Certificate Vignette

Western Maryland Railway Company The Western Maryland Railway Company, originally chartered as the Baltimore, Car roll and Frederick Railroad Company in 1852, was projected with the idea of reca pturing the trade of the Cumber-land Valley, which centered in Hagerstown and wa s being diverted toward Philadelphia. For many years prior to the incorporation of the Baltimore, Carroll and Frederick Railroad, the people of Baltimore were a nxious to establish communication by rail with the fertile territories of Westmi nster, Union Bridge and Hagerstown. The Baltimore and Susquehanna Railroad, later acquired by the Northern Central, was incorporated February 13, 1828 and a short time later had completed eight mi les of its main line from Baltimore to Relay House, now Lake Roland. Work on the main stem was then stopped and the unexpended portion of the original capital w as then devoted to the building of a branch in the direction of Westminster, wit h the ultimate purpose of extending it to the headwaters of the Monocacy River, as authorized by a supplement to the charter passed on February 7, 1830. Nine mi les of road were built through the Green Spring Valley from Relay Station to Gre en Spring Hotel in the vicinity of what is now Owings Mills. When work was resum ed on the main stem from Relay Station, nothing further was done on the extensio n of the branch towards Westminster for twenty years. On April 7, 1847, the citizens of Carroll County assembled in the Court House in Westminster and took under consideration the propriety of extending a railroad through the county. At this meeting a committee of eleven was appointed to corre spond with the president of the Baltimore and Susquehanna Railroad, and to urge the necessity of a railroad into Carroll County. However, nothing was done by the Baltimore and Susquehanna in the way of extendi ng their branch, and on November 16, 1850 a town meeting was held at Westminster for the purpose of devising ways and means of connecting the Baltimore and Susq uehanna road with some point in the interior of Carroll County. On December 2, 1850, a large and enthusiastic meeting was held to further the pr oject of building the proposed railroad and Robert M. Magraw, president of the n ewly formed Baltimore, Carroll and Frederick Railroad, presented abundant facts to prove the importance of the road. Subscriptions were taken and four routes we re pro-posed: the first from Cockeysville to Ely's Mill; the second from Love's Switch to Black Rock; the third from Cockeysville to Hampstead; and the fourth f rom Owings Mills through Reisterstown, Ely's Mill and up the falls to Westminste r. These meetings culminated in the incorporation of the Baltimore, Carroll and Fre derick Railroad on May 27, 1852, with a charter that authorized it to build a ra ilroad from the terminus of the Green Spring Branch of the Baltimore and Susqueh anna to the headwaters of the Monocacy River, presumably at Rocky Ridge or Mecha nics-town. Col. John K. Longwell of Westminster, who was very closely identified with the e arly development of Carroll County, both in political and financial ways, was th e author of the charter, and secured its passage by the State Legislature. He al so served on the first Board of Directors of the newly organized company, with t he following men as incorporators: • John Cover • Joshua Smith • John Baker • Samuel Ecker • David Roop • Joseph Moore • John Smith • Richard Green • J. Henry Hoppe • Charles Painter • Robert M. Magraw • Edward Remington • Jacob Reese • Joshua Motter • John Fisher • Jacob Mathias • George Brown • Nicholas Kelly • Zenus Barnum • David Rinehart • Robert Annan • Jervis Spencer • Isaac Motter • Daniel P. Saylor • David H. Shriver • Peregrine Fitzhugh • William F. Johnson • Richard Worthington • Reuben Haines To anyone familiar with the history of Carroll County, these names show that in its conception, the Baltimore, Carroll and Fredcrick Railroad was a Carroll Coun ty enterprise, the inhabitants of that section subscribing for nearly all of the original stock of the company. By special Act of the Legislature of Maryland on March 21, 1853, the name of the Baltimore, Carroll and Frederick Railroad was changed to Western Maryland Railr oad Company. At this time the Legislature also passed an Act authorizing the com pany to issue bonds and to extend the road west to Hagerstown, Maryland. On August 11, 1859, the road was opened to Owings Mills. The first excursion out from the city was described in the "Baltimore Clipper" and dinner was served at the Green Springs Hotel, a famous hostelry at that time. Such solid Baltimorean s as Hugh Carlston, Col. Samuel Thompson and Alexander Murdock, presided at the tables, and the Hon. John E. Smith of Carroll County made a speech "sparkling wi th eloquence and poetry" in which he foretold how the railroad would enable the "mountains to kiss the sea." In July, 1861, the road was opened into Westminster, and the construction was co ntinued in a westwardly direction until in the month of November, 1862, Union Br idge was reached. Travel from Westminster to Baltimore was unique in those early days. The engine fuel was common firewood. Along the Patapsco Falls the train would come to a hal t to take on a supply of wood. The conductor, the brakeman, and most of the male passengers would get off and help fill up the tender with wood which had been s awed into proper lengths by a man with a saw and buck. Union Bridge remained the terminus of the railroad until January 9, 1871, when t he road was opened for operation into Mechanicstown. The Western Maryland Railroad has since played an important part in the history of this community, for after the line was extended to Sabillasville in 1871 and on to Hagerstown in 1872, it gave fresh impetus to the business of the town. Exp ress connections were soon established and telegraph wires were erected.

Early Western Maryland train as it passes through Graceham, Md. Upon the event of the coming of the railroad to Mechanicstown, a group of civic- minded citizens arranged a reception and a banquet for the railroad officials an d their guests. This event took place in the local warehouse and a gala celebrat ion was enjoyed by all who attended. Temporary quarters were set up at the warehouse for the telegrapher while more p ermanent facilities could be established. The first depot was located on the sit e of the old cannery. A water tank was erected just north of the station, and th e water was piped in from a reservoir which was supplied by a near-by spring. A freight yard was located just east of the main track and was bordered by a servi ce track for carload shippings and a Wye track used for turning the locomotives. Within this area the operator's office was located which proved to be nothing m ore than a discarded show car. An engine house stood in the center of the area, and the spur end of the Wye was supported by bins which were used for coal, coke and limestone for the Catoctin Iron Works. The first operator of the station was William A. Hahn and the stati onmaster was Harry Shriner.

