Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad

Name

Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad

Legal name

Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad

Website

https://mountainrail.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Heritage Railway Tourism

NAICS

Short Line Railroads (482112)

akta.pro primary industry

Tourist/Scenic/Heritage Passenger Rail Operators (TLAFADAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Short Line & Regional Railroads (General Merchandise) (TLADACAI)

Keywords

• Scenic train rides
• Heritage railway excursions
• Steam locomotive tours
• Caboose overnight rentals
• Mountain rail tourism

Headquarters

HQ city

Elkins

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Train Excursion Tickets: Sale of tickets for scenic train rides ranging from 1.5 to 6 hours, including the New Tygart Flyer, Greenbrier Express, Cass Bald Knob Trip, and special event trains. Prices range from $40 to $500 per person depending on excursion duration and type.
2. Overnight Rail Rentals: Rental of converted cabooses and camp cars for multi-night stays at remote locations along the Greenbrier River. Castaway Caboose ($745 for 2-4 nights), Cass Camp Car ($760 for 2-3 nights).
3. Onboard Food & Beverage: Cold cut lunches included with most excursion tickets; sandwich bar and refreshments served onboard trains during trips.
4. Gift Cards: Non-expiring gift cards available in any amount, redeemable toward any reservation, delivered via email.
5. Group Tours: Specialized group tour packages for organizations, clubs, and private events.
6. Merchandise (Rail & Trail Store): Online merchandise store at railandtrailstore.com selling railroad-related merchandise.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad, operating as Mountain Rail West Virginia, runs scenic tourist train excursions through the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia using historic geared steam (Shay, Heisler, Climax) and vintage diesel locomotives. The company offers day rides, themed special events, private charters, and overnight railcar accommodations from depots in Elkins, Durbin, and Cass.

Product overview

Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad (operating as Mountain Rail West Virginia) operates a portfolio of scenic tourist train excursions centered in West Virginia, primarily departing from Cass and Elkins. The core offering consists of steam and diesel-powered passenger train rides ranging from 1-6 hours, including popular routes to Bald Knob (third highest point in WV), Whittaker Station, and Durbin via the Greenbrier River corridor. Special event trains include Wild West themed excursions, Halloween rides, Christmas experiences, photography specials, and fall foliage trips. Overnight accommodation products (Castaway Caboose and Cass Camp Car) provide multi-night experiences with riverside camping via rail transport. The company maintains a fleet of historic steam locomotives (Shay, Heisler, Climax) and vintage diesel locomotives for its excursions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Elkins Excursions Half-day and full-day train excursions departing from the Elkins Depot through Appalachian mountain scenery, available with diesel or steam motive power. Targeted at individual tourists and families visiting West Virginia.
• Durbin Excursions Scenic excursions departing from Durbin powered by the historic Heisler or Shay steam locomotives, traveling the Greenbrier River route. Targeted at rail enthusiasts and heritage tourists.
• Cass Scenic Railroad State Park Excursion Train excursion operated in partnership with Cass Scenic Railroad State Park that climbs Back Allegheny Mountain using original logging-era Shay and Climax steam locomotives. Targeted at families, railfans, and day visitors to the state park.
• Greenbrier Express Overnight Caboose Rentals Two- and three-night overnight accommodation package aboard vintage renovated cabooses with daily included rail travel. Targeted at couples and families seeking a heritage rail lodging experience.
• Special Event Trains Themed excursion trains including the Greenbrier Express dinner train, North Pole Express, fall foliage, and holiday-themed rides. Targeted at individual ticket-buyers, families, and small group guests seeking seasonal entertainment experiences.
• Private Charter Trains Private charter service booking an entire train for groups, organizations, corporate outings, family reunions, and special celebrations. Targeted at group organizers and event planners.

Quantifiable outcome

• Third highest point in West Virginia accessible to visitors at 4,842 feet elevation (Bald Knob)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cass Scenic Railroad State ParkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-located state park partnership at Cass, WV - home to historic depot, Shay locomotives, and logging era railroad heritage. Shared operational synergy in serving Cass visitors.
• Elkins-Randolph County Tourism CVBcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional Convention and Visitors Bureau promoting Elkins and Randolph County tourism. Cross-promotional marketing partner for Mountain Rail excursions departing from Elkins.
• Elkins Depot Welcome CentercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPhysical welcome center at Elkins depot providing visitor information and ticket sales support for New Tygart Flyer departures.
• Friends of CassminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNonprofit friend organization supporting Cass community preservation and tourism initiatives.
• Pocahontas County CVBcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerConvention and Visitors Bureau for Pocahontas County promoting Cass, Durbin, and surrounding mountain communities including Mountain Rail excursions.
• Snowshoe MountainminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor ski resort in Pocahontas County cross-promoting mountain activities and coordinating visitor experiences in the region.
• Gandy Dancer TheatreminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal entertainment venue in Cass providing visitor activities and cultural experiences complementary to train excursions.
• Station 2 Restaurant & MotelminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal hospitality partner offering accommodations and dining for visitors to Cass Scenic Railroad area.
• Corduroy Inn & LodgeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal lodging partner providing overnight accommodations for visitors to the Cass and mountain rail region.
• Shays RestaurantminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal dining establishment in Cass for pre/post train ride meals and visitor hospitality.
• Simply Sweet CafeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal cafe in Pocahontas County serving visitors to Cass and Durbin area attractions.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad: Regional heritage railroad operating scenic excursions through Ohio's Cuyahoga Valley National Park — comparable tourist rail business model with national park corridor access and themed event programming.
• Mount Washington Cog Railway: Heritage mountain railway in New Hampshire offering scenic climbs to Mount Washington summit — comparable tourist rail operation on steep mountain grades with established brand recognition.

Direct peers

• Leadville, Colorado & Southern Railroad: Colorado heritage railroad operating seasonal steam excursions at high elevation — comparable small-scale tourist railroad with vintage equipment and seasonal operations.
• Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad: Heritage narrow-gauge steam railroad operating scenic excursions in Colorado mountains — directly comparable business model of steam-powered tourist passenger service on historic mountain rail lines.
• Strasburg Rail Road: America's oldest operating railroad offering steam-powered scenic excursions in Pennsylvania — directly comparable heritage tourist railroad with vintage steam fleet and themed special events.
• Grand Canyon Railway: Heritage passenger railroad running scenic excursions to Grand Canyon from Williams, AZ — comparable tourist railroad with vintage equipment, themed specials, and bundled overnight packages.
• Cass Scenic Railroad State Park: Co-located state park at Cass, WV with historic Shay locomotives and logging-era rail heritage — operates on the same site and shares infrastructure with Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad.
• Verde Canyon Railroad: Arizona-based heritage railroad operating scenic excursions through Verde Canyon — similar scale tourist railroad with vintage rolling stock and themed event programming.
• White Pass & Yukon Route: Heritage tourist railroad operating vintage diesel and steam excursions on mountain routes in Alaska — directly comparable scenic passenger rail tourism on historic infrastructure.
• Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad: Heritage steam narrow-gauge railroad running scenic excursions between Colorado and New Mexico — same vintage steam locomotive operation on mountain routes targeting tourist and railfan segments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cassscenicrr
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCtfu5UKPa03w75n1-U305HA
• Facebookfacebook.com/MountainRail
• Instagraminstagram.com/cassscenicrailroad
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/durbin-&-greenbrier-valley-railroad

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad