Walkersville Southern Railroad facts for kids
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Walkersville, Maryland |
| Locale | Frederick County, Maryland |
| Dates of operation | 1995–present |
| Predecessor | Penn Central Transportation Company |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Length | 6.72 miles (11 km) |
| Other | |
| Website | http://www.wsrr.org/ |
The Walkersville Southern Railroad (reporting mark WS) is a special heritage railway in Walkersville, Maryland. It is about 6.72 miles (11 kilometers) long. This railway lets people experience what train travel was like in the past. It runs on tracks that were once part of a much older railway system. The trains travel from south of Woodsboro to just north of Frederick, Maryland.
Contents
History of the Railroad Tracks
The tracks used by the Walkersville Southern Railroad have a long history. They were first built by the Frederick and Pennsylvania Line Railroad Company. This company started building the railway in 1869. The line opened on October 8, 1872. It connected Frederick to the Pennsylvania-Maryland state line.
Later, in 1875, the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) took over the operation of this line. The PRR was a very large and important railroad company. Over the years, the ownership of the tracks changed several times. They were merged with other smaller railroads. Eventually, the line became part of the Penn Central railroad in 1968.
In 1972, a big storm called Hurricane Agnes caused a lot of damage. It washed out a bridge over the Monocacy River. Because of this, the train line stopped being used for a while. The State of Maryland bought the line in 1982.
Bringing the Railroad Back to Life
The part of the railway south of Walkersville was not used for many years. It became overgrown with plants and weeds. But in 1991, a group of volunteers decided to bring the line back to life. They worked hard to clean up and repair the tracks.
In 1993, the State of Maryland allowed the volunteers to operate the line. Tourist trains began running in 1995. They went from Walkersville to the Monocacy River. The damaged bridge was rebuilt and finished in March 1996. This meant trains could cross the river again after 23 years!
By 1998, the line was rebuilt all the way to Maryland Route 26 in Frederick. There were plans to extend the line further into Frederick. However, there was too much car traffic on Route 26. Also, many businesses that might have used the freight trains had moved away. So, the plans to go further into the city were stopped. Today, the old railway path south of Route 26 might become a trail for hikers and bikers.
In 2008, Maryland gave the railroad rights to operate three more miles of track to the north. This new section connects to the Maryland Midland Railway. By 2014, this northern part of the line was fully restored and ready for use.
How the Railroad Operates Today
Today, the Walkersville Southern Railroad offers fun train rides for visitors. They usually run two or three trips on Saturdays and Sundays. These trips happen in May, June, September, and October. In July and August, they run on Saturdays only.
The railroad also hosts special events. These can include trips for train fans with special steam engines. They also have popular Santa trains during the Christmas season. Sometimes, people with their own train equipment can use the tracks with special permission.
The railroad often uses unique diesel locomotives. These are industrial engines that are not commonly seen today. In 2012, a steam locomotive ran on the railway for the first time in over 60 years! This was the "Flagg Coal 75," a small tank engine. Other steam engines have visited since then, bringing back the sounds and sights of old-time trains.
Train Equipment
The Walkersville Southern Railroad has many different types of trains. They have diesel locomotives and various passenger cars.
Diesel Locomotives
The railroad uses several diesel locomotives. Many of these are older "switcher" engines. These are smaller trains used for moving cars around train yards. Some of them were built during World War II for the US Army or Navy.
| Number | Builder | Type | Date Built | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WSRR 1 | Plymouth Locomotive Works | 18-ton switcher | 1941 | On Display | Used to operate on the Wilmington & Western Railroad. |
| WSRR 2 | Davenport Locomotive Works | 25-ton switcher | 1939 | Operational | Used for maintaining the tracks. |
| WSRR 3 | Davenport Locomotive Works | 20-ton switcher | 1942 | Needs Repair | Was US Army 7707 during WW II. |
| ex-WMSR #7 | Plymouth Locomotive Works | Plymouth CR4 | 1960 | Operational | Came from J&L Steel, then other railroads. |
| ex-AFC #9 | General Electric Transportation | 45-ton switcher | June 1943 | Operational | Built for the US Navy. |
| ex-DGVR 45 | General Electric Transportation | 45-ton switcher | June 1943 | Operational | Was US Army 7496 during WW II. |
| ex-GN #5201 | General Electric Transportation | 44-ton switcher | 1940 | Needs Repair | Believed to be the oldest of its kind still existing. |
| WSRR 101 | Electro-Motive Division | EMD Model 40 | August 1942 | Out of Service | One of only 11 of this type ever built. |
| nee-PRR, ex- SRC 9331 | General Electric Transportation | 45-ton switcher | 1948 | Operational | Originally a Pennsylvania Railroad engine. |
| PRR 9339 | General Electric Transportation | 44-ton switcher | 1948 | Operational | Also an original Pennsylvania Railroad engine. |
| ex-Marion Industrial Center 45 | General Electric Transportation | 45-ton switcher | January 1944 | Operational | Used overseas in Iran during WW II. |
| WSRR 396 | General Electric Transportation | GE 25-Ton Switcher | 1937-1938 | Operational | Used for maintaining the tracks. |
| USAX 7079 | General Electric Transportation | 65-ton switcher | April 1941 | Under Repair | Was used by the US Army. |
Passenger Cars and Other Rolling Stock
The railroad also has different types of cars for passengers and other uses.
| Type | Quantity | Builder | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open excursion car | Two cars; #10 and #11 | Unknown | Both operational | These cars are open-air, great for summer rides. |
| LIRR P54D | Five cars | American Car and Foundry | Four operational | These cars were used by the Long Island Rail Road from 1908 to 1972. |
| Troop Sleeper #7478 | One car | Pullman-Standard | Operational | This car is used as a kitchen car for dinner trains. It was a US Army car in World War II. |
| Solarium Observation Car | One car | Pullman-Standard | Operational | This car is part of the dinner train. It was once used on the Southern Pacific "Lark" train. |
| RF&P Caboose 923 | One car | International Car Company | Operational | This caboose is used with all excursion trains. |
| Wabash C-17 Caboose 2827 | One car | Decatur (OH) Shops, Wabash Railroad | Operational | Used with dinner trains. |
| PRR N5 caboose 477532 | One car | Unknown | Operational | This caboose is privately owned and is being restored inside. |
The "Meadow Lark" solarium car is a special observation car. It was donated to the railroad and is used on dinner trains. It helps provide power for the train and is a dressing room for actors. The railroad also stores other privately owned train equipment in its yard. This includes an old US Navy ammunition box car, used as a shop, and two ballast hopper cars for track maintenance.
Walkersville Southern Railroad Museum
The railroad has a small museum in an old building. It is located across the street from the historic 1890s Walkersville Depot. The museum has many interesting railroad items. It also features a model railroad display.
See also
- List of heritage railroads in the United States
- List of Maryland railroads
