Elkins, WV
Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad
Trip at a Glance
Source checked 2026-08-15- TypeMountain Rail operator hub for diesel excursions from Elkins and Belington plus Castaway Caboose overnights from Durbin
- LocationElkins, WV
- Rating4.7 ★318 Google reviews
- UpcomingFri, Sep 25
About Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad
Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad is the privately owned operator behind the Mountain Rail West Virginia visitor brand. It runs excursion and freight service on state-owned rail corridors and operates passenger trains from Elkins, Belington, Durbin and, under a separate state-park identity, Cass. This canonical package uses the restored Elkins depot as the primary public hub and includes only products whose 2026 boarding point is Elkins, Belington or Durbin. Every Cass-boarded trip remains solely on the Cass Scenic Railroad package, including Greenbrier Express and Wild West trips that travel to Durbin. The complete post-August 15 visitor horizon here contains 47 New Tygart Flyer departures from Elkins, two Old Fashioned Days and two Zephyr departures from Belington, plus 32 listed Castaway starts for each of two Durbin cabooses. Both Castaway inventories are sold out. Current Durbin Days, Cottontail, Ramps & Rails and West Virginia Day items have no remaining 2026 departure after the cutoff, while Elkins and Belington Winter Specials are explicitly returning in 2027.
Choose the Mountain Rail Departure Town First
Choose the visit that fits your groupScenery-focused visitors who want the main current Elkins excursion and can manage stepped historic boarding
Ride New Tygart Flyer from Elkins
Choose among 47 remaining 11 a.m. dates for a 4.5-hour, 48-mile diesel round trip to High Falls, with enclosed climate-controlled coaches, lunch and onboard restrooms.
Repeat riders and fall visitors who can board at the separate Golden Rule Building location
Use Belington for two limited specials
Old Fashioned Days runs 1.5 hours on September 18-19 without food; the six-hour Zephyr runs October 2-3 to High Falls with lunch, and October 3 is sold out.
Remote-lodging travelers who can monitor the live operator inventory without relying on availability
Treat both Castaway cabooses as sold out
The two furnished Wabash units each publish 32 remaining starts, but all 64 unit-starts are sold out. Do not promise a cancellation opening or substitute an ordinary Durbin ride.
Every visitor, especially groups navigating rural roads or combining more than one Mountain Rail location
Board at the address on the product
Elkins uses 315 Railroad Avenue, Belington uses 122 Crim Avenue and Castaway uses 4759 Staunton Parkersburg Turnpike in Durbin; these are not interchangeable depots.
Travelers comparing Mountain Rail products and editors protecting the canonical calendar boundary
Separate Cass before counting dates
Greenbrier Express reaches Durbin but boards at Cass, so it belongs only to Cass Scenic Railroad. The same rule excludes every other Cass-origin Mountain Rail product here.
Travelers whose visit depends on mobility, transfer, sensory, dietary or service-animal details
Confirm access before purchase
All current non-Cass products in this package are listed as not wheelchair-accessible. Contact reservations about steps, handrails, seating and the exact boarding need before paying.
Upcoming Events
Official schedule information
2026 special-event calendar
Schedule information was checked against the linked official source. Dates, availability, and operating conditions can change. Check the live official calendar ↗
Plan Your Visit
- Identity BoundaryDGVR is the operating corporation and Mountain Rail is its visitor brand; this package owns current Elkins-, Belington- and Durbin-origin products, while the separate Cass Scenic Railroad package owns every Cass-origin product
- Primary HubElkins Depot at 315 Railroad Avenue is the primary visitor address and boarding point for New Tygart Flyer; Durbin and Belington are separate satellite boarding locations with their own addresses
- Remaining Passenger HorizonFifty-one passenger departures remain: 47 New Tygart Flyer dates from August 16 through November 15, two Old Fashioned Days departures September 18-19 and two Belington Zephyr departures October 2-3
- New Tygart Live StateThirty-two dates were bookable, 14 sold out and August 16 was closed but not labeled sold out at the cutoff; all listed departures are at 11 a.m.
