West Virginia News

West Virginia
NEWS

THE FAMOUS NEW RIVER TRAINS ROLL AGAIN THIS OCTOBER FROM HUNTINGTON, WV

Four 300-mile, New River passenger trains will travel through the autumn foliage on October 18-9 and October 25-26. Operated by the Collis P. Huntington Railroad Historical Society in cooperation with Amtrak and CSX, the trains will originate in Huntington, WV.

The trains will consist of new Amtrak locomotives and a mixture of late model bi-level superliner coaches, Amtrak-approved lounges, dome/coach diner and an open platform private car, the North Star.

These four, one-day round trips are sponsored by the Railroad Historical Society, a non-profit educational and charitable organization. Passengers on the New River trains will traverse the entire 65-mile-long New River Gorge where the sole vestige of civilization are the old C&O railway track, the New River Bridge and the white-water rafters on the river.

The trains depart Huntington’s old C&O depot, on 7th Avenue and 9th Street, daily at 8 a.m The depot now serves as the CSX office building complex. To pick up passengers, the train will stop in St. Alban’s at the old depot and Montgomery, WV at the Amtrak stop. It will then proceed to Thurmond where it will make an hour stop at the restored historic depot and National Park Service Visitors Center. It then goes to Hinton, arriving about 1 p.m.

At Hinton the train makes a three-hour layover, allowing riders to visit an arts and crafts street fair. From there the train returns via Montgomery and St. Alban’s, finally arriving in Huntington about 7:30 in the evening.

Don Maxwell, executive and trip director, commented that in view of steadily rising costs, the special trains are a real gift to the public. "Rider support and patronage is essential in order to preserve this annual event," he says.

A variety of fares are available including coach, deluxe and premium plus private car travel in the North Star observation car.

For fares and availability, including group discounts, contact The Collis P. Huntington Railroad Historical Society, 1429 Chestnut St., 2nd fl., Kenova, WV 25530-1235, phone (304) 453-1641.