Western Maryland Scenic Railroad facts for kids

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Western Maryland Scenic Railroad
Overview

Western Maryland Scenic Railroad near Parkersburg Bridge
Headquarters	Cumberland, Maryland
Locale	Allegany County, Maryland
Dates of operation	1988–present
Predecessor	Western Maryland Railway, Allegany Central Railroad
Technical
Track gauge	4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Length	16 mi (26 km)

The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad (WMSR) is a special kind of train line called a heritage railroad. It's based in Cumberland, Maryland. This railroad runs fun passenger trips and sometimes even freight trains. They use both old-style steam engines and modern diesel engines. These trains travel on tracks that used to belong to the Western Maryland Railway (WM). The journey goes between Cumberland and Frostburg. The WMSR offers different ways to ride, like regular coach seats, fancy first-class service, and even special mystery trips. They also have fun seasonal rides.

What's the History of the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad?
Where Do the Scenic Trains Go?
What Can You See Along the Way?
Who Manages the Railroad?
Where Do They Fix the Trains?
What Kinds of Trains Do They Have?
- WMSR Locomotives: Meet the Engines!
- Former Engines: Where Are They Now?
Images for kids
See also

What's the History of the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad?

The Western Maryland Railway (WM) was once a busy train company. It served Cumberland, Maryland, and had a special line that went to Frostburg. This line also reached other small towns. In 1973, the WM joined with two other big railroads, the Baltimore and Ohio and Chesapeake and Ohio. Together, they formed a new group called the Chessie System. Later, this system became part of CSX.

After these changes, the train line between Cumberland and Frostburg was no longer used. But in the late 1980s, people in Cumberland had a great idea. They thought the old train line could become a fun place for tourists to visit. So, different groups worked together to buy the old tracks. Allegany County gave $585,000, the city of Cumberland gave $2,470,560, and Frostburg gave $338,427.

As part of this deal, a new group was formed called the Scenic Railroad Development Corporation (SRDC). They received the old WM train repair shops in Ridgeley, West Virginia. They also got a train station in Cumberland that was built in 1913. And in Frostburg, they received an old wooden train depot from 1891. From 1989 to 1991, another company called the Allegany Central Railroad used the tracks. But after that, the SRDC started running the trains themselves as the WMSR.

Where Do the Scenic Trains Go?

WMSR's fun train trips begin in Cumberland at the Western Maryland Railway Station. This station was built in 1913. Today, it's also home to a visitor center for the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park. You can find other interesting things and offices there too.

From the station, the trains follow the old Western Maryland Railway line. They head northwest through a cool place called the Cumberland Narrows. This is a deep water gap where Wills Creek flows between two mountains, Haystack Mountain and Wills Mountain. These mountains are part of a special rock formation.

The trains then climb up the Allegheny Front. They go through another water gap made by Jennings Run. They pass by Mt. Savage and finally arrive at the old train depot in Frostburg. In Frostburg, passengers get about 90 minutes to explore the town. While you're exploring, the train engine is turned around on a big spinning platform called a turntable. This turntable was originally used by the Western Maryland Railway in Elkins, West Virginia. After the engine is turned, the train heads back to Cumberland on the same route.

What Can You See Along the Way?

As you ride the train, you'll see some interesting sights:

Helmstetter's Curve in Cash Valley. This is a famous curve in the tracks.
Brush Tunnel. This is a tunnel the train goes through.
Woodcock Hollow. Here, the tracks make a sharp turn called a hairpin curve.

The Allegheny Highlands Trail of Maryland runs right next to the WMSR tracks. This trail is part of the Great Allegheny Passage, a long bike path that goes all the way to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. If you love biking, you can even make a reservation with the railroad. They will put your bike on the train for the uphill ride to Frostburg. Then, you can enjoy cycling back down to Cumberland!

Who Manages the Railroad?

