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West Virginia Winter Train Rides On The DGVR

Published: December 3, 2025

By: Adam Burns

The Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad (DGVR) has quietly grown into one of the country’s most respected heritage rail operations. From its base in Elkins, West Virginia along the former Western Maryland, the company manages a family of excursions that explore some of the most remote mountain valleys in the state, including the famed Cass Scenic Railroad and the newly rebuilt Greenbrier River line between Cass and Durbin.

Among its newest and most distinctive offerings is the Greenbrier Express Winter Special, a cold-weather excursion that turns the northern end of the former Chesapeake & Ohio's Greenbrier Branch into a snow-dusted showcase of Appalachian scenery.

Western Maryland BL2 #82 and C&O F7A #7094 (built as Milwaukee Road #109A) layover at Cheat Bridge, West Virginia along the former WM's line to Spruce and Webster Springs. Loyd Lowry photo.

A Railroad in the High Country

The DGVR story begins in the late 1990s, when John and Kathy Smith launched a modest tourist operation over a short stretch of the former C&O Greenbrier Division at Durbin. From that small start, the company gradually expanded, taking on operation of the state-owned West Virginia Central lines (ex-Western Maryland) based out of Elkins (and running as far as Webster Springs) and, later, the prestigious Cass Scenic Railroad. Today DGVR runs a mix of steam- and diesel-powered excursions that include the New Tygart Flyer, Mountain Explorer Dinner Train, and the iconic Cass Shay trips to Whittaker Station and Bald Knob.

The Cass–Durbin corridor, now home to the Greenbrier Express, has been a long-term vision. The 14-mile segment along the Greenbrier River was acquired by the West Virginia State Rail Authority in the late 1970s, but a devastating 1985 flood washed out bridges and track, severing the route and leaving it dormant for decades.

Rebuilding this line required substantial investment in track, drainage, and bridge work, including restoration of the Trout Run Bridge, a key structure that finally allowed trains to operate the full distance between Cass and Durbin. With the physical line restored, DGVR introduced the Greenbrier Express brand and began regular excursions along this river-grade route, opening up a fresh chapter in the region’s rail tourism story.

The Greenbrier River Line: From Timber Artery to Tourist Favorite

The roots of the Greenbrier Express lie in the old C&O Greenbrier Division. Constructed in 1902, the line hugged the banks of the Greenbrier River, funneling timber, pulpwood, and other forest products out of the highlands. At its peak the branch stretched roughly 95 miles, linking tiny sawmill settlements and logging camps with the main line network.

As traditional resource traffic declined, the branch’s fortunes waned. Most of the line was abandoned by 1978, with only the northern end ultimately preserved under state ownership. The corridor’s survival had less to do with freight and more to do with its scenery: sheer valley walls, sweeping river bends, and long stretches of wilderness with no highway intrusions. Those same attributes make it ideal for a modern excursion railroad.

Today’s Greenbrier Express operates over approximately 15 miles of this right-of-way, offering travelers a window into both the region’s industrial past and its present focus on outdoor recreation, tourism, and heritage preservation.

Introducing the Greenbrier Express Winter Special

During much of its history, the Cass Scenic Railroad operated almost exclusively in the fair-weather months. Steep grades, heavy geared steam locomotives, and unpredictable mountain weather made winter operations challenging. The rebuilt Greenbrier River line, however, follows a relatively gentle, mostly level river grade, making it ideal for cold-season excursions.

That insight led DGVR to launch the Greenbrier Express Winter Special: a series of wintertime runs between Cass and Durbin that have quickly become a highlight of the railroad’s calendar. The train typically operates on weekends in January and February, offering a roughly five-hour round trip that includes a layover in Durbin and lunch for every ticketed passenger.

Route and Scenery

The Winter Special departs from the historic (and photogenic) company town of Cass, once a bustling hub for the region’s logging railroads and now preserved as a state park. From there the train immediately settles into its riverside rhythm, closely following the Greenbrier’s clear, free-flowing waters as it winds north toward Durbin.

In winter, this valley takes on a distinct character: leafless hardwoods reveal distant ridgelines, frost or snow dusts the riverbanks, and the muted palette of rock, water, and forest creates a stark beauty. Occasional farms, cabins, and old railroad remnants flash by, but much of the journey is through genuine backcountry that remains inaccessible by road.

Depending on power assignments, the Winter Special is usually headed by vintage diesel power, allowing the railroad to reserve its iconic Cass Shays and other geared steam locomotives for warm-weather service and ongoing maintenance needs.

On-Board Experience

DGVR equips the Greenbrier Express with restored vintage coaches, offering comfortable, heated seating ideal for winter travel. Riders can expect large windows, classic railroad interiors, and the sort of unhurried pace that allows plenty of time for photography and conversation.

A key element of the Winter Special is its inclusive lunch. All passengers receive a meal, served either in their railcar, inside the historic Durbin depot, or at one of several participating restaurants along Durbin’s Main Street, just steps from the tracks. This arrangement not only keeps riders warm and well-fed, it also funnels business directly into the small mountain town that anchors the north end of the line.

During the layover, guests can explore Durbin’s compact downtown, visit local shops, and view railroad artifacts that speak to the town’s days as a junction between the C&O and Western Maryland. For many visitors, the contrast between Cass’s company-town feel and Durbin’s small-town Main Street is part of the charm.

Why the Winter Special Matters

The Greenbrier Express Winter Special is more than a seasonal novelty. It reflects a broader strategy by DGVR and the West Virginia State Rail Authority to use rail tourism as a year-round economic driver in a largely rural region. According to local reports, the railroad carried tens of thousands of passengers in a recent pre-pandemic year, ranking it among the top tourist railroads in the United States.

By opening up a new operating season, the Winter Special helps stabilize employment for railroad staff, creates off-season demand for lodging and dining, and diversifies the experiences available to repeat visitors. It also lets railfans and casual travelers alike see the Greenbrier valley in a completely different light—quite literally—than the lush greens of summer or the blazing foliage of autumn.

From a preservation standpoint, the train underscores the importance of the Cass–Durbin rebuild. Restoring bridges, track, and drainage after decades of abandonment and flood damage was not a simple project. Every Winter Special departure is a visible demonstration of what long-term commitment to rail heritage can accomplish: a once-lost line not only returned to service, but thriving as a centerpiece of a regional tourism network.

Planning a Trip

While exact dates and pricing can vary by year, recent schedules have seen the Greenbrier Express Winter Special operate on Saturday and Sunday departures in mid-winter, leaving Cass around mid-morning for a round trip of roughly five hours, with lunch included in the ticket. Advance reservations are strongly recommended, as winter trains often sell out—especially holiday and long-weekend departures.

Travelers often pair the trip with an overnight stay in nearby Elkins, Snowshoe, or at Cass itself, using the excursion as a centerpiece of a long weekend that might also include skiing, snowshoeing, or simply exploring the region’s small towns and state parks.  To learn more about the Winter Special please click here to visit Mountrailwv.com.