(The following story by Bill Archer appeared on the Bluefield Daily Telegraph website on July 17, 2010.)
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. — Rail enthusiasts of the region and beyond will have an opportunity to climb on board a “Fall Foliage Amtrak Excursion” train on Sunday, Nov. 7, during day two of a two-day rail excursion sponsored by the Roanoke Chapter, National Railway Historical Society.
The chapter sent out a, “Save the Date” memo on Monday, announcing the date for the excursions and reporting that additional details will be made public in the near future. People seeking information can contact the Roanoke Chapter at (www.RoanokeNRHS.org).
“The Roanoke Chapter, the city of Bluefield and us (the Mercer County Convention and Visitors Bureau) met on Wednesday,” Marie Blackwell, executive director of the Mercer County Convention and Visitors Bureau said. “This was our initial meeting for this excursion. I shared my list of ideas with them and the city and Roanoke chapter shared their ideas.”
Blackwell said that she has contacted local individuals and the leaders of organizations, and invited them to attend a planning meeting later this month. “The response I have received has been positive and supportive,” Blackwell said. “People enjoyed the excursion last year, and I think they’re anxious to do it again. Everywhere I’ve been, the excitement is there.”
Blackwell said the rail excursion from Roanoke to Bluefield on Nov. 7, 2009, was a huge success. The weather cooperated and hundreds of visitors shopped at local businesses and from vendors set up in the vicinity of Chicory Square. “The miniature trains will still be at Chicory Square for the arrival of the excursion train,” Blackwell said. “I think they will be another draw.”
The Roanoke to Bluefield excursion is the second of two trips the Roanoke chapter is sponsoring this year. The first trip will be on Saturday, Nov. 6, and travel to Danville, Va., “a new destination for our trips,” according to the press release. The excursion will travel from Roanoke south on the former Southern Railway mainline to Alta Vista, Va., and on to Danville. After a layover for lunch in Danville, the excursion will depart for the return to Roanoke through Lynchburg, Va.
In the meantime, Blackwell said she is working on her list of vendors to contact and ask them if they will save the date as well.