the camper down the hill. Certainly a great place, your pictures brought back the memories.
Ric Golding said:Wimps! heheheheh we drag our camper in there several times a year to camp in the Mongahela National Forest....
I still feel that road, coming from the south, to Cass is very challenging. I'm sure coming from the other direction was not much better. Good decision to leave the camper down the hill. Certainly a great place, your pictures brought back the memories.
Bart Salmons said:So Bart, are you trying to pull 6,000 pounds of camper with a small 6 cylinder SUV ?Ric Golding said:Wimps! heheheheh we drag our camper in there several times a year to camp in the Mongahela National Forest....
I still feel that road, coming from the south, to Cass is very challenging. I'm sure coming from the other direction was not much better. Good decision to leave the camper down the hill. Certainly a great place, your pictures brought back the memories.
Didn’t think so. There were a couple of grades, both in MD east of Cumberland where I shifted to 2nd, got into the power range at 4700 RPM and couldn’t maintain 50 MPH. One of these slowed us to 30 MPH and I was worried that the car wasn’t going to be able to make the summit.
Once we got to Cumberland we drank all the beer and emptied all holding tanks before attempting to climb across the Eastern Continental Divide into WV. It sure was tough Monday night finishing a weeks worth of brew, but we did it
Bart Salmons said:Wimps? Because I said it was a challenge? Challenges are good and exhilarating. If 5 years after being down a road, you can still remember it, that's a good thing.Ric Golding said:Wimps! heheheheh we drag our camper in there several times a year to camp in the Mongahela National Forest....
I still feel that road, coming from the south, to Cass is very challenging. I'm sure coming from the other direction was not much better. Good decision to leave the camper down the hill. Certainly a great place, your pictures brought back the memories.
Oh!!! that’s going to leave a mark.
Joe, thanks. You made my morning.
Jon Radder said:Bart Salmons said:So Bart, are you trying to pull 6,000 pounds of camper with a small 6 cylinder SUV ?Ric Golding said:Wimps! heheheheh we drag our camper in there several times a year to camp in the Mongahela National Forest....
I still feel that road, coming from the south, to Cass is very challenging. I'm sure coming from the other direction was not much better. Good decision to leave the camper down the hill. Certainly a great place, your pictures brought back the memories.Didn’t think so. There were a couple of grades, both in MD east of Cumberland where I shifted to 2nd, got into the power range at 4700 RPM and couldn’t maintain 50 MPH. One of these slowed us to 30 MPH and I was worried that the car wasn’t going to be able to make the summit.
I know exactly where you’re talkng about John. I-70 going over South Mt. and more than likely Sideling Hill. Hauled a 40,000 lb. load of watermelons over South MT just yesterday and was doin 30 by the time I got to the top.
Glad to hear you guys made it back OK…
Great pix, BTW!