Railroads
Freight Railroads
The West Virginia rail system is comprised of 2 Class I railroads and 11 short line or regional railroads. The system contains 2,401 route miles of track. CSX Transportation is West Virginia's largest carrier with 1,113 route miles of track. Norfolk Southern is next in size with 801 route miles of track. Short lines and Regional roads make up the remaining 487 route miles of track.
Class I Railroads
- CSX Transportation (CSXT)
- Norfolk Southern
Regional and Short Line Railroads
- Appalachian & Ohio Railroad
- Beech Mountain Railroad
- Kanawha River Railroad
- Little Kanawha River Rail
- RJ Corman Railroad Company / West Virginia Line
- South Branch Valley Railroad
- Vaughan Railroad Company
- West Virginia Central Railroad
- Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad
- Winchester & Western Railroad
- Winifrede Railroad Company
Passenger Service
Intercity Service (Amtrak)
Amtrak operates two primary routes through West Virginia, offering travel to major cities across the eastern and midwestern United States.
- Amtrak's"Capitol Limited" operates daily between Washington, DC And Chicago. It passes through West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle with stops in Harpers Ferry and Martinsburg.
- Amtrak's "Cardinal" operates three days a week between Washington, DC and Chicago. It passes throughout the southern part of the state with stops at White Sulphur Springs, Alderson, Hinton, Prince, Thurmond, Montgomery, Charleston and Huntington.
Commuter Service (MARC)
The Maryland Rail Commuter (MARC) train service operates Monday through Friday between Martinsburg, WV and Washington, DC. The West Virginia State Rail Authority maintains stations at Harpers Ferry and Duffields.
South Branch Valley Railroad
The South Branch Valley Railroad (SBVR) is owned and operated by the West Virginia State Rail Authority. The line provides freight and passenger service to the state's eastern panhandle. It had formerly operated as the South Branch line of the Chessie System's Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (now CSXT). When Chessie turned over the rail line to the state on October 11, 1978, West Virginia became the first state in the nation to both own and operate a commercial freight railroad.
General Description and Route
The South Branch Valley Railroad comprises a 52.4-mile route from Petersburg to Green Spring where it links to the CSXT mainline connecting Cumberland, MD to Martinsburg, WV. The SBVR generally parallels the South Branch of the Potomac River-from which the railroad takes it name. Crossing Hampshire, Hardy and Grant counties, the SBVR serve the towns of Romney, Moorefield and Petersburg. Primary categories of freight include grain, lumber, polymers and aggregates. The railroad is headquartered in Moorefield, WV. State employees perform maintenance and freight operations. A private operator under contract with the state runs the excursion train.
Freight Operations
Freight service operates five days a week, Monday through Friday, with special and unit train operations on weekends as needed. The SBVR provides service to the Grant County Industrial Park, Petersburg; Moorefield Industrial Park; and Hampshire County Industrial Park, Romney. The SBVR's largest customer is Pilgrim's Pride in Moorefield. Pilgrim's feed mill receives corn and other commodities used in the manufacture of its poultry feed. Three customers are located in Petersburg. Greer Lime ships outbound loads of lime to power stations and steel mills. Allegheny Wood Products ships finished lumber. Adell Polymers receives load of plastic pellets. Total carloadings average between 3,800 and 4,000 per year.
Excursion Trains: The Potomac Eagle
The Potomac Eagle excursion train runs on weekends during the summer and daily for the autumn-color season. Traveling out of Romney and through a scenic section of the South Branch Valley known as "The Trough," the excursion train takes it name from the American bald eagles that are commonly sighted around the river by train passengers.
Economic Impact
By saving the South Branch Valley Railroad from abandonment in 1978 and rebuilding it following the flood of 1985, the State Rail Authority not only protected existing industry - and the estimated 1,200 jobs that relied on railroad service in the region - but also made possible its growth. Without the railroad, it is extremely doubtful that the more than 1,100 new jobs created by the region's poultry industry during the past several years would have ever occurred.
Tourist Trains
West Virginia offers numerous historic and scenic tourist trains throughout the state. Whether you are seeking a rugged wilderness adventure or a relaxing sightseeing trip with the family, these heritage excursion lines provide a unique look at the Mountain State's rich rail history and breathtaking mountain landscapes.
Featured Passenger and Heritage Excursions
- Cass Scenic Railroad - Famous for its historic, steam-driven Shay locomotives that climb the rugged backcountry ridges of Pocahontas County.
- Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad - Offering a wide variety of mountain rail excursions, including diesel-powered sightseeing trips and vintage steam train rides along remote mountain rivers.
- Autumn Colors Express - A premier seasonal excursion that takes passengers through the spectacular fall foliage of the legendary New River Gorge.
- Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad - Based in Romney, this line offers scenic tours along the South Branch of the Potomac River, heavily renowned for wild bald eagle sightings.
- West Virginia Central Railroad - Passenger excursions operating vintage diesel locomotives through the high mountains and wilderness areas of the Monongahela National Forest.
- Rail Explorers - Famous for its effortless, pedal-assist railbikes that glide along the historic tracks and lush waterways of Clay County.
WV Central Railroad
The West Virginia Central Railroad (WVCR) is located near the center of the state and passes through Barbour, Randolph, Pocahontas and Webster counties. It was purchased from CSX Transportation on September 26, 1997. The railroad is comprised of the former CSXT Belington, Tygart and Laurel Subdivisions and Dailey Branch. It has a total of 132.13 route miles. The WVCR connects with the Appalachian & Ohio Railroad at Tygart Junction. A private company under contract with the state operates the WVCR. The Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad (DGVR) performs all marketing, trains service and routine maintenance on the line. The state restores out-of-service sections to operation and performs long-term maintenance programs. The DGVR provides both freight and excursion services on the line.
