Railfanning from Harpers Ferry to Kearneysville
To get to Harpers Ferry from Weverton, you want to go west on Route 340, but you will probably have to go east and turn around at the next exit. Take Route 340 across both rivers, the Shenandoah and the Potomac, respectively, to a stoplight. Turn right at the light and then take another right to follow the road down into the Ferry. To get to the station, turn left at the place where the street you are on ends, and then take another left onto Potomac Street. You will see a maintenance siding and the station on your right. Turn into the parking lot. Harpers Ferry has a substantial commuter parking lot, which is usually full on weekdays. The Harpers Ferry station is, in the opinion of the author, is the best place in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia to railfan. The afternoon sun is best for photographing westbounds as they pop out of the tunnel. It is also the location of the junction with the Shenandoah Sub to Winchester and Strasburg, Virginia. The junction is inside the tunnel, and about 4 or 5 trains take this branch to serve industries at Millville and Charles Town, West Virginia, and Winchester and Strasburg, Virginia. To shoot trains on the branch, go into town and find a spot anywhere along the wooden trestle that runs through town. Harpers Ferry also had a tower here, called ??. In 1950 when the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad moved the station to its present location, the station lost its tower, and the interlocking inside the tunnel was remotely controlled from inside the station. In 19??, the ??? removed the control point inside the station. Now the interlocking is remotely controlled from WB tower in Brunswick.

To get from Harpers Ferry to Engle, go back out to the stoplight at Route 340 and turn right. Go about ¼ of a mile to County Road 27. Turn right (north) on 27, go across the tracks to CR 28. Turn left on 28, go around a right-hand bend in the road, and immediately turn left on the first road that heads to the west. Go about ¼ of a mile until you see a few houses, the tracks, and signals. This is the small village of Engle. There is an abandoned branch line that branches off to the north and goes to Bakerton.

To get from Engle to Reedson, head west along the tracks to Route 230, turn left (north), and the first railroad crossing is Reedson.

To get to Duffields from Reedson, continue north on Route 230, and take the first road that heads off to the west. When you get to a road crossing, turn into the gravel lot that is across the tracks and the street from a general store. This is the Duffields commuter station.

To get to Shenandoah Junction from Duffields, continue south on CR 17, go around a left-hand turn, until you get to Shenandoah Junction Road. Take SJ Road and take the first road that heads off to the right. This road will lead you into the town of Shenandoah Junction. "The Junction" is where the NS crosses the CSX on an overhead bridge.

To get to Hobbs from "the Junction," continue out SJ Road to Route 9. Turn right on 9 until you get to a country store. Turn into the store’s parking lot. This is Hobbs. Hobbs is summit of a minor grade that starts just to the west of Martinsburg. Helpers are sometimes used on heavy eastbounds from West Cumbo. The helpers cut off on the fly and use a hand throw crossover to return to Martinsburg. There used to be a tower here, called RN. In about 1950, B&O tore the tower down and now the interlocking is controlled by NA tower in Martinsburg.

To get from Hobbs to Kearneysville, continue west on 9 until you get to a stoplight. Turn right at the light, go under the bridge, and immediately turn right on a road that goes up the bridge abutment. This road will take you along the tracks and next to some houses. This is the town of Kearneysville. After the road crosses the tracks, go a short distance to Route 9.

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