Western Maryland Railroad Station as it looked around 1910 Increased operation necessitated the building of additional facilities, and maki ng a number of improvements. The new depot was built along the main line near Ca rroll Street and featured two waiting rooms, stationmaster and telegrapher's off ice and sanitary facilities. The grounds were graced with four large grass plots , one on the east, one on the west side of the station and two in front. These p lots were beautified with ornamental grass and flowers protected by low guard ra ils. The front plots had large lawn vases in the center with blooming flowers. Two water tanks were erected, one at each end of the station. A freight house wa s constructed just east of the station and a carpenter shop was located in the r ear. With these facilities the depot was operated successfully for many years. E ventually increased business necessitated many changes and in time all the struc tures and materials were moved. Nothing remained but the station building it-sel f.

Telegrapher, H. T. Lawrence at work Stationmasters and telegraphers of the local station were Harry Shriner, Frank H esson, Stanley R. Damuth, William I. Renner, Harry W. Ruch, William Saltzgaver, William A. Hahn, Cover Morrison, Wm. F. Harbaugh, Theodore Lawrence, Howard E. D anner, S. Elmer Barnhart, and others. In this connection one should speak of the electrical crossing bell, now univers ally used, invented by Richard J. O'Toole, one of the town's best mechanics and inventors. He maintained a shop on Boundry Avenue and was employed by the railroad when he developed the bell. A st ock company was soon formed and the plant was moved to Baltimore since the perso ns having controlling interest in the company lived there. Mr. O'Toole's financi al share in the invention was a total loss, but the warning signal bell still re -mains a memorial to his genius. In 1894, when John M. Hood was President of the Western Maryland Railroad, and b ecause of the confusion resulting from the multiplicity of towns having the same names such as Mechanicstown, Mechanicsville, Mechanicsburg, etc., it was found necessary to change the name of the local station. The name of the town was chan ged at the same time and the selection of a new name was left to the citizens. A fter much discussion and the consideration of many suggestions, the name of the town was changed to THURMONT, a significant name indeed, for THURMONT means, "Ga teway to the Mountains." This name was suggested by Charles E. Cassell, then Edi tor of the town's newspaper, "The Catoctin Clarion." On Saturday, June 17, 1905, Ransom, Maryland was the scene of one of the worst w recks in the history of the Western Maryland Railway, claiming the lives of 26 a nd injuring about 11 others. The tragedy of this wreck was that 16 of those who were killed were from Thurmont and Catoctin. These victims were hard-working, in dustrious men, fathers and sons, wage-earners and the main support of, in many i nstances, large families. All that is really known of the wreck's cause is that the engineers of the two e ngines of the west-bound freight train, both of whom were killed, knowing that t hey had to wait for the passing of three trains, pulled out of the siding at Gor such after only two trains had gone by, and traveled only four miles when they c ollided with the third train at Ransom, just about a half mile above Patapsco St ation. Of the crew of nine men aboard the freight train, three barely escaped with thei r lives. These were George T. Lynch, flagman; O. R. Nyman, brakeman, and H. W. B erger, who was on the train as a learner. The testimony of all three as to the manner in which they came to leave the sidi ng before the third train was due, is practically the same. Flagman, George Lync h told the following story which was taken from the June 22, 1905 issue of the C atoctin Clarion, which covered the wreck in great detail. "We got into the siding at Gorsuch about 4:25 P.M. and waited there considerably more than an hour. While we were waiting we got down from the train and sat on a pile of ties near the track. The two engineers and the conductors had their ti me cards and schedules and we talked for a while about the time we were making, and how long we had to wait for No. 5 (the third train) and where we would run t o after she passed. "No. 17, the Union Bridge Accommodation, came past on time and then No. 11, the Blue Mountain Express, which was making her first trip of the season, followed. We talked about what a fine train she was, and, so far as I know, there wasn't a ny misunderstanding about No. 5. We had seen the two trains pass and were waitin g for the regular. "I took a bucket and went to a spring nearby to get some water. When I got back to the track, the engineer was in his cab and the train was pulling out. They ca lled to me to jump aboard if I was going, and 1 did. I then looked at my watch a nd saw that No. 5 was not due for another few minutes. I yelled out to the firem an ahead: `Where are you fellows going to pass No. 5?' He yelled back as near as I could catch it, `At Lawndale.' "Again I looked at my watch, and when I saw the time I shouted, 'For God's sake, look at your watch.' He waved his hand at me and I could only think that it was my watch that was wrong. There were the two engineers, the two conductors and t he fireman, five in all, who had the time and knew the schedules as well as I di d. "For a minute or so I thought of putting down the airbrakes, but I thought again that I must be wrong and that five men could not be mistaken." It was at Ransom that the two freight trains met No. 5 head-on, killing 26 perso ns and injuring 11 others.

Thurmont felt the effects of the wreck more than any other community. A list of the dead from this area, as published in the Catoctin Clarion was as follows: Ge orge Stimmel, Elmer Miller, Nelson Fraley, John Williard, Edward Martin, Charles Grable, C. Brenner, all of Thurmont. From Catoctin there was M. Sweeney, W. T. Sweeney, Frank Sweeney, Harry Sweeney, C. Kelly, J. M. Shuff, James Grushon, Joseph Stitely and James Benner. The scenes at the Western Maryland depot in Thurmont were such as were never bef ore witnessed by the citizens of the community. The report of a wreck on the rai lroad at once created great anxiety and the next report was that 40 to 60 person s were killed or wounded, most of them from this locality. This created an unusu al amount of excitement; in an hour after the report was received, about 500 peo ple were at the station. All day on Sunday, June 18, crowds of people could be seen going to the station expecting to hear news of their friends. A re-port went forth that at 7:00 P.M. a train would arrive with the dead. Undertakers Clarence Creeger and Elmer Black were on hand with hearses and carriages in which to convey the dead to their re spective homes. Sixteen funerals were held in two days and heart-breaking scenes were witnessed.

