It was a state Public Service Commission study that first suggested that a scenic excursion train would be successful on the South Branch Valley Railroad. From that study members of the Romney Business and Professional Organization began their effort to make the idea a reality. A few years lapsed before the Potomac Eagle became the company in charge of making the dream of a few a source of pleasure for many. And by coincidence that time frame was also when a few American bald eagles decided to make the Trough, a narrow passage the train tracks and the river share, a permanent home. In the fall of 1991, the Eagle Canon Passenger Car Company began operating the Potomac Eagle from a siding named Wappocomo Station just north of Romney.

And that's before passengers get to the 6-mile Trough, where eagles almost always await train visitors. Sometimes passengers see one eagle, and then other trips provide visitors with the chance to see several. It's not a guarantee to see America's greatest symbol on the Potomac Eagle, but it's a pretty good bet that passengers will see at least one. It's almost as if they come out on cue to perform in all their spectacular style.