I have no association with the Hocking Valley Scenic Railway, just an interest in watching the trains run. I have built and I maintain this page as a service to other railfans.
The Hocking Valley Scenic Railway official web site is at http://www.hvsry.org/ (new URL).
From the brochure:
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The Hocking Valley Scenic Railway was established as an all-volunteer, non-profit Ohio corporation in 1972. Their mission is to preserve, restore, and operate historic railway equipment in an authentic railroad environment for the education and entertainment of the general public. Presently, the HVSRR owns 12 miles of the original Columbus, Toledo, and Hocking Valley Railroad, two depots, steam and diesel locomotives, passenger cars, caboose, and maintenance-of-way equipment. The rail line, steam locomotive, and wood-sided caboose are listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Pictures
- A view of #33 steam locomotive, returning to the depot
- A view of #33 steam locomotive, under way.
- Another view of #33 steam locomotive, in front of the depot.
- The beautiful GP-7 #5833
- Another view of GP-7 #5833
- A view of the Nelsonville Depot
- Another view of the Nelsonville Depot
- A very young railfan examines #5833
- A very young railfan gazes up at the engineer
- The Nelsonville Depot semaphore
- The old coaling bunker
- The old Nelsonville Yard building
- The rusting hulk of Ohio Power Company fireless steam locomotive
- The wood-sided caboose
- The Power Car #100 built in 1998 from a transfer caboose to provide electricity for heating the coaches
My wife, two young children, and I have visited the HVSR several times over the past few years, both to ride the train and just to watch. We've ridden behind the steam locomotive #33, the GP-7 #5833, and a 1953 Baldwin-Lima 500hp (Caterpillar-powered) switcher #4005. We've also chased the train on several occasions, stopping to watch it at grade crossings. It's a real treat to watch #33 chuff by and whistle in the late fall when it's cold outside and the steam really stands out.
The HVSR equipment is absolutely beautiful, particularly #33 and #5833. The depot is charming, and the Society has gone to great lengths to instill a sense of history to the facility.
The conductors on the trains do a good job pointing out items of historical interest along the route, and it turns out the the area traversed by the train has a long and varied history, indeed, which includes extensive coal mining, tile manufacturing, and one of the first electric power plants in the state.
Within the depot is a small museum of railroad items and a small gift shop containing many items of interest to the railfan in general and the C&O fan in particular.
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Map of Southeast Ohio |
For more information about the Hocking Valley Scenic Railroad, visit the official Hocking Valley Scenic Railway Web Page (new URL).
Other web sites about the Hocking Valley Scenic Railway can be found in my Railroad Links.
Map courtesy of MapQuest Interactive Atlas.