Wreck Scene At High Bridge The situation at Catoctin was most pitiful. McClellan Sweeney and his two sons, Frank and William were killed in the wreck and left a wife and six children. Cha rles Grable, a wife and seven children; John Williard, a wife and five children; Joseph Stitely, a wife and four children; James Grushon, a wife and three child ren; Charles Kelly, wife and three children; Elmer Miller, wife and two children ; James Benner, wife and one child; Edwin Martin, wife and one child. William Sh uff, Nelson Fraley and George Stimmel each left a wife and Calvin Brenner and Ha rry Sweeney were unmarried. From this list it can be seen that there were 38 fatherless children because of the wreck and the sympathy of the community was wide spread for these poor peopl e who were left to battle life for them-selves and children single-handed. In respect of the dead, all business places in Thurmont were closed on Monday af ternoon following the wreck, during which time most of the funerals were held. The wreck will long be remembered by many citizens of the community, some of whi ch are still living and can recall the effects this shocking disaster had upon t his community. The Western Maryland Railway is actually not one road but many, through consolid ations, mergers and reorganizations it is the outgrowth of more than 30 railroad s. It probably is the only railroad in the country to produce a president who wo uld be memorialized in bronze by a grateful municipality. At one time the compan y boasted it was the only road carrying sightseers to the two great battlefields of the Civil War — Antietam and Gettysburg. Although it was primarily a freight l ine, the Western Maryland be-came famous for the excursion trains it ran to the Blue Ridge, and for the Blue Mountain Express, said to have been the finest trai n in the East. On June 25, 1915, the famous Blue Mountain Express met a mail train from Hagerst own in a head-on crash on High Bridge just west of Thurmont, killing six persons and injuring several others. Fifty-two years have passed since this wreck, but there are a number of local citizens still living that recall this wreck and its effect on the community. One of these is Charles W. Eyler who was only 17 years old at the time. His account of the wreck follows: "I was 17 years old at the time, and had a paper route in town with a friend, Ea rl Rout, now of Biglerville. We would meet the Western Maryland's Blue Mountain Express every afternoon about 5:10, get the Baltimore papers from the baggagemen and deliver them before supper. The express, known to the railroad and the townspeople as No. 11, was a crack pa ssenger train, rarely off schedule. On the afternoon of June 25, however, it was off. Earl and I waited around the station for twenty minutes and finally heard its whistle coming up the line. It pulled in and we asked the fireman, Fred Hayes, what had happened. He said th at they had had a hotbox which they had repacked at Union Bridge. The one-legged baggageman, Luther Hall, was complaining that he would be late getting home to supper in Hagerstown. Earl and I got our papers and walked around the engine toward town. Sometimes we waited until it had finished taking on water and pulled out, but we were late o urselves and wanted to get the papers delivered. This afternoon the conductor wo uld have to get new orders from Hagerstown, telling him which siding to use to l et the eastbound mail train pass. Much of the line through the mountains was sin gle track. We heard the train pull out from the station as we were al-most finished making our rounds, and about five minutes later we heard the whistle blow again. But th is time it didn't stop blowing, and we knew right away that something was wrong. We got rid of the rest of our papers in a hurry and took off up the track, half running. We had got almost to the bridge over Owens Creek, about two miles west of town, when we met the flagman running back down the line. He told us the express had c rashed head-on into the mail train right on the bridge, and that some people had been killed. A terrible sight met us when we got to the bridge. The two engines were locked together with their front sections telescoped. They must have met with a terrific impact. How they stayed on the bridge, nobody coul d understand, but that surely prevented further loss of life. Coals were falling from one of the boilers and for a time threatened to set fire to the wooden str ucture of the bridge. The whistle on one of the engines had stuck in an open pos ition and kept blowing until all of the steam was gone. The wooden baggage car of the express was lying down in the ravine 100 feet belo w, completely smashed. The heavy steel Pullman behind it had been thrown forward by the sudden stop, crushing both the baggage car and the engine's ten-der and knocking them off of the bridge. The Pullman fell half off the bridge. Most of the passengers had come out of the cars by the time we arrived and some were trying to help those trapped in the wreckage in the ravine. Besides the bag gageman, a Baltimore woman — Mrs. Edwin Chipchase — and her son had been riding in t he baggage car. She was an invalid and had to lie on a cot while she traveled, w hich is why she was not riding in the Pullman. Also dead were Luther Hall, who had been worrying about being late for supper, a nd the fireman we had talked to at the station. The engineer, Frank Snyder, had been thrown out on the locomotive's running board and had both legs broken. Both the engineer and the fireman of No. 10, the mail train, were dead. The engi neer, Coleman Cook, was from Baltimore. He had been thrown down to the road unde r the bridge and killed instantly. Both engineers had been close friends and had seen many years of service with the Western Maryland. Six people died altogether, and twelve were injured. The first rescue parties ar rived by car from Thurmont. We helped some of the injured to neighboring homes, where they awaited transportation to the hospital in Hagerstown. Darkness was fa st approaching and there was nothing anybody could do for the people in the ravi ne." It might be well to state here that so many people had gathered at the scene of the wreck that work of identifying the dead and injured and locating those who w ere hurt was quite difficult. Dr. E. C. Kefauver, of Thurmont, the official phys ician of the Western Maryland at Thurmont was in charge of the rescue work. Othe r doctors who assisted in the rescue work were Dr. Victor F. Cullen, Dr. C. L. W achter, both of Sabillasville, and Dr. Morris A. Birely of Thurmont. In Mr. Eyler's account of the wreck he states: "About 1000 people gathered, which was a lot for those days of scarce transporta tion. Earl and I stayed most of the night, watching the crews at work. Their lig hts were not too good and they were afraid to pull the derailed Pullman off the bridge until morning. When the sun rose they cleared the bridge except for the l ocomotives which were practically welded together by the impact. People were still wondering the next day how the two engines had stayed on the r ails. But it was easy to see how the wreck had occurred. The bridge is "blind" f rom both directions. From the east, a train passes out of a deep, curving cut ri ght onto the bridge. From the west, an engineer had a little more visibility but was also on a curve and was traveling down-hill, making a quick stop impossible . There were no signals, and the wreck was blamed on a mix-up of orders given ou t by the dispatcher in Hagerstown. Wreckers cleared the line the next day, and in the mean-time trains were routed through Gettysburg over what was known as the "Dutch Line." There was an investi gation of the wreck about a week later in Hagerstown with representatives of the railroad and the ICC, at which time the mix-up of orders was explained. The dis patcher, who was having some wire trouble shortly before making up the new train orders, took the blame. He said that he had ordered the Highfield operator to have the mail train meet t he Blue Mountain Express at a little siding called Sixty-Mile Siding. The Thurmo nt operator, how-ever, was given orders for the Express to wait for the mail tra in at Flint Siding. The trains, strangely enough, met just about halfway between these two points." Mr. Eyler has often stated in his remarks about railroading, that the Western Ma ryland Railroad was for many years the lifeblood of a community such as Thurmont . It brought food, milk, mail and newspapers and was the main contact with the r est of the world. At one time there were twenty passenger trains a day, and the excursion runs from Baltimore to Pen Mar Park were taken by thou-sands of people each year. A lot of people in the Thurmont area made their living by working on the railroa d, and my father, George W. Wireman, Sr., was one of them. I can recall hearing him say that during his employment with the Western Maryland, he helped to build and keep in repair, most of the bridges along the line from Port Covington to B ig Pool, west of Hagerstown. He worked with the carpenter gang which included su ch local names as John P. Style, Leonard J. Flohr, J. Edward Baxter, Sr., Frank Dutterer, Grayson H. Fogle, Edward Baxter, Jr., J. Mack McGuigan, Alpheus Weller , Ollie Weller, William Harman and others. On March 1, 1957, the Western Maryland Railway Company discontinued its passenge r service which could no longer compete with the automobile. The freight service continues to do a thriving business. On Saturday, October 12, 1963, the local station resembled a scene from the page s of history when large crowds gathered to ride the special excursions to Pen Ma r Park, located a short distance west of Blue Ridge Summit in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains.

