The Chesapeake & Ohio Historical Society (C&OHS) announces its annual George Washington Train Show, a two-day fundraising event taking place March 21–22, 2026, in Clifton Forge, Virginia. The show will be held at two locations: The C&O Railway Heritage Center (701 Main Street) and the Clifton Forge Armory (724 Commercial Avenue). A $5 admission grants access to both venues.
The event runs Saturday, March 21, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and Sunday, March 22, from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM, and will feature vendors, speakers, operating model train layouts, exhibits, gift shopping, door prizes, food, and family-friendly activities.
Highlighting the Society’s mission to preserve and share C&O Railway history, the event includes presentations focused on the C&O James River Line, held at the far end of the museum on Saturday:
- 1:00 PM: Chris Wiley – Researching Freight Operations on the C&O Railway: James River Line
- 2:00 PM: Chuck McIntyre & Dave Ostrander – A Photographic Tour of the James River Line
Train show attractions include vendors offering all scales of model trains, railroadiana, and rail-related gifts. Operating layouts include the C&OHS O-scale layout, depicting the C&O route from the Virginia shore to the Ohio River; HO-scale layouts from the New River Valley Modular Railroad Club and K.C. Filkins; an N-scale layout and hands-on demonstrations by C&OHS member Dale Perry; and participation by Colby Lowry. Operation Lifesaver will also be present to promote railroad safety education for all ages.
Food vendors include the Clifton Forge Little League Concession Trailer at the Armory, offering a variety of hot foods and beverages, with proceeds supporting youth baseball and softball for ages 4–16. Sweetz Popcorn will be located at the C&O Railway Heritage Center, selling fresh specialty popcorn, caramel corn, and kettle corn.
For more information, call 540-862-2210 or email brandy@cohs.org. The C&O Railway Heritage Center is located at 705 Main Street, Clifton Forge, VA. Additional information about the Society, its museum, and its 57-year history can be found at facebook.com/candoheritage, archives.cohs.org, Facebook @cohs.org, and Instagram @ChessiesRoad.
