Logging Engineer: Charlie Cromer

Again, before getting to the modern, scenic railroad era, here are a few vignettes of logging-era locomotive engineers. These are all taken from Phillip Bagdon's excellent Shay Logging Locomotives At Cass, West Virginia.

Charlie Cromer (1885-1983) was an extremely important link between the logging and scenic railroad eras at Cass, as he was always willing to share his recollections with others.

From E. Shay's 1882 Catalog, the first Shay on Cheat Mountain

Cromer was the middle of three brothers, who all worked on the Cass job. George, the elder brother, took Charlie to see Dewing & Sons' T-boiler Shay at Cheat Bridge; from that point on, young Charlie was hooked on railroading.

Cromer was among the most versatile trainmen to ever work the Cass job. Primarily, he was a woods engineer: working out of lumber camps, he'd bring empties from the main to the hollows and loads from the hollows to the main, where engineers like Piney Williams would take them to the mill. Additionally, Cromer was often assigned to exotic, off-property situations. In 1912-13 and again in 1914-15, he  ran the locomotive at the Stony River Dam project in Grant County. Cromer also moonlighted as a steam drill operator around 1915, when the Company owned and operated its own coal mines. In the early 20's, the Cass line was planning to connect with the Western Maryland Railroad at the north end of Cheat River; Cromer was sent to work with WMRy, away from Cass-owned rails. When the Luke family (owners of the Cass job) made one of their inspection tours, Cromer was one of the few engineers trusted to pull their private car.

Though he had a wild youth (on two separate occasions, relationships with women almost brought about Cromer's death by gunshot), by 1915 he was settled down and married, though it once took an Act of God to bring him and his wife together. He was living at a lumber camp when, in his own words:

"...They wouldn't let me come home [from the lumber camp]. They were afraid something would happen to the engines ... didn't know much about them ... Finally I wrote my wife to come over. [She arrived] and it was six o' clock when I came in, changed out of my clothes and said, 'Oh Lord, I wish something would happen that I could spend two or three days with you. ... About half past 10, somebody hit the door and yelled, 'You all come out of there, and come out quick.'

Charlie Cromer (right) in 1913

There was a flash flood and logs were already hitting the tank ... it came down that creek and took [out] the bridge above us and the one down below us. And it was three days before they got them fixed. My prayer was answered! We loafed all over that country - we were just like little kids, all over the woods and everything else. I took care of the engine and would go about my business."

Charlie Cromer (right) with Kyle Neighbors in 1974

 As an old-timer, he was well-known for his front porch bull sessions with Cass historians Kyle Neighbors and Phillip Bagdon during the 1970's. From low beginnings as a fireman at 16, he worked up through the ranks to become one of the most steady, trustworthy, and adaptable engineers to ever work at Cass, West Virginia.