Harper's Ferry

Well, Harpers Ferry itself offers some nice train-watching opportunities.  When I was there last, I got to see several trains go through from various vantage points around town.  I don't know how busy it normally is, but it is a neat place to visit.

Andy

Hi, Norm.

In Harpers Ferry, there is the Harpers Ferry Toy Train Museum and Joy Line Railroad on Bakerton Street:

https://www.facebook.com/Harpe...oad-366835990034099/

CSX and Amtrak trains pass through town in a very scenic setting, particularly as they cross the water in and out of the tunnel. Traffic frequency can be hit or miss but you might get lucky and see a few trains while you're there.

Neighboring Brunswick, MD is home to the railroading oriented Brunswick Heritage Museum featuring an impressive HO layout along with more prototype action.

http://www.brunswickmuseum.org/

There are additional rail attractions in the area but I wanted to put these few out there to get things rolling.

Good luck

Bob

Definitely go there. Neat train viewing and an amazing old town.

There's also MARC commuter train departures starting a little before 5:30a, and arrivals starting a little after 5p (weekdays). IF you feel like climbing, there's a view from the bluff on the Maryland side. The C&O Canal towpath and the Appalachian Trail both run through the area.

Point of Rocks, where the B&O's line to Washington split from the line to Baltimore, is not terribly far away. Neat old station there in the wye.

David

The tunnel and bridge(s) are interesting.  The bridge has a walking deck that allows access to both sides of the river.

Next stop on the bike trail was Point of Rocks.   We did Harper's Ferry, morning break, and ate lunch at Point of Rocks. Finished the day, Leesburg, Virginia.

Lots of trains, Point of Rocks.

All that from Treky, my bike.  We also crossed the Appalachian Trail, near Harper's Ferry. 

The last remaining ferry across the Potomac, White's ferry was the end of the day's ride.  We spent the evening, Leesburg, Virginia.

Antietam Battlefield, Sharpsburg, Md.  another recommended stop if you are spending a few days in Maryland.

Closer to DC on the bike trail was Great Falls, National Park, another recommended stop. 

There's also The Train Room in nearby Hagerstown, MD.

http://www.the-train-room.com/products.html

Lots to see right there in the old town. Lots of old buildings, the remains on the arsenal and an old church up on the hill. This time of year there  will be kayaks in the river. The Antietam Civil War battlefield isn't far away

It's certainly worth a trip (even if you are not a Civil War buff) because the railway bridges, including the remains of those that were built in the 19th century, in the natural setting make for some compelling views.

I think that these are fair representations of what I saw there on a visit about 4 years back:

One bridge carries the Appalachian Trail right next to the junction of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers. There's a long history behind the existing bridges, including one that was approached by the functional equivalent of an O31 curve:

There are lots of resources for the history including this: http://www.mdcoveredbridges.com/harpersferry.html

Also, don't forget about the B&O roundhouse in Martinsburgh, WV.  It's a full circle roundhouse with two support buildings nearby. The original building was destroyed by Stonewall Jackson but rebuilt right after the Civil War.  Check their web site to see when it's open.

I've wondered why the Harper's Ferry railroad tunnel has the oddball arrangement with two bridges and a junction switch inside the tunnel. Looking at the history and map imagery, I gather that the route was upgraded with the new bridge and tunnel and a straighter alignment in 1931, and the wide tunnel mouth was to accommodate the branch route track from the existing bridge. Can someone confirm or explain this further?

Harpers Ferry on Google maps imagery

B & O Railroad Potomac River Crossing

Ace posted:

I've wondered why the Harper's Ferry railroad tunnel has the oddball arrangement with two bridges and a junction switch inside the tunnel. Looking at the history and map imagery, I gather that the route was upgraded with the new bridge and tunnel and a straighter alignment in 1931, and the wide tunnel mouth was to accommodate the branch route track from the existing bridge. Can someone confirm or explain this further?

