Name: Cass Scenic Railroad State Park
Address: 242 Main St, Cass, WV 24927, USA, Cass, Cass, Cass, WV 24927, United States of America
Rating: 9

Location

Elkins Airport

Cass Scenic Railroad State Park

Going to Cass was a homecoming for me. 
My Grandfather, 3 of his sons, (my uncles) and my father worked at the Cass shop on Shay engines needing repairs.
The largest “Company” house on Front Street was where they all lived. I’m now 80 years old and will never forget Cass.

When I was a kid back in the 40's - 50's Cass was a booming lumber
mill. Town folk numbered around 1,000 and all was friendly. My Grandfather
lived and worked there. The lumber source died out after 60 or so years
and the town lost a lot of people.
Now it's a State Park. The trains have been restored and are worth a close
visit. The State has also renovated several of the old "company houses"
including my Grandfather's over on front street. You can rent these houses
and they are very well kept up. For me, the visit with my family was very
memorable. By all means, GO and enjoy

Cass is one of my favorite places to travel. The first time I was there was in 1969 with my parents. Riding the train to Bald Knob or Whitaker Station is worth your time. There is also great hiking, fishing or just  hanging around the town.

We spent two nights in a Company house which is a restored company house for employees when the railroad was a working entity.  For a cabin we very pleasantly surprised when we arrived and discovered that it was much nicer and we had expected a cabin to have been.  Comfortable beds, adequate and updated bathroom and kitchen.  A very enjoyable stay.  We did use the car at all during our stay which was very good.

We stayed in 121 Front Street, not one of the 2-story company houses. The photos on the state website are accurate except they do not show the large bathroom that contains only a vanity, shower stall and toilet. You could store any outdoor equipment in there, I guess.

Kitchen well stocked but bring all your own paper towels, plastic wrap, food, etc. There was bar soap and they gave us coffee and instant hot chocolate at checkin plus vouchers for Green Bank tour. TV and wifi fine. Heat fine. Bar with stools for dining. Downstairs bed firm. Flat pillows. Small/tight spiral staircase to loft bedding with light switch at far end of space, not at stair top. Not suitable for very small children. Ceiling fan in open area probably helps with circulation to up there, but we did not use that space.

I think there is an employee unit underneath. Heard some outside noise at bedtime and someone taking a shower early a.m., but nothing else.

Quiet and dark.

Signed up for email and received a discount on booking.

The Cass Railroad train was amazing. The staff was professional and friendly. The scenery was amazing. The train ride is good for all ages. I highly recommend this excursion. A hobo lunch os included in the ticket. The area gives everyone a sense of historical experience 9f days gone by.

To say I fell in love with Cass would be a huge understatement.  We were there for the Parade of Steam, if you love trains, you MUST attend this.

Five old steam locomotives, smoke pouring out, whistles blowing, all happening in the little hollow that is Cass, WV.

The Parade was tremendous!  The gift shop, one of the best.  Sadly we did not have time to eat at the restaurant but my son did a week later and said the Philly Cheese Steak and Apple Pie were delicious.

Did you know you can rent one of the company houses?  Yes, that is on my "to do" list next time I am in the area.

LOVE this place!

We rode the Cass scenic RR a few years ago and always said we would like to return to spend more time in the area and rent one of the company houses. We were happy to see that the RR began running a scaled back schedule in July due to the COVID pandemic so we booked a trip to Bald Head and a night at a company house. The company house was great and spotless. It was modernized with the basics necessities which included ice cold whole house AC amid a heat wave, strong wireless internet and cable TV. From what we leaned the AC is a new amenity. The kitchen was stocked with the basics (I.e plates, glasses, silverware, coffee maker, pots and pans and had a charcoal grill outside. We spent most of the evening outside at our picnic table. We couldn’t get over how quiet the area was in the evening. It was a great way to end our trip back in time after a trip to the scenic Bald Knob. 

Some perspective on my review:
we managed to go on the hottest weekend ever! We were a little worried about how houses with no A/C would work. We brought fans but still! Thankfully one group was in a house by the river with lots of ceiling fans. The other group was higher up but we had one window AC unit that helped out a lot. I would recommend bringing fans if it will be hot when you are visiting. They had two box fans in closets in our house that we also used. If you need ice the soda shop ( in company store) has some for sale as does the place across the Greenbrier River. The houses had dish soap, towels and linens provided. We brought our own hand soap, shampoo and conditioner, etc. We packed a cooler before we headed to Cass because we realized looking at the map that there are not any close grocery stores. The Restaurant could have been perfect for all meals if we hadn’t packed so much food. 

Activities: kids enjoyed the playground. We walked down the Greenbrier Trail about .4 miles ( from where it starts in town) to a small bridge and went down to the river there. You could stay on 66 heading to Snowshoe and park at the trailhead and access river that way too. The Ranger was the best resource for our group. Highly recommend checking out what activities are going on during your visit. Some of our group heard the storyteller on Friday night and loved that. We heard only a bit of the porch music Saturday night but what we heard we enjoyed. Moth night with the Ranger  at the Community Center ( old church) on Saturday was hands on and the historical walk on Sunday gave us an opportunity to ask Ranger questions and understand more about Cass’ history ( check out the free film and museum too all located at Company Store building). We did the 4 1/2 hour train ride on Saturday. Train was sold out. Recommend getting to train at least 30 mins before departure to get a seat. We were at the car right by the engine. Up close to the action ( and soot and whistle). Recommend planning on getting some soot on you and bring earplugs. There was historical information discussed throughout ride but honestly we couldn’t hear much where we were sitting. Beautiful scenery! The hobo lunch ( make your own turkey and cheese sandwich, 2 cookies, pasta salad, bag of chips, apple sauce ) was plenty of food. Once to the top there isn’t a lot of time so we checked out overlook then got back on train. Whittaker Station stop on way down was short too so you need to plan what you want to do ( ex. buy snacks, walk to bathrooms, fire tower). Being in the car closest to engine meant we were last to get off train so that is a loss of time.  

