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West Virginia Central RailroadDurbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad |
Elkins, WV / Jul 2016 / RWH
The West Virginia Central Railroad was inaugurated on May 16th, 1998, during the annual Cass Scenic Railroad railfan weekend. This marked the end of several years of legal battles to save over 140 miles of abandoned CSX track stretching south through north central West Virginia, which CSX had been trying to abandon since the early 1990's when its coal traffic had dried up. Finally in 1997 the ICC allowed CSX to abandon its track below Elkins with the condition that the line's rail would be left down allowing the West Virginia State Rail Authority (WVSRA) to buy the abandoned portion between Elkins and Bergoo along with the still in service section between Elkins and Tygart Junction for six million dollars. However, instead of operating the new West Virginia Central line itself, the WVSRA sought an outside company to manage and operate the railroad. After receiving several bids, the WVSRA decided to award the job to the Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad, a shortline railroad company owned by John and Kathy Smith. Fortunately, the D&GV is not the average railroad, in the sense they know how to get things done - and get them done right.
Northern West Virginia's Railroads
Created in 1998, the West Virginia Central Railroad operates a series of former Western Maryland subdivisions in the north central region of its namesake mountain state. With shops and a storage yard in Belington, the primary line runs from Tygart Junction in the north southeast through Elkins and Bowden, then down to Cheat Bridge, Spruce and Laurel Bank at the south end of the system. Although there is commercial freight service for a few online shippers, the railroad's primary business is in operating a series of excursion trains under the name Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad using a fleet of first-generation EMD cowl and hood units. Rarest in the stable is an ex-Western Maryland BL2 branchline unit. The physical rail network is owned by the State of West Virginia but is operated by the West Virginia Central, and interchange is with CSX Transportation at Tygart Junction in the north end.
See also our Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad tourist scrapbook in Preservation
SPV Comprehensive Railroad Atlas / collection
Motive Power
Western Maryland #67
Belington WV / Jul 2011 / RWH
Western Maryland #67
to Seaboard System #118
to CSX Transportation #118
lettered Western Maryland, stenciled DGVR
Jul 2011 / RWH
Belington WV / Jul 2011 / RWH
Belington WV / Jul 2011 / RWH
Belington WV / Jul 2011 / RWH
Belington WV / Jul 2011 / RWH
Belington WV / Jul 2011 / RWH
Jul 2011 / RWH
Elkins, WV / Jul 2016 / RWH
Elkins, WV / Jul 2016 / RWH
Elkins, WV / Jul 2016 / RWH
Western Maryland #82
Belington, WV / Nov 2014 / Pat Miller
Western Maryland #82
to Western Maryland #7172
to South Branch Valley #7172
to Durbin & Greenbrier Valley #82
painted Western Maryland
Belington WV / Jul 2011 / RWH
Belington, WV / Jan 2016 / Ben Wells
Belington, WV / Jan 2016 / Ben Wells
Belington, WV / Jan 2016 / Ben Wells
Western Marland #243
Elkins, WV / Jul 2016 / RWH
Western Marland #243
to Montreal Urban Com Transport #1301
to Quebec Central #1301
to Durbin & Greenbrier Valley #243
painted Western Maryland, stenciled DGVR
Jul 2016 / RWH
Elkins, WV / Jul 2016 / RWH
Elkins, WV / Jul 2016 / RWH
Elkins, WV / Jul 2016 / RWH
Elkins, WV / Jul 2016 / RWH
Elkins, WV / Jul 2016 / RWH
Belington WV / Jul 2011 / RWH
Belington WV / Jul 2011 / RWH
Belington WV / Jul 2011 / RWH
Western Maryland #415
Belington WV / Jul 2011 / RWH
Western Maryland #415
to CSX Transportation #117
to Durbin & Greenbrier Valley #415
painted Western Maryland
Belington WV / Jul 2011 / RWH
Belington WV / Jul 2011 / RWH
Belington, WV / May 2016 / RWH
Belington, WV / May 2016 / RWH
Baltimore & Ohio #6641
Belington WV / Jul 2011 / RWH
Baltimore & Ohio #6641
to Southern Pacific #5893, 3422, 3010
to Durbin & Greenbriar Valley #6641
painted Baltimore & Ohio, stenciled DGVR
Jul 2011 / RWH
Belington WV / Jul 2011 / RWH
Belington WV / Jul 2011 / RWH
Chesapeake & Ohio #7094
Belington, WV / Jul 2016 / RWH
