The Cheat Mountain Salamander

One of the most unique rail excursions in the world is the Cheat Mountain Salamander, which is headquartered on lofty Cheat Mountain at Cheat Bridge, West Virginia - 30 miles south of Elkins, WV. A couple of years ago we traveled aboard this unique replica of a 1922 Edwards Railway Motor Car, which was built new in 2000 for this rugged mountain service on the West Virginia Central Railroad. The Salamander never leaves its wilderness home even though it covers nearly 80 miles on its two routes.

Named in honor of the endangered species that lives exclusively along its route, the Cheat Mountain Salamander takes you through the most beautiful WV mountain wilderness. Wildlife is frequently seen during the course of the excursions, which include black bears, turkeys, bald eagles and whitetail deer.

That day we opted for the three-hour northerly trip that took us 22 miles down the Shavers Fork River valley from Cheat Bridge. We passed through remote forested areas in the Monongahela National Forest and saw numerous rock walls, including the imposing "Coal Rock”. During this trip we traveled around the two sharpest mainline RR curves still in active use in the United States. The excursion stops at the beautiful "High Falls of Cheat" at an elevation 3,000 feet.