State Rail Authority takes over Cass trains (Part 2) The Secretary said the change resulted from financial losses at the Cass state park. “We are subsidizing that railroad to the tune of about a million and a half dollars a year, give or take, and that’s a very tough number to sustain,” he said. “It’s one of the most heavily subsidized parks that we have. This arrangement will allow us to focus our resources on the town of Cass and all the other amenities of the state park. The Rail Authority and its vendor will focus its resources on the maintenance of the tracks, the maintenance of the trains, and the operation of the trains. We think it’s a combination that will create long-term sustainability and we’ve been concerned about that for quite some time.” Burdette said it was logical to transfer Cass railroad operations to train experts. “It’s a common sense solution to a complicated problem,” he said. “This is the only train that the Division of Natural Resources runs, but it will be one of three trains that the State Rail Authority runs. It’s a smart partnership. We think the experience for our guests, which is really our central focus, will be strengthened by this plan.” DGVR, owned by Elkins entrepreneur John Smith, is ready to get to work. “We’ve been discussing this for every bit of six months now, trying to work out a plan and the details,” said Burdette. “The folks at Durbin and Greenbrier, John Smith and company, want to do some maintenance work on the tracks during the off-season and we want to maximize their opportunity to do that.” No large amounts of money are changing hands under the agreements. “We’re not paying them; they’re not paying us,” said Burdette. “We want them to spend their resources on the maintenance of the track. The Rail Authority may ask for a nominal contract fee. But the goal here, which I want to re-emphasize, is to save the railroad and perpetuate it. Right now, it’s consuming large subsidies. We want the folks from the Rail Authority and the Durbin and Greenbrier to keep their resources and apply it back to the maintenance of the track and the trains, which they are committed to do.” Burdette said Smith plans major improvements and a longer train season. “They’re looking at certifications that are higher than the ones currently in place on the rail,” he said. “They’re ultimately looking at a loop system that’s bigger than the one we have in place. But I’ll leave their bigger plans to them to discuss. They’ve already indicated that next year, they’d like to extend the season farther toward Christmas. So, they have some really great plans that fit in with our goals for the park. They’ll be able to focus all their resources and their knowledge, which is very good, on the trains, and we’ll be able to focus on what we know and that’s how to operate the park.” Two years ago, Smith proposed construction of a 90-mile rail loop, using existing rail grades, to connect Elkins, Durbin, Cass, Tygart Junction and Belington. The train entrpreneur estimated the project would cost $24 million, but boost the regional economy by $50 million every year. Due to his success with the DGVR tourist railroad and the economic boost it gave to downtown Elkins, Smith’s proposal has found support in the Legislature. Burdette is confident that Smith can bring the same economic boost – that he brought to Elkins – to Cass. “We believe this solves the problem for the foreseeable future,” he said. “The folks that run Durbin and Greenbrier have a great track record. They’ve been able to accomplish a lot of great things in Elkins. We have a high confidence level. Their priorities certainly match ours. They want us to focus on the park end because they’d like to extend the season. They’d like to create some new experiences at Cass.” Burdette will be visiting Cass on October 28 for an afternoon train ride. “I decided about six months ago, after three or four years as Secretary, that one thing I hadn’t done was visit all of our state parks,” he said. “I’ve started that process. I’ve been to 28 state parks out of 36, I believe. In fact, I’m going to Cass next week.” The Secretary is confident the Cass change-over is the right move. “Personally, I’m excited about this,” he said. “I think it’s going to be a great day for Cass Railroad when this all comes together.” Cass Scenic Railroad State Park features the world’s largest fleet of operational geared steam locomotives, including six Shays, a Heisler, and a Climax locomotive. Another rare Climax locomotive is being rebuilt by the park’s foundation of record, the Mountain State Rail and Logging Historical Association. See cassrailroad for more information. Geoff Hamill - Geoff Hamill can be contacted at gshamill@pocahontastimes
Posted on: Sun, 26 Oct 2014 18:53:39 +0000
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