History - BC&G Cooperative
BUFFALO CREEK & GAULEY RR CO-OPERATIVE
P.O. Box 427
Clay, West Virginia 25043
304-587-6055
(9:00 am - 5:00 pm Mon-Fri)
email: BCGRailroad@yahoo.com
Website: www.bcandgcoop.blogspot.com
Jerold "Jerry" Murphy, President
Bill Car, Vice President
Charles Cantrell, Treasurer
Janine Potasnik, Secretary
At one time, the 300+ member BC&G Co-Operative worked on acquiring the remaining 14 miles of the original BC&G track and starting a tourist railroad as well as completing a campground facility on the site of the former BC&G Dundon yard. To the right are the officers and contact information for the Co-Operative when it was in existence. January 2020
While the ultimate objective of the Co-Op is to create a tourist railroad on the BC&G track that is not the only objective. The Co-Op is well along with the construction of the J.G. Bradley Campground on the site of the BC&G's Dundon yard. As seen in this photo, a lodge with rooms that will be available for rent is well along. The roof was installed late this fall. In this view, the BC&G main leading to the B&O interchange is visible on the right side of the photo. In addition to the lodge, individual cabins and camp sites are also planned. Contact the Co-Op for information on using the campground. Also visit the Co-Op's website at www.mountainstaterails.com.
J.G. BRADLEY CAMPGROUND
Despite the fact that the Co-Op does not yet own the track, it owns a locomotive and two cabooses, all shown here near the J.G. Bradley Campground.
The locomotive is a GE Class B-70/71 - GE763 35-ton 275 HP unit. It was built in January 1964 (s/n 34610) and shipped to the Carolina Power and Light Company on February 6, 1964.
The two cabooses are ex-Wabash units.
HISTORY
In the summer of 2005 the Buffalo Creek and Gauley Railroad Co-Operative was forned with the guidance of Central Appalachia Empowerment Zone of West Virginia. The intent of the CAEZ and the BC&G Co-Op is "to acquire 14.5 miles of the BC&G RR to create a rail excursion on one of the most scenic and undisturbed areas of West Virginia. Passengers will experience the beauty of the Buffalo Creek which is virtually unchanged from when the railroad first began. The area's natural beauty is enhanced by waterfalls, wildlife, wildflowers, rock formations, and the wonder of the people who lived and worked on this stretch of isolated railroad.?"
Since it's formation the Co-Op has signed a 30 year lease with the CAEZ for property at Dundon for the J.G. Bradley Campground, developed campground sites with water and electricity on the site of the former BC&G Dundon Shops and received a $200,000 in grant money from the WV Governor to be used toward the purchase of the railroad property with talks currently underway with railroad owner, Bill Bright.
The scenery along the BC&G is truely spectacular and would certainly draw nature lovers and railfans alike should the railroad ever become a reality!
Three photos by Brooks Stover
Buffalo Creek at Sand Fork
BC&G Right-Of-Way
Scenery at end of existing BC&G track.
DECEMBER 2011 UPDATE
According to President Jerrold Murphy, CAEZ has cancelled their partnership with the Co-op, but the Co-op continues to operate the campground as a primitive camping facility as the sewer system has not been installed. At the present time, no further work is being done on the lodge at the campground. The track continues to deteriorate and as the purchase of the track from Bill Bright Enterprises has not come to completion, the Co-op has sold the locomotive and cabooses. At the present time the Co-op is studying the best course to maintain the viability of the Co-op.
DECEMBER 2013 - To the best of our knowledge, there is currently no longer any activity related to the BC&G Co-Operative. Roger Nutter, the driving force behind the effort, has passed away and the CAEZ is no longer involved. There have been no posting to the blog for many months. If anyone has any information about the future of the BC&G RR Co-Operative, please contact me at buffalocreeksteam@comcast.net and I will post the update here. The information on this page was correct at one time but no longer. I am leaving it on this site for historical purposes only.
SEPTEMBER 1, 2018 - While the BC&G Cooperative in its original form apparently no longer exists, the CLAY COUNTY BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION has developed the RAIL RIDERS program and hiking in the area along the Buffalo Creek. They can be contacted at 304-618-7992. See announcement on HOME page.
