HUNTINGTON, W.Va. -- The annual New River Train trips draw about 4,500 visitors to Huntington each fall, and organizers are getting ready for next month's excursions.

The Collis P. Huntington Railroad Historical Society organizes the train trips for two weekends each October, offering visitors a glimpse of West Virginia's fall beauty and a chance to get a taste of its history. The train travels along the former Chesapeake & Ohio line from Huntington, through the New River Gorge, to Hinton and back during peak autumn foliage season.

Don Maxwell of the Railroad Historical Society tells The Herald Dispatch that autumn visitors contribute an estimated $1.6 million to the local economy annually.

Maxwell says this year's trips are sold out.