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Chris Parker and I found the Western Maryland Station in Cumberland, Maryland thanks to the excellent directions on their web site.
While Chris parked the car, I went inside the station to pick up our tickets. I went back to the car to pick up the cameras to start the pre trip photography.
The Western Maryland Station from street side.
Former railroad's name on the building.
Trackside view of the station.
Station with the Cumberland River in front of it.
The Cumberland River.
Clinchfield Railroad Caboose 1072 on display.
The C&O Canal.
The Western Maryland Railway Honor Roll World War 1 1917-1918. Out of the over 680 men on the list, only 20 "Paid the Supreme Sacrifice" being killed for their country. At 10:40 AM, the Capitol Limited that I rode to Pittsburgh rolled east out of Cumberland. We waited at the east end of the platform for the train to arrive into the station from its storage location.
First GP-30 502 and the steam engine 734 pulled the train across the bridge over the Cumberland River.
The 502 cut off on the fly then passed our photo location.
The 734 then came across the bridge but then came to a stop.
The 734 then started up and put on a great show coming into the station.
The rear of our train at the Cumberland Station. A walk forward was now in order.
Our train at the station.
Across the tracks with both the 734 and 502.
Western Maryland Scenic Railroad 2-8-0 734.
734 taking water. Our train had the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad 2-8-0 734, Coaches WMSR 876 Cumberland, WMSR 726 Man O' War, WMSR 880 Frostberg, WMSR 200 Lounge and unnamed 110. Chris and I then boarded taking a vestibule for my first ride on this fantastic railroad.
A Brief History The oldest portion was the Baltimore, Carroll and Frederick Railroad which was chartered in 1852 and began building west from Baltimore. The railroad was completed to Hagerstown, Maryland in 1872. Within a year, its name was changed to Western Maryland Rail Road Company, and eventually, it became Western Maryland Railway Company. The Connellsville Extension was built west from Cumberland, Maryland, to Connellsville, Pennsylvania, beginning around 1906 and was completed in 1912. In 1931, the Western Maryland became part of the Alphabet Route, a competitor to more major railroads including the Pennsylvania Railroad. Thus, although never a giant, the Connellsville subdivision of WM handled through Midwest fast freight traffic and coal from company-owned mines near Fairmont, West Virginia, and Somerset, Pennsylvania. In 1930, the Pittsburgh and West Virginia Railroad Company reached Connellsville to hook up with the WM. That line operates today as the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway.
In 1964, the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O) and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) jointly filed for permission to acquire control of the Western Maryland Railway with the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC). In 1973, as part of the Chessie System, the Western Maryland ownership went to C&O and it was operated by the B&O. In 1987, it was merged into the C&O which itself became part of CSX Transportation.
Much of the original Western Maryland line has been abandoned including the crossing of the Allegheny Mountains and the Eastern Continental Divide near Deal, Pennsylvania after going through Savage Mountain in a 3,000 ft tunnel. The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad now operates the portion from Cumberland to Frostberg. Other portions of this historic railroad are now rail trails.
The Trip
We departed at 11:30 AM and soon passed the GP-30 502.
The train crossed the Cumberland River.
Passing some of the freight cars they use when they run steam photo freights.
Our train entered the Narrows. Here I got my first cinder in my eyes. I had forgotten that this engine was a coal burner and left the eye goggles at home. Taking pictures on this trip meant I would have to be careful.
Our train approaching the Bridge in the Narrows.
The Bridge in the Narrows where once there was a second track in the future will be a bike and hiking trail that once finished will follow the entire length of this railroad.
Our route took us through the forests on the slope of the hill we ran along.
The view looking out between the trees.
Rounding the Helmstetter's Curve.
Approaching the Brush Tunnel.
Approaching and passing through the Brush Tunnel.
Our train passing MP 173.
The train continues the climb towards Frostberg.
Near the Woodcock Hollow.
Our train passed beneath a former Western Maryland Railroad signal bridge. A few minutes later we arrived into Frostberg where I detrained.
The train in front of the Frostberg Station. After this picture, I headed up the stairs that overlooked the turntable.
The 734 had cut off the train and approached the turntable.
Turning on the Turntable at Frostberg.
Pulling off the turntable with Chris Parker in these views.
Views of the train after the 734 had been turned.
The 734 in Frostberg. After these pictures I went to get an ice cream on this hot and humid afternoon. I stopped at a bathroom to wash the cinders off of myself before I went and sat on a bench in the shade to wait for our return trip boarding. I reboarded and took a seat in the Man O' War for the trip back to Cumberland. I would take only a few pictures on the return trip.
The train drifts downgrade on the return trip.
The train rounded the Helmstetter's Curve. After that Chris and I moved into the much cooler Cumberland for the rest of the trip back. It had been a fantastic trip aboard the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad and it is a trip I think everyone should take! Back at Cumberland we detrained for a few more pictures.
Back in front of the Cumberland Station.
Another view of the 734.
Our engineer getting ready to take the 734 back across the river to its shop.
The great looking Western Maryland emblem.
734 headed back to its shop.
GP-30 502 ready to push the passenger cars back to the shop.
502 almost ready to go.
502 took the cars home across the Cumberland River.
One last look at the Cumberland Station. I went inside and bought a T-shirt and post cards before Chris and I said our goodbyes to the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad.
or call for tickets and information 1-800-872-4650 or 301-759-4400
After the trip our next location to visit would be the CSX Sand Patch Summit. We left Cumberland Ok but soon took a wrong turn that took us to Fairhope.
Here we caught an eastbound CSX helper set drifting downgrade to Cumberland. We headed west towards the Sand Patch but made another wrong turn and missed another eastbound CSX freight. After a few miles of dirt roads, we found the main highway and a couple of left hand turns got us to the bridge at Sand Patch Summit.
A CSX Rail Train was sitting in the siding shut down for the late afternoon. We heard a horn which signaled an eastbound train.
An eastbound stack train led by a BNSF and FURX units.
Train heading towards the Sand Patch Tunnel.
I made a walk that took me to the Summit of the Alleghenies Sign. We decided to head west to take a look around so we drove to Meyersdale.
Here we found the B&O Station.
Over on another street we found the Western Maryland Station and displays. From here we drove over to the former Western Maryland Salisbury Viaduct. We walked out and across the whole bridge on a bike trail where the tracks once were.
Views of the CSX Mainline.
At the west end I found this sign board.
At the west end the view across with Chris Parker in this view.
The view of the river below. A CSX helper set dropped west under the Salisbury Viaduct. We walked back over the viaduct and to the car.
Ground views of the Salisbury Viaduct. We returned to Cumberland through a driving rain
storm in search of food.
Chris and I spotted a pair of CSX Helpers. First we tried Friday Nights in Cumberland with no luck. Someone here needs to start a tri-tip sandwich stand and would clean up big time.
We returned to the car, got our cameras and a view of the westbound Capitol Limited running an hour late. On the way out of town, I stopped at KFC and Chris stopped at Wendy's. We took West Virginia Highway 28 down to Romney after dark passing our train for tomorrow. Once in town we took US 50 East up the hill to the South Branch Inn where we would spend that night.
The South Branch Inn. Tomorrow we will ride the Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad, but first a good night of rest.
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