Everyone we encountered was friendly and we greatly enjoyed our time in Cass. Remember no cell service for quite some time before you approach the park. There is WiFi at the houses, Company Store and Whittaker Station. Lots of signs once we got off 64 for Cass. 

One recommendation would be to have a land line in the rental houses or somewhere people could access emergency services. Many in our group couldn’t use their phones for WiFi calls other than FaceTime audio. It wasn’t a problem for us but in an emergency could be an issue for someone else. 

The train ride is so much fun  and the provided lunch is very nice.  At the top the overlook is spectacular.  I went in the fall and the colors were breathtaking.   Cost was so reasonable and there are museums etc to look at when in the town. Stayed in a company house.  Big complaint is that the house was infested with stink bugs and as we checked in in the evening no one was available to help us.  We swept the best we could but they were under the covers.. On the sheets.  Very disgusting.  And when we told the desk upon checkout, they did not even mention a reimbursement or apologize.  All in all I had fun but the house was very unpleasant.

Cass

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By all means, GO and enjoy.

The cabins are very nice and better than I expected

Overnight stay 121 Front Street

We visited Cass for the weekend, rode the train to Whittaker Station (the longer ride was booked) and stayed overnight. We really enjoyed the beautiful mountains and the cool, fall weather. The employees were helpful and friendly. The train ride was enjoyable, and the highlight of the day was the movie about the history of Cass and an explanation of a diorama of the original town by an older employee who obviously had thoroughly researched the subject and was passionate about it. In fact, we could have listened to him for hours and he really made the place come alive for us. As we were staying in the park (the cottage with the loft—not one of the original company houses) we walked around that evening and could get a sense of what life must have been like for the people who had lived there. We hope the park will eventually have the funds to restore the doctor’s house, Luke House and the rest of the company houses as they are definitely worth saving! The accommodations were nice—very cute and a bit rustic, but with a/c, WiFi and generally all the comforts of home. The cottage was right on the river with a wrap-around deck where we sat and listened to the river and watched deer come out of the woods to graze. The little town is beautifully quiet and peaceful in the evenings after the trains are done for the day. Another highlight is the Greenbrier River Trail, a short walking path which ran right in front of our cottage and is a lovely spot for a quiet morning or evening walk. 
A few cons: It was pretty surprising that hardly any employees or guests wore masks, even inside the store and restaurant. Particularly unnerving was the train ride where a young child, unmasked and coughing incessantly, roamed about the car. No social distancing was attempted on the train, not even in the car with two long benches where people were jammed, end-to-end. I wouldn’t recommend Cass for anyone right now who is unvaccinated or immune compromised as they aren’t taking even the most basic COVID precautions and it’s just not safe. 
The restaurant is so-so, but we didn’t expect gourmet. Just be prepared for basic, country-style food and bring your own if you want fresh fruit or vegetables. We did get a good panini with fresh tomato and could purchase juice at the restaurant across the river (not part of the park). The ice cream and milkshakes at the company store are great and a real bargain, though.
There is no cell service, but you can access WiFi in the store and cabins. I could not call out on my phone, and did wonder what would happen if an overnight guest experienced an emergency. There was no after-hours contact information provided and the store closes at 8. In fact, we realized we needed an item and went to the store about 7:30, but the store employee couldn’t help us (she was very apologetic) and no one else was there to assist overnight guests. I don’t think I’ve ever encountered this at a state park before, but apparently guests are “on their own” in this pretty isolated location once the office closes, so be prepared.
In summary: If you’re looking for a peaceful place to visit with loads of history and simple, clean accommodations, you’ll enjoy Cass. Make sure you book your train tickets well in advance!

Take a Trip Back In Time

I Can't Say Enough!

We took the 5hr trip up to bald knob and it was spectacular.  The antique steam engines were so much fun to watch and the ride was relaxing.  It is a long ride with a handful of great views along the way. Once you get to the top the view is amazing.  Be sure to bring a couple things!  First, some sort of seat cushion or pad because the seats in the train are just wood.  Second, some sort of ear plugs.  On the ride down the passenger cars keep their brakes applied to help maintain the speed.  This creates a horrible shrill that at times is almost unbearable.  I would certainly do it again!!

Excellent train ride

Relaxing weekend amid COVID

Our group had two houses for a long weekend.

We'd been on scenic railroads before, but this one is one of the best.  It was nearly a 5 hour trek from the historic Cass Depot to the summit at Bald Knob and back.  Periodically narrated with very interesting information about the train and the surroundings, we thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience.  Make sure you view the 20 minute film, see the miniature Cass village display, and peruse the General Store.   Temps are about 20 degrees difference between the depot and the summit so dress accordingly in the open passenger cars.  

Cass Scenic Railroad State Park

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