- Belington Live StateOld Fashioned Days is bookable at 6 p.m. September 18 and 19; Zephyr runs at 10 a.m. October 2 and 3, with October 3 sold out
- Castaway Live StateEach of cabooses 2849 and 2794 lists the same 32 Wednesday, Friday or Sunday starts from August 19 through October 30; every remaining start is sold out
- Excluded Cass InventoryGreenbrier Express, Wild West and every other Cass-origin product are excluded even when Durbin is the destination; counting them here would duplicate the Cass calendar
- Elapsed And Future StatusDurbin Days, Cottontail, Ramps & Rails and West Virginia Day have no remaining 2026 inventory; Elkins Winter and Belington Winter pages say they return in 2027 and publish no 2026 remainder
- Elkins BoardingNew Tygart Flyer boards at 315 Railroad Avenue in Elkins; arrive at least 30 minutes early, use free designated depot/town parking and depot restrooms, and follow the live confirmation
- Belington BoardingBoth current specials board at the Golden Rule Building, 122 Crim Avenue, Belington; follow railroad-parking signs and preserve a 30-minute arrival margin
- Durbin BoardingCastaway check-in is at the Rail & Trail Store, 4759 Staunton Parkersburg Turnpike, Durbin; arrive at 12:30 p.m. to load for the 1:30 p.m. drop-off transfer
- New Tygart FaresBase fares before taxes and fees are $85 adult, $83 senior, $81 military/veteran, $65 child, free ticketed infant and $100 adult-only Parlor; fall rates rise $10 beginning September 16
- Belington FaresOld Fashioned Days begins at $40 adult and has no food; Zephyr begins at $95 adult, includes lunch and offers $110 adult-only Parlor service before taxes and fees
- Castaway FaresPer-caboose rates are $745 for two nights, $995 for three nights and $1,260 for four nights before taxes and fees, for one to six people
- AccessNew Tygart Flyer, both Belington trips and Castaway are not wheelchair-accessible because of historic equipment or boarding conditions; the train pages describe steps and handrails, not a lift or level boarding
- Restrooms And FoodNew Tygart and both Belington trains have onboard restrooms; New Tygart and Zephyr include lunch, Old Fashioned Days serves no food, and each Castaway caboose includes a full-size shower, restroom and kitchen equipment but guests bring food
- Castaway EnvironmentThe remote cabooses have no cell service; pets, smoking and alcoholic beverages are not allowed, and guests must plan supplies, food and the separate two-week cancellation rule
- PetsPets and emotional-support animals are not permitted on excursions; trained service animals required because of a disability are allowed on the regular trains, while Castaway separately prohibits pets
- CancellationRegular trains offer a 90% monetary refund more than 48 hours before departure, with fees excluded; Castaway offers 85% only more than two weeks before departure, and live terms control
Find the Depot
The Trains
Current Elkins and Belington product pages promise vintage diesel-powered trains with enclosed, climate-controlled passenger coaches and onboard restrooms. New Tygart Flyer and Belington Zephyr also offer an adult-only Parlor upgrade with a private table, upgraded lunch and wine service. The archive gallery documents Western Maryland-painted diesel locomotives 67 and 82, but neither locomotive nor a particular coach is guaranteed for a selected 2026 date. Castaway uses restored Wabash cabooses 2849 and 2794, each furnished for up to six people with a kitchen, heat, full-size shower and restroom. The operator explicitly reserves the right to use steam or diesel power for a Castaway drop-off or pickup. Climax No. 3 and the former Durbin Rocket appear only as history here because no regular Durbin Rocket passenger item remains in the current public catalog.
History
West Virginia Central and Pittsburg Railway reached the Elkins area and helped create the regional rail center.
The Chesapeake & Ohio completed its Greenbrier River route through Durbin, now part of the surviving rail landscape.
Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad, Inc. was chartered as a West Virginia corporation.
The state purchased the former CSX branches that became the 132.13-mile West Virginia Central Railroad.
DGVR became private operator of all state-owned Cass Scenic Railroad trains, adding a separate Cass operating contract to its Elkins and Durbin work.
The rebuilt Cass-to-Durbin Greenbrier River connection opened for Cass-origin Greenbrier Express service.
The non-Cass visitor program centers on New Tygart Flyer, two Belington specials and the two-unit Castaway Caboose overnight inventory.
