Wednesday, October 8, 2025
59.5 F
Beckley
More

    Railroad runs through the heart of this West Virginia town

    A railroad coursing through a community in the Mountain State is no rarity, but the line that runs through the heart of downtown Saint Marys, West Virginia, is so remarkable that it's become a tourist attraction, says the town's mayor.

    Advertisement

    "It's certainly something to see tracks and a train running right through the middle of town—right down Second Avenue," Mayor Paul Ingram says of the CSX rail line.

    Sibray stands between the rails that run the length of Second Street in Saint Marys in Pleasants County

    "But it's been a part of our world since 1883, and it's the thing that visitors remark about most. Photography students travel from Ohio University just to set up their cameras and photograph the event."

    Ingram, who grew up in Saint Marys and remembers when steam engines pulled the trains, says there's only been one accident that he can remember. Otherwise motorists know to pull off the street when the trains come through.

    Advertisement

    "There are plenty of warning lights and signals, and for a few minutes when the train comes through activity in the downtown stops and then resumes just as quickly," he says.
    The line follows the valley of the Ohio River 86 miles from Parkersburg to Wheeling, passing through Saint Marys about 30 miles north of Parkersburg.

    Some tourists will sit for hours, waiting for the train to pass, Ingram says, and the town of just more than 1,700 residents welcomes any who would come to watch the event, which happens multiple times daily.

    "I'm not longer familiar with how often the train passes through," Ingram said, pausing briefly to allow an engine to incidentally rumble past, "but I've noticed that the number of cars is often longer. In one case, I counted 275 cars."

    "What train?" David Sibray surveys Second Street.

    The seat of one of the state's smallest counties, 135-square-mile Pleasants County, Saint Marys is widely regarded for its small-town charm. established in 1849 by Alexander Creel, who is said to have had a vision of Mary while passing the townsite by boat on the Ohio River.

    Advertisement
    Advertisement
    Advertisement
    Advertisement

    The community has become a center for boating and float-fishing on the Ohio River and flat-water kayaking on Middle Island Creek, which enters the Ohio above the town.

    Saint Marys is one of the few remaining towns in the United States where freight trains share city streets with automotive traffic.


    Sign up to receive a FREE copy of West Virginia Explorer Magazine in your email weekly. Sign me up!
    David Sibray
    David Sibray
    Historian, real estate agent, and proponent of inventive economic development in West Virginia, David Sibray is the founder and publisher of West Virginia Explorer Magazine. For more information, he may be reached at 304-575-7390.

    LEAVE A REPLY

    Please enter your comment!
    Please enter your name here

    Hot this week

    Swing into autumn with West Virginia’s three new Almost Heaven swings

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Officials at the W.Va. Department of...

    Mysterious Wetzel County worm invasion wreaked havoc in West Virginia in 1918

    LITTLETON, W.Va. — In the summer of 1918, a...

    Exclusive dinner series at Pipestem Resort State Park showcases new menu

    PIPESTEM, W.Va. — Tickets are now available for a...

    Risk of West Virginia wildfires increases in 2025 amid dry autumn conditions

    MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The crackle of autumn leaves underfoot...

    Polemic Run, West Virginia: A roadside journey hidden off the expressway

    BIRCH RIVER, W.Va. — Each day, more than 10,000...

    Topics

    Swing into autumn with West Virginia’s three new Almost Heaven swings

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Officials at the W.Va. Department of...

    Exclusive dinner series at Pipestem Resort State Park showcases new menu

    PIPESTEM, W.Va. — Tickets are now available for a...

    Risk of West Virginia wildfires increases in 2025 amid dry autumn conditions

    MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The crackle of autumn leaves underfoot...

    Polemic Run, West Virginia: A roadside journey hidden off the expressway

    BIRCH RIVER, W.Va. — Each day, more than 10,000...

    Investigator: West Virginia ground-zero for UFO research, ET encounters

    GREEN BANK, W.Va. — A renowned paranormal investigator says...

    Duck, goose, waterfowl hunting season in West Virginia open October 4

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Several migratory bird hunting seasons will...

    Autumn colors continue to unfold across 'Almost Heaven,' West Virginia

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Autumn is sweeping across 'Almost Heaven,'...

    Related Articles

    Popular Categories