Is this a true threat to Cass Scenic Railroad....?

thewvnetwork · **Joined:** Sat Jan 04, 2014 6:57 pm **Posts:** 16

Mark Jordan wrote:

I am semi-active in the MSRR&LA. I'm not a regular member, but do maintain a working relationship with their leadership regarding the Climax restoration project. What PaulWWoodring says is correct. It is a "Friends of" organization, and is focused on restoration projects and managing the "Railfan Weekend". It is not a political organization, and has no "dog in the fight".

I also feel that the MSRR&LA needs to maintain it's distance from the mudslinging.

Oh don't worry Mark. I've been told not to say anything else to help the better understanding of this topic. I had presented my opinion as my opinion alone (perhaps reading the entire statement I made would have revealed that to everyone who misunderstood it...NPR did a nice April Fools Joke that you should check out.). I will no longer read nor contribute to this thread. A press release was made today regarding the facts behind this topic in a state newspaper, but I'll just let everyone find it for themselves since I'm not supposed to talk about it anymore.

Thanks!

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Tue Apr 22, 2014 3:35 pm

I always joke about the Cass area being so remote that the mail gets delivered by donkey cart and the sunshine gets piped in.

It took almost a week for this item from the Pocahontas Times, the closest newspaper that I can think of to Cass and thus in the best position by far to report on this scenario, to reach me, via browsing at TrainOrders.com where it was just posted:

http://pocahontastimes.com/future-of-ca ... ial-media/

In short:
Their speculation is that the operation might be transferred to the West Va. Rail Authority, which also runs the South Branch Valley RR upon which the Potomac Eagle tourist railroad operates. In other words, transferred from one state agency to another.

And John Smith, earlier cited as a candidate for assumption of operations, denies he is working to that goal (edited excerpt follows):

Quote:

“There’s no bids let out,” Smith said Tuesday morning. “The only thing we’ve discussed with anybody is working on this project [the train loop], and we are just talking about how that’s going to interface with Cass and up at old Spruce when our train comes down the valley and meets the Cass train. Beyond that, there’s no other decision.”
In response to the speculation on social media, Smith said people are following their emotions and not using logic.
“I read some of those things,” he said. “No one is thinking here. They are just going on wild emotion. The people in charge are trying to make the best decision for everybody. If you think about it, even if the DNR was going to do all this stuff, [who's] going to run those trains except the people that work there. I think they’ve got themselves worked up about nothing.”
One of the main concerns regarding the future of Cass is what would happen if it lost its state park status. Again, Smith said it isn’t as cut and dried as some may think.
“First of all, they’ll never do that,” he said. “It would have to have a vote of Congress to do that. The second thing is, even if that was the case and the Rail Authority was the operator, it would still be the Cass Scenic Railroad State Park and it would still be the people who are there running the train, etcetera. The state Rail Authority runs a railroad itself, and they seem to do quite well with it.”

I hate to say this, but all in all, this article sure makes the original Facebook "Save Cass!"group look over-reactionary and rumor-mongering, even if their hearts were in the right place..

Is this a true threat to Cass Scenic Railroad....?

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