DGVR moving forward on Cass to Durbin rehabilitation

DURBIN, W.Va. — Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad crews continue making progress in reconnecting the former Chesapeake & Ohio Greenbrier River line between Cass and Durbin.

Track crews have spent much of the late spring and early summer months clearing the right-of-way, improving the roadbed, and installing crossties from near Milepost 88 at Hosterman south toward the north end of Trout Run near Milepost 86.3. Rail is in place and new crossties have allowed DGVR track crews to mobilize equipment to assist with additional track repairs closer to Trout Run.

A washout involving a small bridge at Trout Run is keeping the railroad from having full connectivity north from Cass. To date, DGVR crews have restored nearly 7 miles of track north from Cass to the south end of Trout Run.

North from the Trout Run washout, rail is in service more than 2 miles to another washout located slightly less than 1 mile north of Hosterman. Track crews are currently dividing their restoration efforts by working south from Hosterman toward Trout Run and north from Hosterman toward Hevener Station.

The Trout Run washout and the additional washout north of Hosterman are the only two major components remaining in this track project. As of July 2018, DGVR has less than 3 miles of track to restore before achieving full connectivity between Cass and Durbin.

Once the rail has been reconnected, DGVR crews will spend several months reinforcing the right-of-way and installing ballast rock and additional crossties. Several thousand ties have been deployed for installation north from Cass and south from Durbin.

While track crews continue examining the Trout Run washout and right-of-way improvements north from Hosterman, DGVR managers still predict a completion date sometime during the 2019 season.

“More than 400 new crossties are being installed on a weekly basis on average. This progress, combined with re-installing rail and grooming the right-of-way is helping to advance this project,” DGVR Marketing Manager Chase Gunnoe says. “Our focus remains on Trout Run and working north from Hosterman.”

DGVR managers will issue monthly updates on this project as crews continue making progress on this historic project.