Pressing south at Hosterman. The vast majority of the old C&O Greenbrier Division between Durbin, WV and Cass can best be classified as a "tree tunnel." Yes, the line does track the Greenbrier River pretty closely, and while scenic because of its wilderness river views, it is difficult to photograph because it is largely in deep woods. There are a couple of exceptions however, and this spot is one of them. Located at approximately MP 88.1, in the small town of Hosterman, the line emerges into wide-open agricultural land, for just over 1/10th of a mile. Here, among ponds and pools associated with the nearby Greenbrier River, there are some excellent places to photograph steam the way it may have looked 80 years ago. In this scene, Meadow River Heisler #6 presses south along the C&O main, hauling a cut of freight cars for interchange at Cass, some 7.5 miles to the south. Heislers were popular with West Virginia lumber companies, as they were not only at home on steep grades, but they had sufficient speed to hold their own on level track as well.
Scenes depicting steam operations on the old C&O Greenbrier Division between Cass and Durbin, WV, featuring Moore-Keppel Climax #3 and Meadow River Heisler #6.