Chesapeake & Ohio #7094
to Durbin & Greenbrier Valley #7094
painted Chesapeake & Ohio
stenciled DGVR
Jul 2016 / RWH
Belington, WV / Jul 2016 / RWH
Belington, WV / Jul 2016 / RWH
Belington, WV / Jul 2016 / RWH
Belington, WV / Jul 2016 / RWH
Belington, WV / Jul 2016 / RWH
West Virginia Central #39 "Lil Bit"
Belington, WV / May 2016 / RWH
West Virginia Central #39
"Lil Bit"
to CI Steel, to Kanawha Central
to J. B. Harris #1939
to West Virginia Central #39
Belington, WV / May 2016 / RWH
Belington, WV / May 2016 / RWH
May 2016 / RWH
May 2016 / RWH
Belington, WV / May 2016 / RWH
Belington, WV / May 2016 / RWH
Storage Line
Durbin & Greenbrier Valley #6153
Belington, WV / May 2016 / RWH
Durbin & Greenbrier Valley #6153
to Durbin & Greenbrier Valley #6153
May 2016 / RWH
Belington, WV / May 2016 / RWH
Belington, WV / May 2016 / RWH
Belington, WV / May 2016 / RWH
Durbin & Greenbrier Valley #6532
Belington, WV / May 2016 / RWH
Durbin & Greenbrier Valley #6532
to Antrium Iron Company #33007
to Durbin & Greenbrier Valley #6532
May 2016 / RWH
Belington, WV / May 2016 / RWH
Middle Fork #11
Belington, WV / May 2016 / RWH
Middle Fork #11
to West Virginia Central
marked Middle Fork Railroad #11
Belington, WV / May 2016 / RWH
Belington, WV / May 2016 / RWH
Belington WV / Jul 2011 / RWH
Belington, WV / Jul 2011 / RWH
Belington, WV / May 2016 / RWH
West Virginia Central #92
Belington, WV / May 2016 / RWH
West Virginia Central #92
to Amtrak #210
to US Dept of Transportation #210
to Tennessee Valley Rwy Museum
to Baltimore & Ohio Rwy Museum
to Durbin & Greenbrier Valley
Belington, WV / May 2016 / RWH
Belington, WV / May 2016 / RWH
May 2016 / RWH
Belington, WV / May 2016 / RWH
Belington, WV / May 2016 / RWH
Belington, WV / May 2016 / RWH
Belington WV / Jul 2011 / RWH
Bentley Coal Company #207
Alco S2 / Belington WV / Jul 2011 / RWH
Western Maryland #303
Alco FA converted to cab car / Belington WV / Jul 2011 / RWH
Alco FA / Belington, WV / May 2016 / RWH
West Virginia Northern #19
Belington, WV / May 2016 / RWH
West Virginia Northern #19
to Preston Railroad
to West Virginia Northern #19
Belington, WV / May 2016 / RWH
Belington, WV / May 2016 / RWH
Belington, WV / May 2016 / RWH
Rolling Stock
See also our Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Tourist scrapbook for a roster of passenger equipment
West Virginia Central #6765
excursion power car / Belington WV / Jul 2011 / RWH
West Virginia Central #184
Belington, WV / May 2016 / RWH
Durbin & Greenbrier Valley #534
baggage car / Belington, WV / May 2016 / RWH
Belington, WV / May 2016 / RWH
West Virginia Central #201
coach / Belington, WV / May 2016 / RWH
observation car / Belington WV / Jul 2011 / RWH
coach / Belington WV / Jul 2011 / RWH
Baltimore & Ohio #C-3014
bay window caboose / Belington WV / Jul 2011 / RWH
Belington, WV / May 2016 / RWH
West Virginia Central #10104
work gondola / Belington WV / Jul 2011 / RWH
Durbin & Greenbrier Valley #357521
work gondola / Belington, WV / May 2016 / RWH
Western Maryland #71011
open hopper / Belington, WV / May 2016 / RWH
Western Maryland #71012
open hopper / Belington, WV / May 2016 / RWH
Locations
Belington WV / Jul 2011 / RWH
Belington WV / Jul 2011 / RWH
Click to see the Belington shop area plotted on a Google Maps page
Belington WV / Jul 2011 / RWH
Belington WV / Jul 2011 / RWH
West Virginia Central shops
Belington, WV / May 2016 / RWH
Belington, WV / May 2016 / RWH
Belington, WV / May 2016 / RWH
Jun 1011 / RWH
Belington, WV / Jul 2016 / RWH
Lagniappe
First Generation Fold
Belington WV / Jul 2011 / RWH
Fraternal Twins
Belington WV / Jul 2011 / RWH
New Tygart Flyer
Belington WV / Jul 2011 / RWH
Railroad Avenue
Belington WV / Jul 2011 / RWH
Wild Heart
Belington WV / Jul 2011 / RWH
Dismount Soon
Belington, WV / May 2016 / RWH
Western Maryland Movers
Belington WV / Jul 2011 / RWH
Blue Card
May 2016 / RWH
Tight Fit
May 2016 / RWH
Fast Freight
May 2016 / RWH
West Virginia Takeover
Belington, WV / Jul 2011 / RWH
Links / Sources
- Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad excursion information
- Northern West Virginia's Railroads West Virginia Central page
- Diesel Shop West Virginia Central roster
- American-Rails.com West Virginia Central page
- Wikipedia article for Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad