Cass Scenic Railroad State Park Overview & History

Park Overview

Take a trip back to an era when steam-driven locomotives were an essential part of everyday life. Trips to Cass Scenic Railroad State Park are filled with rich history, unparalleled views and the sights and sounds of an original lumbering town. The park’s 11-mile long heritage railroad and authentic company town are some of the state’s most popular tourist attractions. The Company Store, which houses a gift shop and also Shays Restaurant and Soda Fountain, is open with hours posted under “dining” below. The park also features an artisans co-op and the Cass Historical Theater and Historical Museum, one of America’s only authentic lumber railroading museums. The visitors center is open Wednesday to Sunday from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. in the summer season. Winter hours at Cass run November 1 to March 31. During winter hours, the Company Store is open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. The Company Store is closed on Christmas Day.

Park History

The town of Cass remains relatively unchanged since its founding in 1901 by the West Virginia Pulp and Paper Company. Cass was built as a company town for the loggers who worked in the nearby mountains. Construction of the railroad started in 1901. It was used to haul lumber to the mill at Cass. The railroad track was eventually extended to the top of Bald Knob, the third highest mountain peak in West Virginia. In June 1942, the Cass operation was sold to Mower Lumber Company, which operated the town until July 1960, when the mill and railroad were shut down due to rapid decline of the timber industry in the region. In 1961, Cass was brought into the state parks system. In 1977, the company town also was made part of the parks system. Over the years, the railroad was turned into a tourist line and the town was repaired and restored. Today, the railroad is still in full operation, and is managed by the Durbin Greenbrier Valley Railroad.