The South Branch Valley’s Industrial Brownhoist crane is seen on a siding in Moorefield, West Virginia. The ultra-heavy frame and lack of knuckle couplers strongly suggest that the wrecker came ... (more)

You Really Gonna Leave Those Things In Our Yard?

Most of the population of remote McNeill, West Virginia is staring down the South Branch Valley maintenance train as it drops some ... (more)

In late 1982, The South Branch Valley was busy improving its infrastructure, as witnessed by this tie train at McNeill, West Virginia, just south of the “trough”. The improvements were short-l... (more)

Four elderly geeps bracket an 11 car train headed for Green Spring.

The annual all-day trip to Petersburg passes the scenic vista at South Fork as it closes in on its terminus.

A South Branch Valley crew moves to the next location to pick up ties along the newly-ballasted right of way. Reportedly, the “V” in the green stripe of the SBVR’s original paint scheme was ... (more)

A 1982 visit to the South Branch Valley found no revenue trains, but there were crews out performing maintenance of way duties. First we encountered an Railroad: South Branch Valley Railroad
Locomotive: Alco MRS-1
Location: McNeill, West Virginia, USA
Locomotive #: SBV 28
Train ID: Unknown
Photo Date: October 15, 1982

Canary Amongst the Eagles

Nearly a decade before the Potomac Eagle began services over the line, the fledgling South Branch Valley Railroad was operating with a small fleet ... (more)

After running north with empties from Moorefield, SBVR's crew pulls loads from CSX down to the south end of the interchange at Green Spring for tomorrow's southbound run.

41 loads of chicken feed for Pilgrims Pride in Moorefield travels along the namesake river South of Romney.

The South Branch Valley started operations with at least one former Western Maryland caboose. Painted in SBVR’s version of WM’s speed lettering scheme, caboose 1892 is seen crossing the south ... (more)

Before the Potomac Eagle

When the State of West Virginia purchased the B&O line from Green Spring to Morefield, It found a pair of army surplus MRS1’s to power the South Branch ... (more)

The Potomac Eagle has just started its journey as it heads out of Romney

Rarely seen outside of their Moorefield shops, SBVR 65-tonner #80 rests alongside an old farm service store in Petersburg before leaving for Moorefield with a dinner train a few hours later as a m... (more)