Cumberland station (Western Maryland Railway) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cumberland
Western Maryland Railway station in 2003
Location	13 Canal Street Cumberland, MD 21502
Coordinates	39°38′58″N 78°45′50″W / 39.64944°N 78.76389°W / 39.64944; -78.76389
Line(s)	Western Maryland Scenic Railroad
Platforms	1 side platform
Tracks	3
Construction
Parking	Yes
Disabled access	Yes
History
Opened	1913 (1913)
Rebuilt	1988
Services
Preceding station   WMSR   Following station Frostburg Terminus   Western Maryland Scenic Railroad   Terminus
Former services Preceding station Western Maryland Railway Following station Terminus Main Line Old Town toward Baltimore Hillen Seymour toward Elkins Cumberland – Elkins Terminus Lap toward Connellsville Cumberland – Connellsville
Western Maryland Railway Station
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
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Area	1 acre (0.40 ha)
NRHP reference No.	73000885
Added to NRHP	June 19, 1973

The Cumberland station is a very old and important train station located in Cumberland, Maryland. It was built way back in 1913. This station was a busy stop for the Western Maryland Railway (WM) for many years.

Trains stopped running here in 1959, but the railway still used the building until 1976. After that, the station was fixed up. Today, it's a cool museum and office space. It's also the main spot for the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad, which is a fun heritage train ride.

What Does Cumberland Station Look Like?

The station was designed by an architect named C. M. Anderson from Baltimore. It was built on land that used to be part of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal.

The building looks like a big, strong commercial building. It shows how buildings were designed in the early 1900s to be useful and practical. It's made of brick and has nine sections along its length and three sections across its width.

On the west side, it has two tall floors. On the east side, it has three floors. There's also a long, one-story roof that covers the platform where people waited for trains. This roof stretches out towards the train tracks.

A Journey Through Time: The Station's History

The Western Maryland Railway (WM) started daily train service through Cumberland on June 15, 1913. These trains traveled all the way from Baltimore to Chicago.

Some of the most famous trains were the Chicago Limited and the Baltimore Limited. These trains even had special sleeping cars, called Pullman cars, where passengers could sleep during their journey. Other WM trains went between Cumberland and Elkins, West Virginia.

Over the years, especially during the Great Depression, fewer and fewer passenger trains ran. The WM stopped its passenger service between Cumberland and Baltimore in 1953. The trains going to Elkins stopped in 1959.

Even after passenger trains stopped, the WM still used the station. They had their Western Division offices on the upper floors. There was also a special control tower that managed the train tracks. This continued even after the railroad joined the Chessie System until 1976.

After a while, the building started to get old and worn out. The Chessie System first rented it out, then sold it to the Kelly Tire Company to store tires. Later, the City of Cumberland bought the building for just one dollar!

Bringing the Station Back to Life: Restoration

People in Cumberland wanted to create a fun scenic railroad using the old WM tracks. Because of this, the station was partly fixed up in 1990.

However, the full restoration didn't start until 1996. This was when the Canal Place Preservation and Development Authority was created. During this big restoration, many things were added or fixed:

• A museum area for the National Park Service was created on the first floor.
• A waiting area, a gift shop, and a cafe were added on the second floor.
• Office spaces were made on the third and fourth floors.
• Outside, a new elevator tower was built.
• A third display track was added for trains.
• A second platform and a ramp for people with disabilities were also built.
• The old platform shelters and a memorial for WM employees were restored.
• The pedestrian underpass, which goes under the railroad tracks, was also fixed up.

Today, the Cumberland station is part of a special area called Canal Place. This area is managed by the Canal Place Preservation and Development Authority. The station building now holds offices for this Authority and for the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad. It also has a visitors center for the C&O Canal National Historic Park. Plus, some local officials and businesses rent office space there.

The station was recognized as an important historical place in 1973. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Western Maryland Railway Station.