Railroad History

Passenger and Commuter Rail

Railroading Today

Rolling Stock

Infrastructure and Terms

Museums and Tourism

Miscellaneous

About The Site

[?] Subscribe To This Site

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.

Depending on what your interested in trips aboard the Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad can last from between four hours to all day. Along with the railroad's daily excursions it also operates special events like the Loy Special, Murder Mystery trains, fall foliage trips (be sure and have your camera!), and the exclusive all day trips just to name a few.

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.

Once the South Branch Valley Railroad purchased the former B&O route it spent roughly $5 million on the line during its first ten years of service upgrading the route, which had been mostly neglected and given up for dead by Chessie System. Today, when riding the Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad although most may not know it the line now features nearly 26 miles of seamless, welded rail, which allows for a much smoother and gentler ride.

To give a brief history of the original builder of the SBVR's line, the B&O holds the distinction of being this country’s very first common-carrier railroad (meaning a railroad chartered specifically for public use) being officially incorporated and organized on April 24th, 1827. – Just as a side-note the B&O was not the first railroad actually chartered in this country, that distinction goes to the Mohawk & Hudson Railroad which was created a year earlier in 1826. – By being this country’s first common carrier the railroad was instrumental in helping to build and grow not only our economy but also the country itself when the “west” meant the Ohio River. While never a wealthy railroad throughout its existence (when compared to the likes of its much larger and powerful northern competitors, the Pennsylvania [PRR] and New York Central [NYC] Railroads) its legacy will forever be remembered as a survivor and that it put customer service above all else.

In 1962 the railroad's marginal financial situation finally ended independent ownership as the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway took control of the B&O that year. By 1972 the C&O, B&O, and Western Maryland jointly came under the Chessie System banner and by 1980 CSX Corporation was formed that included several systems, most notably the Chessie System and Seaboard System (which comprised several Southern railroads).

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.

If you're after a trip which offers spectacular scenery in a quiet, bucolic, location the Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad is a must visit. For more information about the Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad please click here to visit their website.

For more information on tourist railroads like the Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad you might want to consider the book Tourist Trains Guidebook from the editors of Kalmbach Publishing's Trains magazine. Given excellent reviews by readers this guidebook covers nearly all of the tourist railroads and museums (over 400) operating in the country in fine detail with accompanying reviews about each. 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 Trains’ guidebook to tourist railroads and museums. In any event, if you're interested in perhaps purchasing this book please visit the link below which will take you to ordering information through Amazon.com, the trusted online shopping network.

footer for potomac eagle scenic railroad page