On July 14, 2017, friend Gary Muehlius of Seattle and I rode the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad out of Cumberland, Maryland.
Here is their beautiful depot, restored with the ticket office and gift shops at track level and a canal museum at street level.
The depot was built in 1913. This is the trackside view.
This is the view from the street below.
We had time before our train left and quickly discovered that the Chesapeake and Ohio canal ran right by the depot. There is a great museum about the canal in the lower level of the depot.
After our last train ride the next day, on the way north from Romney, West Virginia, we found more remains of the canal.
Back to our train ride--our power for today is a GP30. It originally was built for the Reading Railroad but now is lettered for the Western Maryland, the tracks we will be running on today.
Here is our train.
We will be going 16 miles UP HILL, rising in elevation from 600 feet to 2200 feet. The grade is basically 1.75% but has spots up to 3%. We will be heading north through "The Narrows."
Here we go! The brakeman protects the crossing, even though there are flashing signals (Maryland drivers aren't any better than Duluth drivers).
We cross Willis Creek (originally Will's Creek), now lined with concrete.
The hanging cables are telltale poles. These were used to warn brakemen riding on the tops of the cars that an obstruction was coming up, in this case a bridge.
Bicycle trails and railroad tracks can coexist (despite what Wisconsin says). There is no barrier between the tracks and trail except in the tunnel.
We soon come to a large bridge over a highway. This bridge was originally double tracked. There were dozens of bikers on the trail, all except 3 riding DOWN hill!
This great vintage 1975 picture is of a Western Maryland freight train dragging its train uphill at Helmstetter's Curve. The hairpin curve is one of the classic photo locations in our country.
T
oday, foliage has taken over the location but here is what it looks from the cab.
Continuing . . .
We come to Brush Tunnel, a 914-foot tunnel under Piney Mountain.
Then I had camera problems. More tunnel pix on the trip back down the hill.
There are 2 old signal bridges still in place, not used. However, the first one has a light that can be lit for photos.
This bridge goes over the original Western Maryland track running from Connellsville, PA to Cumberland, Maryland. We traveled on a branch off the main line into Frostburg.
This is now part of the bike trail.
We come to Frostburg, the end of the tourist line.
After the passengers disembark, we will turn the engine on the turntable. This turntable was moved here from Elkins, where we rode their tourist train yesterday. Formerly, just to the right of the turntable, there was a tunnel leading to Westernport.
Then we run around the train so the engine will be on the head end on the way back. The caboose is used for charters and the gondola is used for hauling bicycles up to Frostburg so the bikers can ride back downhill to Cumberland.
And who should I run into at Frostburg but friend Alex Cook-Shannon from the North Shore Scenic Railroad in Duluth!! He is employed for the summer by the Thomas The Tank group and is at the Western Maryland Railroad helping with their 'Christmas In July' trains.
We have a little time so Gary and I enjoy our lunch in the cupola of the caboose!
The view from my dining chair.
And we head back down the hill.
This is the location of a former switchback. Note the flat groundwork.
There was a coal mine here that caved in!
At this point, about a year and a half ago, there was a landslide which closed the track.
The train had to stop short of this location at this little depot, called Mountain View, before returning to Cumberland.
We approach Brush Tunnel again.
Soon we are back to the big steel bridge.
And all too soon, our great ride is over. Thanks to the Western Maryland staff and crew for a great day riding the train!!
On July 15, 2017, friend Gary Muehlius of Seattle and I rode the Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad in Romney, West Virginia. This is about a 19 mile ride one way and back along the South Branch of the Potomac River.
This track is owned by the State of West Virginia and leased to the South Branch Valley Railroad which moves unit grain trains, primarily corn, to the feed mill in Moorefield for processing into food for the many local chicken processing companies.
The Potomac Eagle runs a push-pull operation with an engine on each end. Here is the engine on the north end, a beautiful F-7 (F-unit or covered wagon) built in 1952 for the Bessemer & Lake Erie Railroad but now painted in the Baltimore & Ohio paint scheme, the railroad the built and ran on these tracks.
Gary poses beside the big girl before we take our ride.
At the other end, pulling our train for the first half of the trip is GP9 #6240. It is lettered for the B&O but actually is an ex-C&O (Chesapeake and Ohio) railroad engine. It is owned by the South Branch Valley Railroad and leased to the Potomac Eagle but the lease is running out and a replacement will have to be found for next year.
The Potomac Eagle Railroad advertises eagles, claiming to see eagles on over 90% of the trains. A gondola and an open air car provide the best viewing locations. We will ride in the blue open air car for part of the trip and then in the ????
A former B&O wagon top caboose serves as the ticket office. It is one of only 7 of this style built for the B&O.
Soon after we leave the station we come to a beautiful long curve low trestle approaching the bridge over the south branch of the Potomac River.
You will see better pictures of this later but here is another bridge we soon come across.
Compared to our previous 3 rides the previous 3 days in the Alleghany Mountains, this ride is relatively flat.
One of the scenic locations along the line is this old stone house, built in 1789!! (Note second picture)
After a few miles we come to "The Trough." This is a narrow valley about 6 miles long and is only accessible by railroad or river (which is very shallow).
This is the area where the eagle nests are located and eagles are frequently seen flying. The train stops and lets people go onto the gondola. At the far end of the run, these passengers will leave and a new set of people get on for the return trip.
Beautiful scenery along the way!!
There were LOTS of tubers, canoers, and kayakers making their way down river. (Lots of portaging over rocks).
We cross the Sycamore Bridge over the Potomac River's south branch shortly before the far end of the run.
Thanks to Gary for this shot, a favorite publicity location for the Potomac Eagle.
We then take the opportunity to board the F-unit for the remainder of the trip!!
Our engineer is one of the owners of this line.
This is undoubtedly the longest straight section of track we rode in the 4 days of our West Virginia/Maryland trip.
And a cattle guard, reminiscent of western railroading, prevents animals from crossing.
Back at the photogenic long low curved trestle and bridge.
Here is their car shop. Another First Class car is being refurbished as the roof leaks!
Some of their extra cars including this great caboose.
All too soon, we are back to the depot (note the name: Wappocomo Station).
Thanks to the Potomac Eagle crew and staff for a great train ride!!!