Local Citizens Enjoy a Ride on the Blue Mountain Express Not since March 1957, when the last passenger train made its final run, had the local station been the scene of such excitement and activity. The occasion of Oc tober 12, was the running of the Blue Mountain Express from Baltimore to Cumberl and, by way of the Western Maryland through the historic Blue Ridge Mountains. F or miles around, citizens gathered with local residents, accompanied by their fa milies and friends, to make the trip. For some, it was their first train ride; f or others it was a golden opportunity to relive pleasant memories of days gone b y. The excursion was sponsored by the Baltimore Chapter of the National Railway His torical Society and due to the heavy demand for tickets, it became necessary to schedule two trains to accommodate everybody. The excursion was a complete sell- out and has been repeated each year since. Although the excursion in 1963 was th e second annual running of the Blue Mountain Express, it was the first time that passengers were picked up along the line. Robert Hampson, a member of the Balti more Chapter of NRHS, stated that this was the major factor contributing to the success of the excursion and why they have been repeated each year. On Friday, strange as it may seem, January 13, 1967, the local station of the We stern Maryland Railway was closed after 95 years of service to the community. An official of the railroad stated that the station was closed be-cause of "auto mation of accounting." The need for the station diminished during recent years b ecause of more modern accounting practices in Hagerstown have taken over the wor k of the Thurmont agency. Thirteen days earlier, on January 1st, after 44 years of service with the Wester n Maryland, S. Elmer Barnhart, agent and operator of the local station for 27 ye ars, announced his retirement. Thus the end of operations at Thurmont. Mr. Barnh art stated that his retirement was mandatory but the closing of the station was due to "progress." What the future held for the local station was anybody's guess. Some thought tha t if enough interest was shown in this old land-mark, the railroad might donate the building to the community for some worthwhile project as was the case at Blu e Ridge Summit some years ago. On April 4, 1967 the fate of the station was soon learned. A wrecking crew appea red upon the scene and began demolishing the old landmark. Within the short peri od of three days, a stranger visiting the site would never have realized, that a railroad station once stood on this very spot. Although the Thurmont Chapter of the history of the Western Maryland Railway is closed, it will long be remembered by the citizens of this community. It will be remembered as a history of a rail-road that was formed to connect a valley with a city, but grew up to become a strong, important link in a system that today h auls the products and resources of a nation. One hundred and fifteen years ago i t was just a dream of a few farmers, merchants, millers and small town bankers a nd a weekly newspaper editor. One hundred and eight years ago it was a one-engin e road operating, on thin ire); rails imported from England, over a roadbed that not long before had been used for horse-drawn cars. Seventy-three years ago it was responsible f or changing the name of Mechanicstown to Thurmont, meaning "Gateway to the Mount ains," being in fact just at the opening of the pass through which the Western M aryland was built. Today, powerful Diesels roar back and forth across the Alleghenies and the Blue Ridge with its trains. The heavy steel rails stretch across the Maryland country side into Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The road connects with seven trunk lin es, and, at Port Covington, with the sea traffic of the world. Yesterday the Wes tern Maryland was still flexing its muscles. Today it is a road of brawn. The Western Maryland Railway, in its heyday was one of the most efficient, best run Class 1 railroad in the east, and possibly in the nation. Starting out as a regional grainger bringing crops to market from Westminster to Owings Mills bef ore the Civil War, the WM grew to span from the Port of Baltimore to the Alleghe ny Mountains of Pennsylvania, and the coal fields deep in West Virginia around t he turn of the last century. By the end of World War II, the Western Maryland was thriving on a steady diet o f coal, which was moved east to the steel centers of Allentown and Baltimore, an d west to the furnaces of Pittsburgh. The railway also became an important link in the "Alphabet Route," which was made up of smaller regional Class 1 railroad s who coordinated their schedules to compete effectively with the major trunk li nes, the Pennsylvania, B&O and New York Central. The WM's partners included the Nickel Plate, the Pittsburgh and West Virginia, and the Pittsburgh and Lake Er ie to the west, and the Reading Co. and Central of New Jersey to the east. The jumble of reporting marks that would appear on the freight bill gave rise to the name "Alphabet Route." The Western Maryland was a key player in maintaining the tight schedules of the Alpha Jets, as the fast thru freights came to be known. Their job was to move t he trains over the mountains between the manufacturing centers of the midwest to the markets of the northeast, and do it faster and more efficiently than the si ngle line hauls made by their powerful competition. The Western Maryland Railway, The Fast Freight Line

While the Western Maryland Railway, affectionately known as the Wild Mary was ne ver a large carrier (only roughly a 700-mile system) although for those who foll owed it, it was a legendary line. The railroad was built over rough terrain and thus used numerous tunnels and bridges to achieve a manageable grade. While diff icult to operate from a railroad perspective, the WM allowed for some of the mos t fantastic photography one could ever hope or wish for with everything from big 4-8-4s bursting from Knobley Tunnel and crossing the Potomac River to brawny 4- 6-6-4s lugging freight through legendary Helmstetter’s Curve. To put it bluntly, w hat a fantastic scenic railroad the entire WM main line (especially through Mary land and West Virginia) would have made if it were all still intact today. It wo uld easily rival anything offered today from other famous tourist lines like the Strasburg Railroad or the Durango & Silverton.

