Western Maryland Scenic Railroad

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Template:Short description Script error: No such module "Unsubst". Template:Use mdy dates Script error: No such module "Infobox".Template:Template otherScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Script error: No such module "Check for clobbered parameters". The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad (reporting mark WMSR) is a heritage railroad based in Cumberland, Maryland, that operates passenger excursion trains and occasional freight trains using both steam and diesel locomotives over ex-Western Maryland Railway (WM) tracks between Cumberland and Frostburg. The railroad offers coach and first class service, murder mystery excursions, and special seasonal trips.

Rail line history and description

The Western Maryland (WM) was a small Class 1 railroad that served Cumberland, Maryland, along with a branch line that ran between there and Frostburg, as well as stretching to other small towns, like Hancock and Connellsville.[1] In 1973, the WM joined the Baltimore and Ohio and Chesapeake and Ohio railroads to group into the Chessie System, which would eventually be completely merged into the new CSX transportation system.[1] The Cumberland-Frostburg branch was subsequently abandoned. In the late 1980s, the city of Cumberland started seeing the old branch line as a possible tourist attraction, so a joint effort was formed; Allegany County contributed $585,000, the city $2,470,560, and the city of Frostburg $338,427 to purchase the corridor. As part of the deal, the newly formed Scenic Railroad Development Corporation (SRDC) was given the old WM shops in Ridgeley, West Virginia, a 1913 station in Cumberland, and an 1891 Cumberland & Pennsylvania wooden depot in Frostburg.[2] From 1989 to 1991, the trackage was used by the Allegany Central Railroad before the SRDC began operations themselves as the WMSR.

WMSR's excursion trains start in Cumberland at the Western Maryland Railway Station.[2] Built in 1913, the station also houses one of the six Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park visitor centers as well as other attractions and offices.[2] From there, the trains follow the former Western Maryland Railway line northwest through the Cumberland 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.[2] They then proceed up the Allegheny Front through a water gap formed by Jennings Run, pass Mt. Savage, and terminate at the former Cumberland and Pennsylvania Railroad depot in Frostburg, where they lay over for about 90 minutes to allow passengers to visit the town while the locomotive is reversed 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   Script error: No such module "Coordinates".
  • Brush Tunnel   Script error: No such module "Coordinates".
  • Woodcock Hollow, site of a hairpin curve   Script error: No such module "Coordinates".

The Allegheny Highlands Trail of Maryland, part of the Great Allegheny Passage bicycle trail between Cumberland and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, parallels the WMSR. Cyclists can make reservations with the railroad to put their bikes on board for the climb up the mountain to Frostburg, then cycle back down to Cumberland.

On August 24, 2021, the railroad appointed a new executive director, Wesley Heinz. Heinz came into the position with a mission to rebuild and reimagine the entire organization. The new administration implemented a plan that resulted in the completion of locomotive No. 1309's restoration, and experienced an increase of ridership and revenue.[3]

In January 2024, the WMSR announced their long-term lease of the Georges Creek Railway—a Script error: No such module "convert". short line that lies between Carlos and Westernport, Maryland—from the Eighteen Thirty Group.[4][5] The WMSR’s initial goal for the railway is to thoroughly revitalize the trackage and to eventually operate the short line as a separate business entity called the Georges Creek Division, and the line would provide tourist excursions matching the WMSR’s main operations while providing occasional revenue freight trains that would interchange with CSX.[4][5] The railroad also acquired former WM EMD GP9 locomotives Nos. 25 and 39 for the eventual operation.[4][5]

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 maintains a wye (original part of Maryland Jct) 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 green 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 other 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, ex-Amtrak material handling cars, heavyweight coaches and pieces for a turntable.

Equipment

Locomotives

Locomotive details[6][5]
Number Images Type Class Builder Built Status
734 File:Wms black hills 062x4RP (9131634587).jpg Steam 2-8-0Template:Whyte suffix Baldwin Locomotive Works 1916 Under restoration
1309 File:WMSR 1309 Ridgeley WV.jpg Steam 2-6-6-2Template:Whyte suffix Baldwin Locomotive Works 1949 Operational
1957 Diesel 80-ton switcher General Electric 1952–1953 Stored, awaiting restoration
25 File:WMSR GP9 No. 25.jpg Diesel GP9 Electro-Motive Diesel 1954 Stored, awaiting restoration
39 File:WMSR GP9 No. 39.jpg Diesel GP9 Electro-Motive Diesel 1957 Stored, awaiting restoration
502 Diesel GP30 Electro-Motive Diesel 1962 Stored, out of service
501 File:Western Maryland 501.jpg Diesel GP30 Electro-Motive Diesel 1963 Operational
539 A GE B32-8 in the Western Maryland "Fireball" livery and the number 539 sits idle on the woods-lined tracks leading into Frostburg, MD. Diesel B32-8 General Electric 1989 Operational
558 File:NIWX (WM) 558 Woodcock Hollow.jpg Diesel B32-8 General Electric 1989 Operational
561 File:WMSX 561 Frostburg.jpg Diesel B32-8 General Electric 1989 Operational

Former units

Locomotive details[7]
Number Images Type Class Builder Built Current owner
450 File:WMSR 450 Frostburg.jpg Diesel F40M-2F Electro-Motive Diesel 1981 LTEX
1238 Steam 4-6-2Template:Whyte suffix Montreal Locomotive Works 1946 Waterloo Central Railway
1286 File:Ex-CPR 1286 at PC station, Marlboro, MD on August 14, 1969 (34182487770).jpg Steam 4-6-2Template:Whyte suffix Canadian Locomotive Company 1948 Private owner in Manitoba
40 File:DGVR40 Staunton WJGrimes.JPG Diesel GP9 Electro-Motive Diesel 1955 Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad
199 Diesel RS3 American Locomotive Company 1954 Railroad Museum of New England
1689 File:CNW1689.jpg Diesel RSD5 American Locomotive Company 1955 Illinois Railway Museum
305 File:Cuyahoga Valley National Park (d5f8f3b0-6d03-4981-aa4c-eb188e84a436).jpg Diesel FPA-4 Montreal Locomotive Works 1959 Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad
306/800 File:Train in Peninsula Ohio.jpg Diesel FPS-4 Montreal Locomotive Works 1959 Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad
7471 File:WM 7471 Frostburg.jpg Diesel SD40 Electro-Motive Diesel 1966 Precision Locomotive Leasing
7436 File:WM (PNLX) 7436 Frostburg.jpg Diesel SD35 Electro-Motive Diesel 1964 Precision Locomotive Leasing
7 Diesel CR4 60-ton switcher Plymouth Locomotive Works 1960 Walkersville Southern Railroad

Rolling stock

Rolling stock details[8]
Number / Name Type Builder Built
456 Dining car New York Central 1948
851 Lounge car Pullman Company 1949
501 Dome car 1951
Good Vibrations Passenger car 1955
Lover's Leap Observation car Unknown 1949

Gallery

See also

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References

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  7. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  8. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

Further reading

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External links

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