Passenger Trains > Virginia Scenic Railway Inaugural Runs, 8/4/22

Last Thursday I had the opportunity to ride the Virginia Scenic Railway's first day of revenue operation. Virginia Scenic runs on the Buckingham Branch (former CSX and C&O) out of Staunton.

From my hotel it's a short walk to the Staunton depot. There's a gaggle of folks there already, and media too for the inaugural run. BB President Steve Powell greets nearly everyone waiting, and does an interview for the TV crew. He says the trains are "95% sold out" through Thanksgiving, and that they are looking at adding more cars.

The one-car consist is already spotted at the boarding area at the Staunton depot. The locomotive (a spotless GP39-2, BB17) is on the west end, coupled to the equally spotless BB5002, the "Arvonia," which has its vestibule pointed east. 

Steve Powell says the car was originally built by Budd in the late 1940s for the C&O's Chessie, and later the car was used by the pre-Amtrak Auto Train, before ending up being parked and used as a staff break room (!) at the North Anna (Nuclear) Power Plant. Buckingham Branch has gutted the interior and beautifully re-fitted the car, for use as a business car. The air-conditioning is churning away, warding off the August mugginess. In fact, by the end of the trip some people complain it's TOO cold.

Boarding is swift and efficient, complete with an actual red carpet. We settle into our seats--dining tables and chairs arranged in four-top (north side) and two-top configuration (south side.)
 
Two blasts of the horn and we're off at 10:30, at a consistent and stately 25 mph. Amtrak runs at a top speed of 60 on this line. 

The steward quickly takes down the lunch, drink, and coffee orders. He has two servers and a cook on board as well, all staff from a local restaurant, Lil Guss' in Grottoes. There are also a lead car host and an assistant, both apparently employees of the Virginia Scenic Railway. There are of course a conductor and engineer on the locomotive.

1. Consist spotted at Staunton station.
2. Restaurant owner interviewed by media.
3. Interior of the Arvonia.

 

Paul Wilson
Arlington, VA

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The car host announces we are welcome (and indeed encouraged!) to ride on the vestibule. We're definitely not on Amtrak anymore! I stay out there with a few other "fans" until we clear North Mountain. 

A little after noon we glide to a stop on the main track at Goshen. Conductor Eric applies the hand brakes, and the locomotive uncouples and drifts forward. Several of us head to the vestibule to observe the action. BB17 comes back down the siding, clears the east end, and reverses under the watchful eyes of conductor Eric. Locomotive couples up--and we get the clear signal to head back to Staunton (and eventually Ivy), long hood forward.

As we head back, dessert arrives, with cappuccino. We mostly chat and point out the scenic sights. The locomotive is now adjacent to the vestibule--views are out the large windows at the rear of the car.
 
Arrival in Staunton is around 1:30. The passengers fill out surveys, and the car host says that no gratuities will be accepted as, in his words, the staff is "already well taken care of." We are also welcome to take the commemorative glassware home with us. Alighting is prompt, friendly, and efficient.

The red carpet is rolled up, and the train backs into the small yard at "C&O Flats" for layover and servicing. We find a bench in the shade to await the afternoon run. Nothing else is moving on the railroad. The torpor of a full lunch and an August afternoon begins to hit.

4. East North Mountain
5. Arrival back in Staunton
6. Backing into C&O Flats

Paul Wilson
Arlington, VA



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/08/22 19:19 by Dcmcrider.

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That is a beautiful interior on the dining car.

Lather, rinse, repeat at 3:30. This time the destination is Ivy, the controlled siding a few miles west of Charlottesville.
 
Staunton is a little industrial at first, as you pass the small yard and interchange point with Shenandoah Valley Railroad (operated by the Durbin and Greenbrier.) You also pass a feed mill in Staunton, and an active transload facility in Fishersville. It's good to see a healthy short line--it's what makes this trip possible (in addition to the $110 fare of course!). 
 
More food arrives--we are still a little full from lunch--and we pass more industrial landscape in Waynesboro and pass over the NS Roanoke District on a bridge. 
 
Soon it's one of the highlights of the trip, the 4,200-foot-long Blue Ridge Tunnel, built by the C&O in 1942-44. Just out of view is the original tunnel, dating from the 1850s, which is now open to the public as a walking and biking trail. Once in the tunnel, the car host douses the lights briefly, just for fun.
 