The Western Maryland Railway has its beginnings dating back to 1852 when the Bal timore, Carroll & Frederick Railroad was chartered to connect Baltimore with poi nts west in Maryland, such as Hagerstown and Cumberland (the latter of which wou ld later become the WM’s headquarters). After completing its original main line to Hagerstown in 1872 the railroad later changed its name to theWestern Maryland R ailway, a name it would hold until its absorption into CSX in 1987. Essentially the Western Maryland had two main lines splitting from its Baltimore -Cumberland main (known as the East and West Subdivisons), the Connellsville Sub division and Thomas Subdivision. The Connellsville Sub connected Cumberland, Mar yland with Connellsville, Pennsylvania and it would become the WM’s main source of bridge-through merchandise and general freighttraffic going east and west. The line originally began construction in 1906 and was completed to Connellsville si x years later in 1912.

The Thomas Subdivision, which connected Cumberland with Elkins, West Virginia lo cated in roughly the east-central area of the state was predominantly used to ac cess the lucrative bituminous coal in the region. The WM was able to gain access to this traffic when the original builder of the line, the West Virginia Centra l and Pittsburgh Railway, was sold to the Western Maryland in 1905. While the WM had a myriad of other feeder and branch lines all across its system the Thomas Sub, Connellsville Sub, East Sub, and West Sub essentially made up t he railroad and were its primary lines in which it movedtraffic . While the rail road ran into money problems on a number of different occasions throughout its h

istory its primary problem was that it virtually paralleled theBaltimore & Ohio

everywhere it went and while its grades were comparable to the B&O s the WM s ma in line was single-tracked while the B&O s was double-tracked. The Western Maryland did its best to remain competitive with nearby competitors, particularly the B&O but it simply did not serve any large markets outside ofBa ltimore and Cumberland and held main lines that were choked with high maintenanc e costs (due to the many tunnels and bridges).

Despite its setbacks the Western Maryland earned a reputation from its customers by having extremely fast, efficient, and quality freight service which it pride d itself on (and also which it marketed). The WM as a truly independent carrier ended in 1964 when the Chesapeake & Ohio a nd B&O (both of which were affiliated with the 1962 takeover of the B&O by the C &O) jointly applied with the ICC to acquirethe Western Maryland, which was grant ed (the B&O had held a controlling interest in the WM for years).

Under this new setup the Western Maryland Railway continued to operate mostly in dependent from its parents (of which the B&O had full control of the line) until the 1972 creation of the new holding company for all three, the Chessie System, when the WM mostly disappeared (from an operating and visual standpoint) as a d ivision of the B&O (although Chessie units continued to be sub-lettered as WM). The most significant and lasting changes for the WM began in the mid-1980s when Chessie merged with the Seaboard Coast Line and The Family Lines (to form the sh ortlived-1982 creation of Seaboard System) to form CSX Corporation.

The railroad division of this company was CSX Transportation, which slowly began to merge the carriers. In 1987 the Western Maryland was the first Chessie road to disappear, followed soon after by the B&O and then C&O (the final railroad me rged into CSX). It was around this time that theWestern Maryland Railway itself began to truly disappear, as its lines (which were considered redundant) were wh olesale abandoned in favor of others, particularly the B&O’s. Today only small sections of the WM are still active, with the best known of the se operated by the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad and West Virginia Central. Under the WMSR a short segment of the WM main line around Cumberland (still usin g the original WM Cumberland Station) remains active, which includes famous Helm stetter’s Curve. The railroad has gained much fame for its use of #734, a 2-8-0 st eam locomotive, especially traveling through Helmstetter’s! Western Maryland Railway All-Time Locomotive Rosters WM Diesel Locomotive Roster WM Steam Locomotive Roster

______

In recent years a newer tourist/freight line, the West Virginia Central, owned b y the State of West Virginia and operated by the Durbin & Greenbrier Valley has gained much attention. The WVC operates over 100 miles of ex-B&O and WM (the for mer Elkins Division) trackage and just recently restored the bridge to the forme r Elkins Yard in Elkins, WV where the railroad will not only serve passengers at the restored WM station but also use the building as its central headquarters.

The thru freight traffic moved primarily between Connellsville and Lurgan, where the Reading connection was located. The coal would move from Elkins to Knobmou nt Yard near Cumberland, where it was sorted, weighed and marshalled into trains bound for the steel centers or to Port Covington in Baltimore for export. Passenger service played a minor role in the business of the WM. When the syste m reached its peak mileage in the early years of the 1900 s, the railroad offere d thru express service to Chicago in direct competition with the B&O. This only lasted a few years, though, and service was curtailed to local trains between t

he WM s terminals, and seasonal excursions to its resort in PenMar east of Hager

stown. This lasted into the 1950 s, when the WM s mail contracts expired, and t he revenue generated no longer covered the cost of operating. Steam also disappeared from the Western Maryland during the 1950 s. Despite the fact that it made a healthy living moving coal, it was diesel fuel that took ov er all the road and local work by 1954. By 1955 all the steam was gone from the property, including the powerful 4-8-4 Potomacs and gigantic 1200 series Challe ngers, which were all under 10 years old when they met the scrapper s torch. Th e once thriving steam shops at Hagerstown were converted to the servicing of die sels, which kept them busy for another 25 years. But on the WM, efficiency was the goal, and diesels required less maintenance, l

ess manpower, and less time to get between interchange points. Through the 1950

s and early 60 s, the railroad cemented its reputation as "The Fast Freight Li ne." But the merger talks of that era began to reveal the writing on the wall. As part of the negotiations to approve the ill-fated Penn Central merger, the N orfolk and Western absorbed the Nickel Plate and the P&WV, the western partners in the Alphabet Route. N&W became a solid partner in maintaining the tight sche dules, and there were, for a time, rumors that the WM would become a part of the N&W system. But it was not to be. A large stake of the Western Maryland s stock was owned b

y its rival, the B&O, held in a blind trust managed by Wall Street bankers, and had been since the 1920 s. While the B&O wasn t permitted to vote its stock for much of that time, by 1966 the ICC had lifted that restriction following its me

