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Preserving West Virginia Lumbering and Railroad History

The Mountain State Railroad & Logging Historical Association was founded in 1982 and is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, all volunteer, organization. The Association is dedicated to the research, collection, preservation, publication on, and restoration of equipment and structures related to West Virginia lumbering and railroad operations.

The Association is based in Cass, West Virginia, and has over 500 members located throughout the U.S. and in several foreign countries.  MSR&LHA is the Foundation of Record for the Cass Scenic Railroad State Park and much of its focus is on the Park’s railroad and historic structures.
Association Activities
Click the links below to get more information about the Association and its activities
Historic Railfan Excursions...
 New Jan. 2013 2013 Cass Railfan Weekend
or
Click here for PDF version of the printed 2013 Cass Railfan Weekend brochure (4.4 Mbyte download).  The text annd photos are the same as in the link above.
 
Past Association Projects
The Greenacre Photo Award
Job Offer: Historic Interpreter in Cass
Contact Information
Administrative Documents

Click the photos for larger images & captions
new Climax cab under construction Railfans at the Cass Railfan Weekend Volunteer operating a lathe Volunteers doing track work

Photographs
The links below will lead you to photo albums that document the Association's activities over the years and the equipment and operations of the Cass Scenic Railroad.  

There are a number of videos of  railfan trips at Cass on the YouTube Web site.  Go to www.youtube.com and enter cass railroad (two words with a space between) in the search window.

Photos of Association Activities

Recent Climax Restoration Project activities (1)
Recent Climax Restoration Project Activities (2)
Recent Climax Restoration Project Activities (3)
Early Climax Restoration Work (1)
Early Climax Restoration Work (2)
Constructing the Whittaker Camp (1991-96)
Reconstructing the "wye" Track (1997)
Moving Shay 11 from California (1998)
Constructing & Equipping the Restoration Building (2000-02)
Rebuilding the Cass "Bobber" Caboose
Photos from the Greenacre Photo Contest 


Photos of  West Virginia Lumbering & Railroads

Other West Virginia Railroads (1)  
The Greenbrier Railroad
Short video of Ely Thomas operations in 1964-65
Elk River Coal & Lumber Co. Log Line in 1958
Photos of the Cass Scenic Railroad
 
Historic Operations (1901-60)
Cass Railroad Operations (1)
Cass Railroad Operations (2)
Cass Railroad Operations (3)
Cass Railroad Operations (4)
The Town of Cass
The (former) Town of Spruce
Cass Shop (before the 1972 fire)
Cass Shop (after the fire)
Cass Lumber Mill

The Cass Railroad

From Big-time Railroad to Major Tourist Attraction

Much of the Association's focus is on the Cass Scenic Railroad State Park because of the Park's collection of geared locomotives and its link to the lumber and logging railroad industries.  The links below provide additional information about Cass.
A Brief History of Cass Operations
Cass in Two Nutshells
A History of the Town of Spruce
Shavers Fork River Mitigation Project
 The Cass Roster - Locomotives
The Cass Roster - Rolling Stock
Cass Track Guide
Comparison of Geared Locomotive Types
Click the photos for larger images & captions
Bringing Shay 3 thhrough Cass 3-locomotive "race" in Cass Night photo in Cass Start of a Cass train trip
Timely Information
 
Cass Railfan Weekend Information
Upcoming Climax Restoration Project Work Sessions
 
Future MSR&LHA Board meetings and other important dates:
(All Board meetings are open to any Association member)
May 16-19 2013 Cass Railfan Weekend (click here for more information))
June 8MSR&LHA Board Meeting at 7 PM in the Terry House in Cass
Links to related Web sites

For more information about the Association or its activities please e-mail info@msrlha.org.

Page last updated or validated on April 4, 2013