The train rolled eastward, through Little Rock Tunnel, and then down the grade to Crozet past the peach orchards.
 
At the west end of Ivy, it's time for the runaround move. The Arvonia again holds the main and the power runs around in the siding. 

It's back up the mountain, this time with a group of fans in the vestibule. I head back there as we pass Greenwood, and get lots of pictures as we pass through the Blue Ridge Tunnel. That's a real treat.

Speaking of treats, I opt for the chocolate cake and another cappuccino. The food and service continue to be excellent.
 
Arrival at Staunton is at 6:30, and it's time to say our good-byes. It's been a great day out on the railroad, and the Virginia Scenic puts out a very good product. I wish them well, and if they can sell out three-hour trips, including a full meal, at $110 per person, more power to them. It's a good experience for railfans and non-railfans alike, if a little on the pricey side.

7. Inside the east portal of the Blue Ridge Tunnel
8. West portal
9. Arrival back in Staunton
 

Paul Wilson
Arlington, VA



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/08/22 19:25 by Dcmcrider.

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I think we can look forward to additional touristic rail service opportunities on this scenic line, now that it's owned by the state and the Buckingham Branch has a more accommodating landlord than CSX. 

The next day I had a bit of time in the morning, and caught up with the train near Augusta Springs.

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Official web site:
 
https://www.virginiascenicrailway.com
 
This footage must have been taken on a publicity run. It first aired on Aug. 3.
 
https://www.whsv.com/2022/08/03/take-look-onboard-new-virginia-scenic-railway/
 
Buckingham Branch President Steve Powell interviewed. This is the crew we saw on the platform.
 
https://www.cbs19news.com/story/47035072/the-scenic-railway-is-now-offering-recreational-tours



 

Paul Wilson
Arlington, VA



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/08/22 19:53 by Dcmcrider.

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Nice account and pix.  

The obvious question....plans to increase the consist?

 

Thanks for this excellent review.  I stumbled across the site by accident the other day having the read the "Virginia is for Railroad Lovers" edition of Trains Magazine.  This is definitely on my to-do list but, from looking at the website's booking engine all of the tables for two seem sold out and you can't part book a table for four.  Hopefully they'll increase the consist which will lead to a bit more flexibility in being able to book.

just hope they can hang on while people slowly find out about it!

pdt Wrote:
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> Nice account and pix.  
>
> The obvious question....plans to increase the
> consist?
>
>  
The obvious answer, from the original post-- "BB President Steve Powell greets nearly everyone waiting, and does an interview for the TV crew. He says the trains are "95% sold out" through Thanksgiving, and that they are looking at adding more cars."



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/09/22 06:22 by ShortlinesUSA.

Thanks for your coverage of the Virginia Scenic Railway Train.  Yes, they truly need to add additional cars to the consist.  Will they make money with this venture?  That is very hard to predict as so many tourist trains have gotten started through the years and many of them started out well only to eventually close down due to the entire cost of the operation over a period of time.  Maintaining quality first class passenger equipment is very expensive as others have found out.  I do not know the intended market for this operation either in that can they draw enough tourists (rail fans included) to make it work?  Only time will tell; however, I wish them nothing but success as this surely is a very scenic rail line.
John in White Marsh, Maryland

Thanks for your excellent report and photos. Congratulations to the BB team for putting on a first class show and for entering the growing tourist rail industry.

     The most important point here is that they have shown that the new landlord ( the state of Va.) is friendly to tourist passenger rail and that holds great promise for future products, perhaps even steam.  Hope springs eternal. 

    Ross Rowland 

Yes, as Ross Rowland emphasizes, the transfer of the Doswell-Clifton Forge line to the Commonwealth has made this (and more) possible.

Remarkably, I just checked the web site and the trains are completely sold out for the season. I was able to book seats on the inaugural runs three weeks ago with no difficulty.

 

Paul Wilson
Arlington, VA

Great review and pics, another one for the Bucket List. Thanks for taking the time to post.

Randy in PHX

Ross, if we can find a million or two in pocket change, would you be interested in returning the Greenbriar to pulling trains on home rails?

Great report.  Thanks for putting it together.

Thanks for the news. I applaud them and wish them well--but that diesel paint scheme? Blecchh! 

kurtarmbruster Wrote:
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> Thanks for the news. I applaud them and wish them
> well--but that diesel paint scheme? Blecchh! 

Subjective of course....but visibility is what they're going for...