MSR&LHA Home Page

Association Activities
Click the links below to get more information about the Association and its activities

MSR&LHA Membership
Cass At 50 (A pictorial history of the Cass Railroad)
Color photos of the Elk River Coal & Lumber Co. Log Line (Supplement to Issue #112 of The Log Train)
Climax Locomotive Restoration Project
The Company Store
The Log Train

Frequently Asked Questions
Past Association Projects
The Greenacre Photo Award
Historic Interpreter Jobs in Cass
Contact Information
Administrative Documents

Delayed Delivery of the Latest Log Train Issue

The latest issue of MSR&LHA’s journal, The Log Train, was mailed on December 4. Unfortunately, the three sacks of issues are sitting somewhere in the postal system and the Post Office has no idea where they are or when they will be processed.

The Association's Board has decided to make the digital version of this issue available for download. Just click here to download the 3.2 Mbyte PDF file. Anyone can download this issue; you don't need to be an Association member.

Please note that while several images shown in this digital file are presented in color, the printed version of this issue is in the traditional black and white.

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: This file has been printed as issue #132 of The Log Train. The issue is 44 full color pages and includes additional material and paintings done by Richard. The cost is $6.00 per copy. See the Company Store page to order a copy.

Oral Interviews with Artie Barkley

Artie Barkley was a fixture in the railroad operation in Cass from 1965 until his retirement in 2007. He was a locomotive engineer, rose to be the Shop Foreman, and often served as the public face of the railroad. In December 2016 MSR&LHA President Rob Hilburn and Log Train Editor Matt Wilson sat down with Artie and recorded several hours of reminiscences. A small portion of the interview was published in issue #126 of The Log Train, but the actual interview tapes are being posted on Youtube. Click here to see an index to the interview segments on YouTube.

The Climax Locomotive Restoration Project

The Association's involvement in the project to restore the Cass Scenic Railroad State Park's Climax steam locomotive ended in December, 2015. The new operator responsible for the Park's railroad operation and maintenance, the Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad, informed the Association that its assistance in the project was no longer needed. The Association began the massive restoration project in 2002 and it was estimated to be approximately 80% complete. It is anticipated that the remaining work on the locomotive will be completed by DGVR personnel.

John Smith, DGVR President, made the following statement about the transition:
"The Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad will be finishing the remaining work on Climax No. 1551 in order to ensure a safe and efficient restoration. The project, started by the Mountain State Railroad & Logging Historical Association is nearly 80 percent complete. As the project moves forward [at DGVR], the locomotive will be able to be built into the railroad's maintenance schedule and will be assembled at the Cass Shops using overhead cranes and qualified DGVR personnel. This process will allow the railroad to finish the remaining tasks needed to bring the locomotive to operating condition."

September 2019 Update: The Climax had its inaugural run during a DGVR railfan event on September 7, 2019. Some work remains to be done, but the locomotive was able to pull two loaded log cars on the recently rebuilt line along the Greenbrier River north of Cass. Click here to see a YouTube video of the restored locomotive in action.

There are two Facebook pages devoted to the Association and the Cass Scenic Railroad:

The Association's Facebook page contains more timely information than this Web page. Click here to go to the page.

The Casshews 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

Donations

Donations to support the Association's activities and in the Cass Scenic Railroad State Park are welcome. MSR&LHA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization so all donations are tax deducible to the full extent of the law. The "donate" button below will take you to the secure PayPal site where you can make your donation from your PayPal account or with a credit card. All donations will be acknowledged.

Other Related Information

John A. Taubeneck has created an extensive list of Barnhart Log Loaders. These small 360-degree swing cranes were built by the Marion Steam Shovel Company of Marion, Ohio, and were used in logging operations throughout the country. The list can be downloaded as a 145KB PDF file here. Mr. Taubeneck is very interested in any additions or corrections to the list. His contact information is in the file.

Timely Association Information

Future MSR&LHA Board meetings and other important dates:
All Association members are welcome to attend any Board meeting or the Annual Meeting. If you need overnight accommodations at a meeting you need to make arrangements in advance by sending your request to info@msrlha.org.

April 4, 2020

MSR&LHA Board Meeting at 7 PM in the Terry House in the Cass Scenic Railroad State Park. Meeting postponed indefinitely due to coronavirus. No new meeting data has been set.

Links to relate d Web sites

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

Page last updated or validated on January 17, 2021

A Brief History of Cass Operations Cass in Two Nutshells A History of the Town of Spruce		The Cass Roster - Locomotives The Cass Roster - Rolling Stock Cass Track Guide Comparison of Geared Locomotive Types
Click the photos for larger images & captions