Evening star., 1952-09-28
Travellers Notebook
Rail Fans Invite Public on Luroy Excursion
By Jacques FutreIIe
The Stor's TFoveI Editor

A novelty in railroad travel has
been scheduled for next Sunday.
An estimated 500 or more persons
railroad fans, camera enthusi-
astS, railroad model makers and
the plain public-will board spe-
cial train for the first Washing
ton-Luray (Va.) excursion in more
than 20 lears.
In this motoring age, relatively
few Washington area people are
aware that Luray can be reached
by train as well as by bus and
automobile. The local chapter of
the National Railway Historical
Society plans to acquaint them
with that fact and, at the same
time, give them a respite from
bucking a week ends heavy high
way traffic. For railroad fans
themselves. the excursion will offer
the added feature of travel over
part of the route on the last big
railroad in the United States US
ing 100 per cent steam locomotive
power-the Norfolk and Western.
With reclining-chair coaches of
the Baltimore and Ohio, the train
will leave Union Station at 8:15
am. and pick up additional men,
bers of the party at Silver Spring
at $3.50. An all-day excursion will
lie ahead, with a special 3-hour
program at Luray.
To Visit Governs
Amenities aboard will include q
lunch counter car serving sand
wiches, soft drinks and such. And
for the benefit Of amateur and
professional photographers who
want to fill in on railroad shots,
a specially equipped baggage car
will be at the head end of the
train for picture taking en- route.
The route, 1913 miles each way,
taps an area Of varied scenic in
terest, with broad valleys, the
Blue Ridge Mountains and the
upper Potomac as highlights.
The train is to run on the main
line of the B. & o. to Harpers
Ferry, w. Va, and several miles
farther to Shenandoah Junction.
There. a N. & w. locomotive will
take over for the rest of the run
on its Shenandoah Valley Divi-
sion.
Before reaching Riverton, Va,
excursionists will be travelling over
fiat valley terrain. At Riverton,
the topography changes abruptly
to towering hills and mountains.
A photo stop will be made there.
In the region are spectacular
bridges and trestles, favorite
shot Of camera fans with railroad
leanings. At Shenandoah. Va,
they will be able to fill in gaps
in their albums at the N & w
roundhouse, where the train will
be serviced for it's return.
But Shenandoah is beyond Lu-
ray, where most of the passengers
will detrain to be greeted by a
band. Motor coaches will be wait
ing to run the special visitors
through the streets of Luray to
the entrance of Luray Caverns. A
45-minute concert on the carlton
on the cavern grounds will include
"one or two railroad numbers. I"
A tour of the caverns will follow,
with the departure from Luray
set for 3 pm.
Not far from the caverns,
a steam locomotive enthusi-
ast (whose business is not big
time railroading) has built one
foot-gauge line and two small
iron horses. Each engine, con-
structed to scale, weights 800
pounds. Arrangements have been
made for the party to inspect this
hobby and ride, two passengers
per car.
Buying the Ticket
Although the trip is not ar
ranged especially for the purpose,
the route will provide vistas of
the fall foliage season. The excur-
sion last fall, reviving the rail
society's sponsorship Of two trips
a year, was specifically billed as
a fall foliage treat. Nearly 500
passengers rode into the VIM
chester (Va.) area on that one.