W.Va. tourist trains offer leisurely way to see the countryside
Moments after it pulls out of the station, chugging into the dense cover of the Monongahela National Forest, the Shay locomotive begins its climb.

The baking sun vanishes, the temperature drops and riders grow captivated by wildflowers, butterflies and a fearless fawn that stands on the track, staring until the last possible moment before scampering off.

When the whistle blows, white steam shoots skyward. And from time to time, a cloud of acrid black smoke wafts over the cars, the necessary result of burning 4 1/2 tonnes of coal for fuel. It stings the throat, but for John Grencik, it only adds to the authenticity of the Cass Scenic Railroad.

"I love coal smoke. I get it natural," says Grencik, a model train builder and the descendant of railroad workers on both sides of his family.

The Canadian Press