Harpers Ferry on Google maps imagery

B & O Railroad Potomac River Crossing

I take this opportunity to congratulate ACE not only on using the historically  correct "Harper's Ferry" name (with apostrophe, which however I don't think is carved on the 1931 tunnel portal) but also on his fine carpet railway featured in a previous thread!

The oddball but interesting arrangement does seem to be the result of attempting to adjust for the sharp curves that would otherwise have been necessary - see here  for an explanation: http://www.dcnrhs.org/learn/ra...s---harpers-ferry-wv

Just be sure you're not doing what the guy around 1:11 is doing in this video!

I have only been there  once, late in the afternoon, years ago, and did not get to see or explore very much, but was interested to see a train full of commuters come into the station .  People riding trains to work was also then a novelty to me and I understood they worked in D.C. and commuted back and forth from W. Va., which I then thought was far from D.C.  Harper's Ferry and the area deserve a return trip.

Hancock52 posted:

It's certainly worth a trip (even if you are not a Civil War buff) because the railway bridges, including the remains of those that were built in the 19th century, in the natural setting make for some compelling views.

I think that these are fair representations of what I saw there on a visit about 4 years back:

One bridge carries the Appalachian Trail right next to the junction of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers. There's a long history behind the existing bridges, including one that was approached by the functional equivalent of an O31 curve:

There are lots of resources for the history including this: http://www.mdcoveredbridges.com/harpersferry.html

Hancock 52 - Very nice photos of Harpers Ferry!!

The bridge structures in your bottom photo are designed by Wendall Bollman, a Baltimore engineer.  This design was the first iron truss bridges used by a US railroad.  The B&O had about 100 of these bridges throughout it's system. The last remaining Bollman Iron Truss bridge is located in Savage, Maryland spanning the Little Patuxent River, and is a block from where I live.  It was moved to its present location from an unknown location on the B&O.  Here are some photos I snapped of it earlier this month.

Norm - Yes by all means take a return trip to Harpers Ferry!  Its particularly beautiful in the fall as the leaves turn.  Depending on the time of day and schedule of the CSX freights, Marc, and Amtrak, you can see frequent train movements.  The Winchester and Western also runs through Harper's Ferry as well ( or at least it did ).  

In addition to all the places everyone has suggested I want to add the Round House Museum in Hagerstown which is just down the street from the Train Room.  AND you may want to visit Gettysburg while you are in the area too. 

The Winchester & Western has never run through Harpers Ferry, its main runs north-south between Hagerstown,MD., Martinsburg,WV, and Winchester,VA. The CSX Shenandoah sub does interchange at Winchester with the W&W.
It should be noted that Harpers Ferry is a National Park Service National Historic Site and the area surrounding the RR there can be subject to fees (waived this weekend), a lack of parking, large numbers of tourists, NPS rangers, and really bad traffic on the weekends.
For general train-watching, Brunswick, MD. and Point of Rocks to the east are easiest to access, to the west is Shenandoah Jct.,WV, and Martinsburg,WV., beware of heavy weekend and weekday rush hour traffic going to any location. (All 4 within 20 miles from H.F.)
MARC service is weekdays only here, but Amtrak stops twice daily.
IMO, rail photography in Harpers Ferry is challenging, as some of the best angles are from the surrounding cliffs.

trumptrain posted:

Hancock52 posted:

It's certainly worth a trip (even if you are not a Civil War buff) because the railway bridges, including the remains of those that were built in the 19th century, in the natural setting make for some compelling views.

I think that these are fair representations of what I saw there on a visit about 4 years back:

One bridge carries the Appalachian Trail right next to the junction of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers. There's a long history behind the existing bridges, including one that was approached by the functional equivalent of an O31 curve:

There are lots of resources for the history including this: http://www.mdcoveredbridges.com/harpersferry.html

Hancock 52 - Very nice photos of Harpers Ferry!!

