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The West Virginia Railroad Museum, Keeping Alive the Mountain State's Railroading HistoryThe West Virginia Railroad Museum is a recently created organization but during its short time of operation has several acquisitions and accolades to its credit. Over the last decade the WVRRM has been able to acquire a number of historical railroad pieces, many of which have their origins in some way relating to the State of West Virginia. This, of course, is the museum’s purpose and goal, to educate and showcase West Virginia's rich railroading heritage. Since I am a West Virginia native myself seeing the work the museum has done thus far has been a thrill and I wish them the very best in their efforts.
This mission will be accomplished through the collection, preservation and interpretation of significant locomotives, rolling stock, artifacts, photographs and memorabilia directly related to railroads and railroading in West Virginia. In addition to static exhibits, select pieces of equipment in the collection are restored and operated throughout the year to demonstrate steam, gasoline, and diesel technology and provide visitors with a first-hand experience of our railroad history through the sights, sounds, and sensations of a train ride. Over the last decade or so the West Virginia Railroad Museum has acquired some pretty spectacular pieces of equipment. They currently have three historic steam locomotives, all of which they plan to restore to operating condition and all of which have their origins in West Virginia. These locomotives include two Baldwin 2-8-0s, #8 and #9, which were originally used on the West Virginia Northern Railroad, a little coal hauler once located in Kingwood, WV (just south of Morgantown). Because the locomotives have been sitting on private property for thirty years and partially exposed to the elements much work will need to be done to restore them but the current plans still call for both to be returned to operation. The other steam locomotive is a Heisler, originally owned by the Middle Fork Railroad as #7. It was acquired by the museum a few years before the 2-8-0s but the plan is the same as with the Baldwins, to eventually return it to operation (although it currently is sitting in pieces on museum property).
Some of the other equipment owned by the West Virginia Railroad Museum includes Western Maryland FA #302 (currently used in freight and passenger service on the West Virginia Central), Middle Fork Railroad Baldwin VO-1000 #12, and Western Maryland Motor Car #6. Perhaps, though, what the museum has been most recognized for, along with the help of the city of Elkins, WV, the Randolph County Development Authority, and the citizens of Randolph County, is the restoration of rail service to the former Western Maryland (WM) railroad yard located in downtown Elkins. Upon CSX Transportation pulling out of Elkins in the early 1990s (removing the yard), the railroad also removed the bridge which was the only means of accessing the yard. Since the West Virginia Central Railroad was started in the mid-1990s from segments of former B&O and WM lines stretching from Tygart Junction to Bergoo, WV (some 135 miles), the WVC has never really had a place to call “home.” When funds were secured for the bridge replacement in recent years plans also went into place to redevelop the former WM yard property for commercial and railroad use, with the former depot also to be used as both the WVC’s main office and station to board passengers (the station was previously restored in the early 1990s). In any event, if you may be planning a trip to West Virginia please think about visiting either the museum or the WVC (or both!), as you will certainly not be disappointed (the trips the WVC operates through the heart of West Virginia are quite breathtaking). Not only is much of the former yard planned to be used as it was originally intended, the West Virginia Railroad Museum also plans to make it its home as well by rebuilding the former WM roundhouse to store its growing collection of equipment, on the very original foundations of the original! After fifteen years, with the first train rolling into Elkins Yard on May 26, 2007 the future looks extremely bright for the West Virginia Railroad Museum. With so many projects on tap the WVRRM is always looking for any help possible, whether by volunteering or even cash donations.
Also, for more information and reading about excursion trains and railroad museums you might want to consider picking up Tourist Trains Guidebook from the editors of Kalmbach Publishing's Trains magazine. The book lists and reviews over 400 excursions and museums found throughout the country and is an excellent resource if you're looking for one to visit. In any event, if you're interested in perhaps purchasing either (or both) of these books please visit the links below which will take you to ordering information through Amazon.com, the trusted online shopping network.
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