rger with the Chesapeake and Ohio, which also owned a piece of the WM. In 1964,

the first evidence of outside influence appeared when the WM s fleet of SD-35 s were delivered bearing the C&O/B&O s number series. In 1966-67, the five GP-35 s were renumbered from 501-506 to 3576-3580 reflecting the new system. All loc omotive purchases from that time until the Chessie inclusion in 1973 may have wo rn Western Maryland colors, but they all came with B&O numbers. A group of GP-4 0-2 s were delivered in 1974 were the first new WM diesels delivered in full Che ssie regalia. In 1973, the Chessie System, a holding company formed to own the WM as well as t he C&O/B&O, took control. The WM s senior staff, the men who led the railroad s uccessfully while most of the railroads around them struggled under ICC regulati on, were gone, replaced by Chessie functionaries. While the terms of the merger required that the WM maintain its own sales force and train schedules, the mana gement in Cleveland didn t make life easy. Chessie s operations people determined that the parallel routes of the B&O and W estern Maryland between Cherry Run and Connellsville represented a costly duplic ation of facilities, and filed to abandon the WM west of Hancock. In the summer of 1975, the rails were cut, and service halted over much of the old "Fast Frei ght Line" as WM trains were diverted to the B&O. B&O dispatchers weren t as con cerned about maintaining the level of service the WM s customers were used to, a nd business started drying up. At the same time, much of the coal that had been the life blood of the Thomas Su bdivision and the export facilities at Port Covington began being diverted to th e C&O in West Virginia, and to the B&O s Curtis Bay facilities in Baltimore. No longer needed on home rails, the once proud Western Maryland fleet became thr eadbare, wandering the Chessie System from Saint Louis to Cleveland to Richmond. Eventually the handsome black and gold speedlettering and the bold red, white and black "Circus" scheme gave way to the garish Chessie colors and sporadic mai ntenance. By 1983, the corporate life of the Western Maryland Railway came to an end. The largely paper company became a part of the C&O, and the operations were taken o ver completely by the B&O. Then, almost in the same breath, those two long-live d roads lost their identity as they were swallowed whole by CSX Transportation. Today, only the east end of the railroad survives in Class 1 service, with the T idewater Sub from Baltimore to Emory Grove, and the Dutch Line from Emory Grove through Hanover, PA to Hagerstown, and the old main from Hagerstown to Cherry Ru n being operated still by CSX. In Baltimore, the once-bustling terminal at Hill en Street is now a parking lot, and Port Covington became the site of an industr ial park, and a Walmart Super Center. The Hagerstown yard has been reduced to a local switching yard, and the old roundhouse and shops were razed in 2000 despi

te feverish efforts by the Hagerstown Roundhouse Museum, Inc. to save it. The o

ld East Sub through Westminster was revived in the late 80 s by the Maryland Mi dland, which continues to provide rail service to much of Carroll and Frederick counties. In 2007, the Maryland Midland itself was absorbed into the Genessee a nd Wyoming group, which owns short line and industrial switching railroads aroun d the world, although a 49% stake owned by the parent of Lehigh Cement provides for a promising future despite out of town management. Lehigh s largest cement plant in the western hemisphere is served by the Maryland Midland at Union Bridg e. My first experience with the WM came two years after much of its line had been r emoved. My father was a traffic manager who was frequently called upon by railr oad sales reps. At his annual Christmas Party, Dad would invite these fellows t o our house, and on occasion they would invite him and his family to special out ings. In the summer of 1977, we were invited to ride the Chessie Steam Special, an excursion hosted by Chessie that would depart from Camden Station in Baltimo re and carry us to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia and back.

While riding the train, I sat with Dick Costello, the Baltimore District Sales M anager for the WM since the late 1950 s, and one of my dad s best friends. Whil e other kids were receiving Chessie patches from the conductors, Dick pressed a black and gold patch into my hand, bearing the classic WM in speedlettering.

"Here kid, this was a REAL railroad," he said. He was obviously bitter about th e transition that had been foisted upon him and the other WM executives by Chess ie. He still had a few years to work before his retirement, and he knew it woul d be a struggle to keep his head while all the work he had done over 25 years wa s unravelled in a matter of months. Years later I interviewed him as part of th e oral history project undertaken by the Western Maryland Railway Historical Soc iety, and he related to me some of the stories that still left him shaking his h ead. They are detailed in the Society s book Working on the Western Maryland Ra ilway edited by Wes Morganstern. In 2007 Dick passed away. My father s been go ne since 2005. I ll miss seeing him at the holidays every year, but I can assur e you, I still have that black and gold patch. It was a great company that did a great business in a beautiful part of the coun try. I m proud to have gotten to know people like Dick Costello, as well as the many members of the WMRHS. It s those relationships and those memories that in spired me to research and build this layout. The spirit of the Western Maryland continues to echo, though, whether its throug h the conversion of its right of way to use as a hiking and biking trail, in hun dreds or even thousands of model railroads, or in the smoke and steam of a touri st railroad that still plies its rails through the Cumberland Narrows. It s a f ascinating history to learn about, and a great example of American railroading a t its finest.

Andy and Julie at the B&O Museum in Baltimore with WM 236.

The WM facilities at Port Covington in Baltimore, shortly before their demolitio n in 1989.

The WM was proud to put its name on nearly all of its bridges and overpasses.

The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad runs steam powered excursions behind 734. This 1916 Baldwin 2-8-0 was given a face lift to more closely resemble the WM Al co that originally wore that number. This video was shot in February, 2007 at Belington, West Virginia. WM 82, an hi storic EMD BL-2 diesel electric, continues to be used in regular revenue service on the West Virginia Central Railroad. She stands as a testament to the Wester n Maryland men who maintained their fleet to such high standards.

This 1989 photo taken at Riverside in Baltimore shows what had become the "Last Western Maryland Diesel." GP40 6573 was still wearing the paint she wore when d elivered new to Hagerstown back in June of 1971 as WM 3798. She would run for s

everal more years for CSX, and was finally retired after a major mechanical fail ure in the early 90 s. Aside from the slap-dash renumbering job, she never wor e Chessie or CSX colors through her entire career. I believe she was ultimately brought back to life by a rebuilder, and is back in service on a short line or for a leasing company.

WM 67 pulls an excursion for the West Virginia Central. The train runs out of t he newly restored Elkins depot. Photo by Skip Barber, used by permission.

Salisbury Viaduct is almost 2,000 feet long, and carried the Western Maryland s Connellsville Sub across the Casselman River valley. This was one of the many e ngineering marvels that were part of the "New Line" built in the early part of t he 20th Century.