On August 24, 2021, a new leader, Wesley Heinz, became the executive director of the railroad. Mr. Heinz had a big goal: to make the whole organization better and more exciting. His team put a plan into action. This plan helped them finish fixing up a special train engine, No. 1309. It also led to more people riding the trains and more money coming in for the railroad.

In January 2024, the WMSR shared some exciting news. They announced they would be taking care of the Georges Creek Railway for a long time. This is a 14-mile (23 km) short train line between Carlos and Westernport, Maryland. The WMSR plans to fix up these tracks really well. Eventually, they want to run this short line as a separate business. They'll call it the Georges Creek Division. This new line will offer fun tourist trips, just like the main WMSR line. It will also sometimes carry freight, connecting with CSX trains. The railroad also got two old WM EMD GP9 engines, Nos. 25 and 39, for this new operation.

Where Do They Fix the Trains?

The WMSR operates out of the old Western Maryland Railway's train repair shops. These shops are in Ridgeley, West Virginia, just across the Potomac River from Cumberland. The shops have offices and a building for the Federal Railroad Administration. There's also an old paint shop that is now used to keep the steam engine and fix the railroad's equipment. The WMSR shops also offer their repair services to other train owners. South of the shops, the WMSR has a special track layout called a wye. This wye is used to turn the train engines and passenger cars around.

What Kinds of Trains Do They Have?

Since it started, the WMSR has collected many lightweight passenger coaches. They have fixed many of these cars to look new again. They paint them in the railroad's green and gold colors. Many of the restored cars are named after towns nearby or people who have helped the railroad.

The WMSR also has a collection of freight equipment. They got these from CSX and other places. They use this equipment for storage at the shops, for keeping the train line in good shape, and for special photo trips with freight trains. The WMSR currently has three cabooses. Two of them used to belong to the C&O, and one used to belong to the Western Maryland Railway. They also have other equipment that needs to be fixed up. This includes an old Chessie System crane, some old Amtrak cars, and parts for a turntable.

WMSR Locomotives: Meet the Engines!

WMSR locomotive details
Number	Images	Builder	Type	Build date	Status
734	WMSR 734 at Cumberland Station	Baldwin Locomotive Works	Steam SC-1 2-8-0	1916	Stored, waiting for a big check-up
1309	WMSR 1309 on a special trip	Baldwin Locomotive Works	Steam H-6 2-6-6-2	1949	Not running, waiting for parts to be fixed
25		EMD	GP9	1954	Stored, waiting to be fixed up
39		EMD	GP9	1957	Stored, waiting to be fixed up
450	WMSR 450 in Frostburg	EMD	F40M-2F	1981	Stored, not running
501	WMSR 501	EMD	GP30	1963	Running and working!
502		EMD	GP30	1962	Stored, not running
558	WMSR 558 at Woodcock Hollow	GE	GE B32-8	1989	Running and working!
561	WMSR 561 in Frostburg	GE	GE B32-8	1989	Running and working! (Waiting for new paint)
1957		GE	GE 80-Tonner	1952-1953	Stored, waiting to be fixed up

Former Engines: Where Are They Now?

Number	Images	Builder	Type	Build date	Current owner
1238		Montreal Locomotive Works	4-6-2	1946	A private owner in Manitoba
1286	Former Canadian Pacific 1286	Canadian Locomotive Company	4-6-2	1948	A private owner in Manitoba
40	Former WMSR 40	EMD	GP9	1955	Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad
199		Alco	RS3	1954	Railroad Museum of New England
1689	Former WMSR 1689	Alco	RSD5	1954	Illinois Railway Museum
305	Former WMSR 305	Montreal Locomotive Works	FPA-4	1959	Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad
306/800	Former WMSR 306/800	Montreal Locomotive Works	FPA-4	1959	Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad
7471	Former WMSR 7471	EMD	EMD SD40	1966	Steam Railroading Institute (leased from PNLX)
7436	Former WMSR 7436	EMD	EMD SD35	1964	Precision Locomotive Leasing
7		Plymouth	CR4 60-ton switcher	1960	Walkersville Southern Railroad