Western Maryland Scenic marks it's 25th anniversary!

Ed...

 

Is steam running all year? I remember talk that the 734 is just about up on another 1472 inspection. I'd love to do another cab ride this year....had loads of fun doing it last year. Nice meeting you then as well. 

I don't know if they will run steam all year. I do know, as you stated, she's VERY near her 1472.

 

Ed

 

 

A few photos..

 

Ed

When we were in PA for our annual visit with family last July, we took a day trip down to Cumberland to ride the WMSR.  Although our trip was behind a GP-30, we still very much enjoyed the ride and the scenery!  Only real downside was walking up the stairs in 98 degree heat at Frostburg to get some lunch during the layover.

I'd recommend the WMSR as a great way to spend part of a day!

Curt

My grandson and I did the opening day (2012) trip to Frostburg and rode our bikes back to Cumberland.   Great experience for a 10 year old.  Me too.

Slideshow (last year).  Tough to ride bike and take pictures at the same time. 

 

As I worked back through pictures this one was  May 5, 2007. It's been cold this year there may be no green for opening day in Cumberland/Frostburg MD.

 

  

We just booked our tickets this morning to ride next Saturday's trip.  Can't wait.

 

I was up there in January for a photo freight.  If I remember right, she's still got about 2 years left.

Kevin

Several years ago my wife Barbara and I and TrainPop and his wife Lolly spent a nice weekend in Western Maryland. We went to the Western Maryland Railroad Museum and the than to the hobby shop located a few blocks away in Hagerstown before stopping at the educational center along I70 where they cut through the mountain to build the road.

 

We arrived later in Cumberland where we had dinner and spent the night. The next day we had a large breakfast before boarding the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad for the trip to Frostburg. As soon as we started the trip they started serving our lunch. In hindsight I should have had a smaller breakfast!

 

We traveled to Frostburg where my wife and I walked up those steps to visit the small shops and coffee store before returning to the gift shops before our return trip back to Cumberland. It is a great weekend adventure and we all enjoyed the trip.

 

Steve Tapper

For those interested.  The trip to Frostburg with a bike is Round trip fair, the bikes are loaded in the baggage car.  The bike shop with-in sight of the Cumberland train station rents bikes. Or you can take your own bike.     I was surprised the number of people who did the train to Frostburg and biked back. Trail Map

A little more work. Train ride to Frostburg and GAP bike trail to the Big Savage tunnel/Eastern Continental divide/village of Deal and then back to Cumberland is another adventure that could be done in a day on a bike.  Requires food and water.    

My grandson and I last year.

 

  

Thanks, Ed, for keeping our group well-informed of what goes on at the WMSR.  It is a classy tourist train ride.

So I saw that one of the Gramling tank engines will be there in September...can someone tell us more about that?

Yep..nice little engine, met her at Petersburg, WVa, a couple of years ago.

 

This is 75 and New Hope Valley 17, here at the Petersburg West Virginia Railfest

summer of 2010. These little fellas were quite a hit with the folks!

That was the year CSX would not let Western Maryland Scenic take the 10 mile trip

to an interchange with the South Branch RR for the Railfest.

My wife and I rode last year.  A very enjoyable experience.

 

Larry

We went last year (kids, grandparents, etc) and everybody enjoyed the steam experience.  My 10 year old asked the conductor all sorts of questions during the journey.  First time we had ever seen a train on the "turntable."

 

Great experience.  Here's a couple of pics...the second showing the train getting turned around and some of the "steps" mentioned in previous posts.

 

One of the interesting sights is that there is a tunnel portal behind the turntable.  The Cumberland and Pennsylvania RR tunneled under the town of Frostburg, MD.  2006 pictures.

Mike CT......did they ever use the tunnel?

Not as part of the Western Maryland or Western Maryland Scenic Railroads.  I believe the number nine switch connected the Cumberland and Pennsylvania RR to the Western Maryland and then to the Station and Turntable.  Tunnel was part of the Cumberland and Pennsylvania RR. as is the station at Frostburg.