The Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad, "Where Eagles Fly!"The Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad, based in Romney, West Virginia is a shortline/tourist line that operates a little over 52 miles of an old Baltimore & Ohio Railroad branch line between Green Spring and Petersburg, in the state's eastern panhandle. Today, the railroad operates its usual excursion and other specials throughout most of the year. One of the signature features of the Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad is Bald Eagles, which are commonly seen on every trip.
It should be noted that the Potomac Eagle Scenic operates over a line owned and maintained by the State of West Virginia, which also hosts freight service, known as the South Branch Valley Railroad. The little South Branch Valley Railroad (SBVR) is a shortline operating on a former B&O branch line in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia and is headquartered in Petersburg. mThe SBVR was started in the late 1970s when the Chessie System (predecessor to today’s CSX Transportation) was interested in selling off the line. Realizing the potential the branch still carried in terms of business as well as its economic impact on the region, West Virginia stepped in and purchased it. Below is a further history of the Potomac Eagle Scenic and South Branch Valley Railroads, and the line which they operate on, courtesy of the Hampshire Review:
During its first ten years, the SBVR spent nearly $5 million on track improvements. In 1994, the railroad completed a $4 million bond-financed upgrade of its line. Since 1998, 25.6 track-miles of heavy, welded rail have been installed and over 46,000 crossties have been replaced. A major bridge program made it possible for the SBVR to raise its weight limit to 286,000 pounds per car. Three locomotives were upgraded with microprocessor controls to increase their tractive effort and save fuel. Three additional locomotives were purchased to help move the heavy unit trains over the steep grades between Green Spring and Romney. Plans are in place to continue with capital improvements for the next several years. The improvements will include additional welded rail, crossties, ballast and roadbed widening. There will be additional work on bridges to maintain their capacity.
In late 1989 the Romney Business and Professional Organization bean a successful effort to bring a tourist rain to the area. Spurred on by a state commissioned report showing the line had great potential, the group worked tirelessly to get the excursion up and running. With Delegate Jerry Mezzatesta spearheading the project in Charleston, the state capital, the spring of 1991 saw the fIrst Potomac Eagle pull out of Romney. For some areas trains are a part of history, never again to be alive with the clanking of the cars rolling along. But for one small valley in West Virginia, the train industry could very well be just in its infancy. For power the Potomac Eagle typically employs four EMD locomotives (all of which also occasionally pull double-duty hauling freight trains when excursions aren't operating). They include: · Baltimore & Ohio GP9 #6604: Painted in original B&O passenger livery. · Chessie System GP9 #6240: Painted in original Chessie System livery. · Chesapeake & Ohio F3Au #8016: Painted in original C&O passenger livery although originally owned by the Clinchfield Railroad. · Potomac Eagle F7A #722: Painted in Potomac Eagle Scenic colors and originally owned by the Bessemer & Lake Erie.
For more information on tourist railroads like the Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad you might want to consider the book Empire State Railway Museum's Tourist Trains 2006 from the Empire State Railway Museum. Given excellent reviews this guidebook covers nearly all of the tourist railroads and museums operating in the country in fine detail. So, if you’re interested in locating a tourist train or railroad near you, or simply want to know more about a particular one, you will certainly not be disappointed in Empire State Railway Museum’s guidebook to tourist railroads and museums. If you're interested in perhaps purchasing this book please visit The Railroad Diamond by clicking the tab in the menu to your left marked "TRD Store".
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