Looking east down the WMRHS platform. The museum is open Sundays from 1-4 p.m., and at other special times as advertised.

The Maryland Midland operates the line through Union Bridge now. One of their f resh looking GP-39 s pauses in front of the MM s attractive new headquarters.

Another great resource for WM heritage is the Hagerstown Roundhouse Museum, loca ted in the former engineering offices of the WM. Their goal was to preserve the roundhouse and backshops as a working steam preservation shop and museum, but t his goal was thwarted when "Chessie the Knife" tore everything down in the summe r of 2000. The museum soldiers on, however, featuring a scale model of the comp lex, and numerous artifacts of the WM s chief terminal.

You can also still see CSX trains traversing some of the WM route in the Potomac River valley. This bridge stands at McCoy s Ferry, not far from Ft. Frederick State Park. It s part of the active line between Hagerstown and Cherry Run, whe re it joins the former B&O main line. Pen Mar Park Pen Mar. What wonderful memories this tinkling two-syllable word must invoke amo ng thousands of men and women, in their 40 s and older, who were born and reared in this area. Today, as their grandchildren gather for a Sunday visit, one might hear somethin g like this; "I met your grandmother for the first time at Pen Mar Park." Then g randdad smiles as he recalls in memory, the dance music, the walks to Glen Afton Springs, and how he enjoyed watching the lights of Hagerstown and Waynesboro on those delightful summer evenings, some 50 to 60 years ago. From Thurmont, Pen Mar was only a half hour s ride by way of the Western Marylan d Railroad. I can remember as if it were only yesterday, the charming and extens ive outlook over western Pennsylvania, and from one elevated point, one could se e land which comprised four states and 22 counties. I recall to mind, High Rock, a short distance away, with an elevation of 2000 feet above sea level. A path i n the park, lined with trees, led one down the hillside to Glen Afton Springs, t he clear, cool waters of which filled a large oval basin in a rustic pavilion, w here it was pumped by engine to the Blue Mountain House, not far distant. A numb er of private cottages and bungalows in the vicinity were occupied by their owne rs during the summer months. Standing nearby was a beautiful little Episcopal ch urch. A stranger or even a local teenager who visits this site today, could never imag ine that such a park as Pen Mar ever existed. Nor would they believe that on a s ingle summer day, as high as 10,000 to 15,000 men, women and children could be f ound here. It would be hard for them to picture the huge dance pavilion, the lar ge meeting hall, the giant roller coaster, the merry-go-rounds and the fun palac e complete with a miniature railroad, plus many many other attractions that were near and dear to the hearts of adults as well as children. Middle-aged folks today will tell you about the 10 and 12 car trains that would arrive every hour on the hour at Pen Mar Park during a mid-sum mer day, to say nothing of the moonlight excursion trains in the evenings. Pen Mar Park was owned and operated by the Western Maryland Railroad and had its beginning as far back as 1878. Within a few short years it soon became the "Con ey Island" of the Blue Ridge Mountains for the children and remained one of the most famous resorts of its kind for half a century. At one time the park area supported seven hotels, plus a number of boarding hous es. Many families spent their entire vacation on the mountain top. The Western M aryland Railroad found that the excursion business it engendered was most profit able, and in 1898 — twenty years after the park was established — it carried 1,200,9 00 passengers and over half of these were excursionists to Pen Mar Park. Today, even the Western Maryland passenger service is but a memory. Pen Mar Park was a favorite spot for numerous private picnics, Sunday School reu nions, and even conventions of all kinds. The park became very famous for its fi fty-cent dinners, spacious picnic areas and the miniature train, operated by Wil liam M. Fleight, a Western Maryland engineer. The park started to decline in the early 1920 s when it could no longer compete with the automobile, the bathing suit and a restless generation that seemed to l ike being on the move and wanting to try something new and different. in 1929 th e Western Maryland Railroad announced that the park was no longer a paying propo sition. A year later it was sub-leased to an independent firm who held it until 1942, when it finally closed. Shortly thereafter all of the buildings were torn down. Today, the site of what was once Pen Mar Park is the most nostalgic point on the Western Maryland line, that is if your memory encompasses those glorious summer days. The park site is nothing but weeds and trees. Even the foundation of the big pavilions are gone, the paths have eroded and nothing is left of the long st ation platform except fond memories. At one time, efforts were being made to arr ange for the State of Maryland to turn the 75 acres of land near the park site, into a state park. Thousands of names were attached to a petition seeking State aid, but at this writing nothing has materialized. George Wireman Chapter 3: The Catoctin Iron Works Located about three miles south of Thurmont, on US Route 15, is the thriving lit tle community of Catoctin Furnace. Nestled in the valley at the base of the beau tiful Catoctin Mountains, this little village was once the scene of much activit y, for it was here that the Catoctin Iron Works was first established and in lat er years it contributed much to the history of early America. In 1768, a grant of land consisting of 7,000 acres was given by Leonard Calvert to Thomas Johnson and Launcelot Jacques for the specific purpose of establishing a forge mill. This operation soon became very successful and gave employment to many persons in the immediate area. The discovery of iron ore in the Catoctin Mountains soon led to the building of a smelting furnace. A dozen or more houses were built along the turnpike for the workers and the village of Catoctin soon became a behive of activity. Great ope n spaces were made in the mountain where the old trees were burned into charcoal , and then hauled down the mountain by four-mule teams to the hearths of the fur nace, where it was used in the process of turning the ore into pig-iron.

