West Virginia's Best-Kept Railroad Secret - Locust Heights & Western #1

jordon412

33 Year Old Railfan

Quoting the description of the video:
"America's most unique steam locomotive operates largely unnoticed by the railfan world at the small Locust Heights & Western Railroad in Clarksburg, West Virginia. Home-built by Keith Mason in 1974, the LH&W number 1 is a replica of an early Class A Climax from the 1890s and to my knowledge is the only currently operating vertical boiler locomotive in North America. For over 40 years it has been delighting the public with rides from the backyards of the Locust Heights neighborhood into the West Virginia woods. With three quarters of a mile of hand-laid track, link and pin couplers, and grades over 4 percent the LH&W really captures the feel of an early logging railroad. The railroad is open to the public every Wednesday evening in the summer and fall, and rides are completely free of charge. For the past three years, local rail photographers Matt Wilson and Walter Scriptunas II have been organizing an annual photo charter as a fundraiser to help keep the Climax in operation. This year the event was held just before the peak of fall colors and featured four excursions from noon to night with the Climax on both the uphill and downhill ends of the train, as well as runbys with the LH&W's Vulcan gasoline engine. The volunteers wore period costumes and a vintage truck was even brought in to enhance the scene. Participants were also treated to a fantastic barbecue dinner. Everyone involved really outdid themselves putting on a great event, and I greatly look forward to my next visit to this hidden gem.

Huge thanks to the Mason family, the LH&W's volunteer crew, and the charter organizers for a great day on a great little railroad."
 
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