The Cass Railroad, West Virginia

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Shay locomotives of the Cass Railroad in the mountains of West Virginia.

The Cass Railroad of West Virginia is an old logging railroad that now provides passenger excursions for fans of steam locomotives. The featured engines are Shay geared locomotives, which are designed to haul heavy loads up grades in excess of eight percent. (My understanding is that a two percent grade is a tough grade for an ordinary locomotive.) The Shays have an unusual design, with an off-set boiler and vertical cylinders. An extraordinary gearing system provides the engines with tremendous power, though they move at a snail's pace as they climb the mountainsides. (More to come....)

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