By John Cowgill
You have scenic railroad excursions. Then you have the Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad excursion. You are probably wondering how this train gets its name. The answer is centered on a particular bird.
You board the train at the depot in Romney, West Virginia. From there, you ride south, and you roll mainly along the South Branch of the Potomac River. Yes, many trains run alongside rivers and pass by cliffs. Then you come to ‘The Trough’, a long valley between two high ridges with the river flowing through the middle. It is a place that is only accessible by canoe, by hiking or by the Potomac Eagle. You cannot drive here nor can you fly in here on a plane. Well, there will be no place to land a plane. It is here where the Potomac Eagle gets the name and where the phrase ‘Where Eagles Fly’ comes in to play. The ‘Trough’ is a common place for eagles, and you will find eagles nests here. The train slows down every time an eagle is spotted. Before the train enters the Trough, passengers have the option to ride in an open air car to get an unobstructed view of the entire trough and the Potomac River below. As you ride through the Trough, you will be surrounded by nothing but natural scenery, and even if you do not spot an eagle standing on a branch or flying around, you will enjoy the scenic views that the Trough has to offer. There is so much scenery to see as you ride the Potomac Eagle. No matter how old you are, the Potomac Eagle will give you memories that will last a lifetime.
Although the ride through the Trough is the main highlight of this excursion, the Potomac Eagle has many other riding options like an all-day ride to the town of Petersburg and a one-time excursion that runs north to Green Spring in late October.
The Potomac Eagle is located at the Wappocomo Station on West Virginia Route 28 north of the town of Romney. It is a two and a half hour drive from Washington, D.C. and an hour drive from Cumberland, Maryland. You can go to potomaceagle.com for more information on the train schedules.
Come and ride the Potomac Eagle in wild and wonderful West Virginia and see the place ‘Where Eagles Fly’.