See full history
Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad, Inc. was chartered in West Virginia on November 13, 1996. The West Virginia State Rail Authority purchased the former CSX Belington, Tygart and Laurel subdivisions and Dailey Branch on September 26, 1997, creating the 132.13-route-mile West Virginia Central Railroad. The state owns and oversees that corridor, while DGVR performs marketing, train service and routine maintenance under contract and supplies both freight and excursion service. Elkins became the center of the diesel passenger program, with New Tygart Flyer following the former Western Maryland route toward High Falls of Cheat. Durbin developed a separate Greenbrier River operation and the Castaway Caboose overnight program. In 2015 DGVR also became the private operator of state-owned Cass Scenic Railroad trains; that operating relationship does not erase the separate Cass visitor identity or justify duplicating Cass-origin products on this hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Mountain Rail trips belong on this page?
Only products boarding at Elkins, Belington or Durbin: New Tygart Flyer, the two current Belington specials and the two Castaway Caboose units. Every Cass-origin trip belongs only to Cass Scenic Railroad.
How many passenger departures remain in 2026?
Fifty-one: 47 New Tygart Flyer dates, two Old Fashioned Days departures and two Belington Zephyr departures. The Castaway program separately has 64 sold-out unit-starts across two cabooses.
Is New Tygart Flyer sold out?
Not completely. At the cutoff 32 dates were bookable, 14 were sold out and August 16 was closed without a sold-out label. Live inventory can change, so recheck checkout.
Where does New Tygart Flyer board?
At Elkins Depot, 315 Railroad Avenue, Elkins, WV 26241. Arrive at least 30 minutes early and use the designated free depot or town parking.
Where do the Belington trains board?
At the Historic Golden Rule Building, 122 Crim Avenue, Belington, WV 26250. Follow the railroad-parking signs rather than navigating to Elkins Depot.
Can I still reserve a Castaway Caboose?
All 32 remaining starts for each of cabooses 2849 and 2794 were sold out at the August 15 review. Monitor live inventory, but do not plan around an unpromised cancellation.
Is Greenbrier Express a Durbin departure?
No. It travels from Cass to Durbin and back, but boards at Cass. Its dates appear only on the Cass Scenic Railroad package to prevent duplicate inventory.
Are the non-Cass trains wheelchair-accessible?
No current product in this package is listed as wheelchair-accessible. New Tygart and the Belington trains require steps with handrails, and Castaway also states it is not accessible.
What is included with New Tygart Flyer?
The current page lists a 4.5-hour, 48-mile round trip, enclosed climate-controlled coaches, a cold-cut lunch, onboard restrooms and a stop at High Falls of Cheat.
Will a steam locomotive power Castaway?
Not necessarily. The operator reserves the right to use steam or diesel for caboose drop-offs and pickups, depending on the operating dates.
May pets ride?
Regular excursions do not allow pets or emotional-support animals; trained service animals required because of a disability are allowed. Castaway separately prohibits pets.
Sources & Verification
Source-checked August 15, 2026. This free profile has not yet been claimed or confirmed by the operator.
- Current official train-ride index for the complete Mountain Rail product set and departure identities
- Current official New Tygart page for route, duration, fares, food, access, restroom, equipment and boarding address
- Current official Castaway page for two units, dates, rates, check-in, amenities, access, remote rules and cancellation policy
- Current official Old Fashioned Days page for dates, time, route, fares, no-food decision, access and boarding
- Current official Belington Zephyr page for dates, live product details, fares, lunch, access and boarding
- Official directions for exact Elkins, Durbin and Belington locations, parking, restrooms and rural navigation
- Official FAQ for DGVR versus Mountain Rail identity, Cass relationship, equipment, access, pets, arrival and cancellation
- Official contact page for public reservations phone, email and Elkins mailing identity
- Current public FareHarbor non-retail catalog establishing all 23 items reviewed and the identity boundary
- Official FareHarbor New Tygart item and zero-padded 2026 month calendars for exact post-cutoff live state
- West Virginia State Rail Authority page for state ownership, 1997 acquisition, route mileage and DGVR contract
- West Virginia Secretary of State record for the corporation's November 13, 1996 establishment
- Exact DGVR Wikimedia category and file pages for operator image identity, creators and reuse rights
