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Western Maryland Scenic Railroad
(From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
| Western Maryland Scenic Railroad | |
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Historic Western Maryland Railway station in Cumberland
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| Locale | Allegany County, Maryland |
| Dates of operation | 1988– |
| Predecessor | Western Maryland Railway |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) (standard gauge) |
| Length | 16 mi (26 km) |
| Headquarters | Cumberland, Maryland |
| Website | wmsr.com |
The WMSR operates passenger excursion trains out of the former Western Maryland station in Cumberland, which also houses one of the six visitor centers of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park as well as other attractions and offices. This station was built in 1913.
The railroad offers coach and first class service, as well as reserved caboose rides. The railroad also runs murder mystery excursions and special seasonal trips.
Contents
Rail line description
The track, which for the most part follows a former Western Maryland Railway line, proceeds northwest from Cumberland through "the Narrows", a deep water gap formed by the passage of Wills Creek between Haystack Mountain and Wills Mountain, parts of the Wills Mountain Anticline geological structure. The train then proceeds up the Allegheny Front through a water gap formed by Jennings Run, passes Mt. Savage, and terminates at the former Cumberland and Pennsylvania Railroad depot in Frostburg. The train lays over there for about 90 minutes to allow passengers to visit the town, and the locomotive is turned back there on a turntable that originally served the Western Maryland in Elkins, West Virginia. The train then returns to Cumberland by the same route.Intermediate sights on the line include:
- Helmstetter’s Curve in Cash Valley 39°40′43″N 78°48′25″W
- Brush Tunnel 39°41′24″N 78°48′50″W
- Woodcock Hollow, site of a hairpin curve 39°41′00″N 78°51′26″W
Locomotives
Shops
The WMSR operates out of the former WM's Ridgeley, West Virginia car shops located just across the Potomac River from Cumberland. The shops include offices, a Federal Railroad Administration building, and the former paint shop which is now used to house the steam engine and perform repairs on the railroad's equipment. The WMSR shops also serve as a business offering restoration services for locomotives and coaches from both commercial and private owners. South, past the Ridgely shops and yard, the WMSR also maintains a wye that is used to turn the railroad's locomotives and coaches.Passenger and Freight Equipment
Since its creation, the WMSR has gained an extensive collection of light weight style passenger coaches, many of which it either has restored to service in its maroon and gold livery, or has used for parts to restore other coaches. Many of the restored coaches are painted with the names of local area towns, as well as benefactors of the scenic railroad. The WMSR also has a collection of freight equipment it has collected from CSX and others sources that it uses for storage at the shops, rail line maintenance, and photo freight excursions. The WMSR currently also has three cabooses. They are two ex-C&O cabooses and one ex-WM caboose. Other un-restored equipment includes an ex-Chessie System crane, an ex-LS&I steam engine tender, ex-Amtrak material handling cars, heavyweight coaches and pieces for a turntable.See also
- Canal Place (park complex which includes the railway station)
- List of heritage railroads in the United States
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Western Maryland Scenic Railroad. |
- John Helmstetter Farm Fund - Photos at Helmstetter's Curve
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