The final issue of The Log Train has been produced . . .
We no longer have an Editor for The Log Train. The one candidate who expressed an interest was unable to complete an issue and no other candidates are in the wings. Plus, with the demise of researchers like Phil Bagdon, Max Robin, Richard Sparks, and others, the amount of Log Train material has dropped significantly in recent years. The Association has been a very productive operation since it was incorporated in 1982, but it has been essentially on life support since the railroad operation at Cass was privatized in 2015. We have still supported the Cass Scenic Railroad State Park in a number of ways, primarily with funding for interpretative projects, but most of our members are really railfans first and interest in the town of Cass is secondary. The MSR&LHA Board feels that the Association has run its course and its membership is being asked to approve its dissolution. The good news is that there is a group of folks living in and around Cass who are very interested in supporting the town and its history. The group is currently operating as the Association’s “Friends of Cass” Committee. They have run the incredibly successful “Cass Days” for the last two years and have worked with the Park to do a number of other projects that help increase Park visitation. These include Halloween activities, improving holiday lighting, and other projects. Unlike much of the Association’s leadership, the FOC folks are relatively young and enthusiastic. The Friends of Cass folks are in the process of forming a separate nonprofit corporation with two missions. One will be to serve as the Foundation of Record supporting the Cass Scenic Railroad State Park. The second will be to continue MSR&LHA’s mission of preserving West Virginia’s logging and railroad history. That includes all of West Virginia, not just Cass. The Association’s assets will be transferred to the new nonprofit Friends of Cass as soon as they receive their 501(c)(3) nonprofit designation from the IRS. Current Association members are receiving the last Log Train issue and information about obtaining a refund for any unreceived future issues. November 22, 2023
December 1, 2023: Trains magazine has an excellent article about the Association's dissolution on the News Wire page on their website. Click here to read the article.
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The Casshews Facebook page is an informal site that is devoted to the Cass Scenic Railroad. Click here to go to the page. Click the photos for larger images & captions |
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The
Cass Roster - Locomotives The Cass Roster - Rolling Stock Cass Track Guide Comparison of Geared Locomotive Types |
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The
Making of a Cass Insider
Richard Sparks, one of the Association's founders, Editor of The Log Train from 1992 through
2013,
and an expert on the history of Cass and the Association, has written a
history of his involvement with the Association and Cass. Complete with
many color photos, The Making of a Cass Insider
gives Richard's view of
the evolution of the Association and its many accomplishments over the
years. Click here
to download the 12 Mbyte PDF file. Note: The printed version of this publication is no longer available |
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Click the photos for larger images & captions | |||