I went up there last week. Also visited the radio telescope at green bank. Won't get the photos for that one until a week (I had to use film) but here are a few of the railroad.

 

https://flickr.com/photos/89395174@N00/sets/72157647126467602

 

Best train ride EVER. It was really nice going up the mountain with the old iron horses powered by all American COAL.

Just in case you were wondering, it's in West Virginia about 8 hours from north jersey. The area has no cell service thanks to the radio quiet zone. But the views are scenic and it's nice to be transported back to another time when life was a bit simpler. The telescope is also awesome and is the primary reason why we went but the railroad was a nice touch. BTW Florida or Utah CCW has you covered but you can't take it on the train, so they say anyway. There were no signs only a small note in the brochure. Forget about being armed in the NRAO building since it is a federal building.

Just in case you were wondering, it's in West Virginia about 8 hours from north jersey. The area has no cell service thanks to the radio quiet zone. But the views are scenic and it's nice to be transported back to another time when life was a bit simpler. The telescope is also awesome and is the primary reason why we went but the railroad was a nice touch. BTW Florida or Utah CCW has you covered but you can't take it on the train, so they say anyway. There were no signs only a small note in the brochure. Forget about being armed in the NRAO building since it is a federal building.

 

I believe the "radio quiet" zone thing was featured on 60 minutes or some such thing... They profiled "the enforcer..." the guy who went round detecting cell phone signals, etc., in the "quiet zone" and confronting the cell owners, if he could...

Have been thru Cass many times headed to Snowshoe Ski Resort when they use to let Jeep Jamboree USA use the mountain for a Jamboree. Never stopped to see/ ride the train, but have seen many pictures from others in my Jeep club who have.

 

I have been to the Green Bank Telescopes. It's amazing that they have devices that can track down microwave ovens that are not working properly in a 25 mile radius. Because they screw up the telescope.  And during the tour it was said that if they find a bad microwave, the NRAO pays to replace it.

 

Matter of fact here is a link to photos of my 2007 trip to Snowshoe, including the tour of the Green Bank Telescopes. http://www.neahs.net/photoalbum/Snowshoejamboree2007

It's true. The telescopes are extremely sensitive and even the smallest signals can knock them offline. They have the 500 mile quiet zone but also a 10 mile extreme quiet zone near the GBT.

The front end receiver is helium cooled and the reflector parabola is massive, as well as being finely adjustable. They can detect signals of 10^-26 of a watt

Thanks for sharing Ryan...gotta put that on my list

It's about 12-15 years since I've been there it really is something to see. 

Thanks for sharing Ryan...gotta put that on my list

The roads are something else, lots of scenic views but lots of steep climbs and hairpin turns!

The roads are something else, lots of scenic views but lots of steep climbs and hairpin turns!

Very true. A motorcycle rides dream!

Yep, plenty of those riding through!