The bridge structures in your bottom photo are designed by Wendall Bollman, a Baltimore engineer.  This design was the first iron truss bridges used by a US railroad.  The B&O had about 100 of these bridges throughout it's system. The last remaining Bollman Iron Truss bridge is located in Savage, Maryland spanning the Little Patuxent River, and is a block from where I live.  It was moved to its present location from an unknown location on the B&O.  Here are some photos I snapped of it earlier this month.

When the B&O would replace a bridge for heavier trains, they often would disassemble the original bridge and use it to replace  a lighter branch on a branch line.

trumptrain posted:

Hancock52 posted:

It's certainly worth a trip (even if you are not a Civil War buff) because the railway bridges, including the remains of those that were built in the 19th century, in the natural setting make for some compelling views.

I think that these are fair representations of what I saw there on a visit about 4 years back:

One bridge carries the Appalachian Trail right next to the junction of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers. There's a long history behind the existing bridges, including one that was approached by the functional equivalent of an O31 curve:

There are lots of resources for the history including this: http://www.mdcoveredbridges.com/harpersferry.html

Hancock 52 - Very nice photos of Harpers Ferry!!

The bridge structures in your bottom photo are designed by Wendall Bollman, a Baltimore engineer.  This design was the first iron truss bridges used by a US railroad.  The B&O had about 100 of these bridges throughout it's system. The last remaining Bollman Iron Truss bridge is located in Savage, Maryland spanning the Little Patuxent River, and is a block from where I live.  It was moved to its present location from an unknown location on the B&O.  Here are some photos I snapped of it earlier this month.

A Bollman, cast steel bridge, part of the Great Allegheny Passage bike trail, near Myersdale, PA.  It was moved from another location. 

Two things:  MR did a compact RR track plan for mainline running of Harper's Ferry awhile ago.  Quite well done as I seem to remember.

Also, there is a greasy spoon down near the tracks with a RR/ toy train theme that kids may find of interest.

What I found of interest was the RRs 19th century use of the crossings.  And todays train watching.

On the down side the town it's self is a tourist trap.

Love those old bridges, really works of art. When I first went to Sand Patch there was an old road bridge across the tracks. It was removed and replaced with the modern concrete one, Ugh !  I heard the old one was salvaged and moved elsewhere.  I have been to HF several times and find it fascinating. The remains of an old canal lock are there, too.

A marvelous place to visit with something for everyone. I first went there when I belonged to the American Volksmarch Society and walked all over the place. Take your camera!

Simon

Being from the midwest, a visit to Harper's Ferry was a real treat.  I did not know until reading the sign that the Appalachian trail uses the bridge.  Very close is the Antietam Battlefield with its rich history.  Great place to visit, you won't see it all in one day.  Post your pics when you get back please. 

Borden Tunnel posted:

The Winchester & Western has never run through Harpers Ferry, its main runs north-south between Hagerstown,MD., Martinsburg,WV, and Winchester,VA. The CSX Shenandoah sub does interchange at Winchester with the W&W.
It should be noted that Harpers Ferry is a National Park Service National Historic Site and the area surrounding the RR there can be subject to fees (waived this weekend), a lack of parking, large numbers of tourists, NPS rangers, and really bad traffic on the weekends.
For general train-watching, Brunswick, MD. and Point of Rocks to the east are easiest to access, to the west is Shenandoah Jct.,WV, and Martinsburg,WV., beware of heavy weekend and weekday rush hour traffic going to any location. (All 4 within 20 miles from H.F.)
MARC service is weekdays only here, but Amtrak stops twice daily.
IMO, rail photography in Harpers Ferry is challenging, as some of the best angles are from the surrounding cliffs.

Borden Tunnel - thanks for setting the record straight.  I was mistaken in thinking that the CSX sub to Winchester was a Winchester & Western line.  I, however, did see a Winchester & Western freight, with 3 diesels on the point, travel over this line back in 2006, when I visiting Harpers Ferry.  The train joined the CSX main at the junction point the Maryland side of the bridge.