Scenes of Catoctin Iron Works 1895 By 1773 Launcelot Jacques withdrew his interests at Catoctin and built his own f urnace across the mountain. Thomas Johnson was then joined by his brothers, Bake r, Roger and James and a second furnace was constructed to meet the growing dema nds for pig-iron. During the American Revolution, this prosperous little industry had the honor of making cannon, shot and shell for General George Washington s army while he was engaged in the battle of Yorktown. It was several years later while conducting experiments with a steam-boat that James Rumsey visited the "Furnace" and person ally supervised the casting of several parts for his ship, the first vessel prop elled by steam in American waters. A large imperfect casting stood for years imb edded in the ground near the cross-roads. As the iron works grew in importance, Catoctin House was built for Thomas Johnso n, who was the leading figure and superintendent of the furnace. Today this hous e is a pitiful ruin, staring with vacant eyes upon what was once the scene of gr eat activity. In 1803 Baker Johnson took over the operations of the business and Thomas Johnson withdrew his interests and entered politics, later becoming the first governor of the State of Maryland. What a shame that some of our historica l societies haven t taken enough interest in the site to preserve Catoctin House as a monument to the first governor of Maryland. Baker Johnson, like his brother Thomas, wanted a big home and in 1805 he built a beautiful house at Auburn Farm where he lived for a number of years. Near the g ateway to the driveway to Auburn was a small forge where castings were made. Sev eral years ago when the State widened the road, a number of cannon balls were pl owed out of the old site along with several iron wedges used to direct the flow of molten iron when it was run off in the casting house. To the left of the driv eway, stood a warehouse of charcoal. Even today, the soil at this site is still blacker than anywhere else in the area. Baker Johnson at one time leased the iron works to Blackford and Thornburg, but before the expiration of their lease, Mr. Johnson died and the business was sold to Welloughly and Thomas Mayberry in 1813. Seven years later the property chang ed hands again and was purchased by John Brien and his brother-in-law John McPhe rson, who made many improvements which increased its capacity. Tin plate stoves and the popular Franklin stoves were ,cast at Catoctin during the Brien ownershi p. The tin plate stoves were very popular at the time for they permitted the bur ning of full-length cord wood. The Franklin stoves were made to fit into firepla ces, some of which are still preserved and bear the inscription "McPherson and B rien, Catoctin Furnace." By 1852 the Catoctin Iron Works was under the ownership of James P. Fitzhugh and Jacob M. Kunkel. In 1855 the Fitzhughs decided to go to California and shortly after their departure, Jacob Kunkel sold the business to his two sons, John B. a nd John M. Kunkel. In 1885 John B. Kunkel died and John M. continued the business alone. He later added 4,000 more acres to the property and another furnace was erected. A bundant iron ore of the best quality of hemetite was found on the land and it wa s during this period that the Catoctin Iron Works produced about 12,000 tons of fine pig-iron annually. This was used in the manufacture of car wheels and for a ll foundry and rolling mill purposes. March 9, 1862 was a very important day to the people of Catoctin, for it was on this day that the Monitor engaged the Merrimac in the battle at Hampton Roads, V irginia. The Monitor, an armored naval vessel, was designed by and constructed under the direction of the American engineer, John Ericsson. The vessel was propelled by s team and had guns mounted in a revolving armored turret. The freeboard of the ve ssel was low and the turret was small in comparison with the over-all length; be cause of its shape the vessel was divisively called by the Confederates the "Yan kee cheese box on a raft." On March 9, 1862 the Monitor met up with the Merrimac at Hampton Roads, Virginia , where the previous day the Merrimac had destroyed several wooden Federal vesse ls. The Monitor, lighter and less unwieldy than its opponent, was able to outman euver the Merrimac. The battle between these two ships lasted several hours, wit h the Merrimac finally withdrawing up the Elizabeth River. Al-though the relativ e fighting capacity of the two ships was not conclusively determined by the batt le, it was a strategic victory for the Monitor, as the ships of the Federal flee t were protected from further attack by the Merrimac. Furthermore, the battle sh owed the superiority of ironclad ships over the wooden ships used up to that tim e. The people of Catoctin Furnace were deeply impressed by the results of this Civi l War battle and rightfully so, for the plates of the Monitor were made from the iron produced at the Catoctin Iron Works. During the Civil War, work at the furnace was never interrupted, even when the U nion Army marched through Catoctin on its way to Gettysburg. For days after the Battle of Gettysburg, many tired soldiers from both sides wandered back through the countryside and were fed and comforted by the citizens of Catoctin. Some wer e even offered jobs at the furnace. Following the war, a new industry — a paint mill — was established at Catoctin. This brought an influx of people to the village and a number of new homes were built in the area. By this time Kunkel had over 440 men on his payroll. To transport supplies to the furnace and pig-iron to Thurmont for shipment via t he Western Maryland Railway, six and eight teams of mules would haul sturdy wago ns over the dirt roads. In snowy and rainy weather the weight of the wagons made traveling very difficult. The need for a smoother and faster means of transport ation necessitated the building of a railroad. In 1886 the Monocacy Valley Railroad was organized by L. R. Waesche of Mechanics town and Dr. Steiner Schley of Frederick. Work was begun immediately and the fou r mile road connecting the Catoctin Furnace with the Western Maryland Railway at Mechanics-town was completed the same year. The teams of mules continued to be the source of power until 1898 when a steam locomotive was purchased. The engine took over the hauling to and from the West-ern Maryland Railway at Mechanicstow n and was also used in moving the standard gage cars about at the furnace. Around 1900 there was great activity at the Catoctin Iron Works and the Monocacy Valley Railroad purchased a narrow gage engine to haul the cars that delivered the ore to the washers at the upper level. Here the ore was washed and then move d by the standard gage engine to the stock house. At one time there were fourtee n sidings at the Furnace to handle the raw materials and the finished products. This expansion necessitated the construction of a third siding by the Western Ma ryland Railway at Thurmont in order to handle the large volume of business there . As an indication of the large volume of business handled by the Monocacy Valley Railroad, a copy of the Catoctin Clarion, dated June 7, 1900, revealed that in M ay of that year the Western Mary-land delivered to the Monocacy Valley, 91 cars of coke, 23 cars of limestone, 1 car load of coal, 1 car of rails and two cars o f sup-plies. In turn Monocacy Valley delivered to the Western Mary-land, 128 car s of pig-iron produced at Catoctin. In June 1905, tragedy struck Catoctin. A flat car loaded with workers was being hauled up the line and as a result of an error in signals, a fast train crashed into it. Almost every family suffered the loss of a father, a son or a brother. On April 20, 1898, in a letter to Mr. Frank Hesson, Agent for the Western Maryla nd Railway at Thurmont, Steiner Schley clearly indicated that a move was being c onsidered to place the Catoctin Iron Works into the hands of receivership. He re quested information concerning how much iron, ore, wood, rails, and posts were s hipped from Thurmont from January 1, 1897 to April 20, 1898. Mr. Schley s letter s, reproduced here in their original form indicated that this information was no t available from the books at the Furnace and he needed them to show that it wou ld benefit the stockholders to close out.

This letter, found by the author in the ruins of the old Western Maryland statio n when it was being demolished in 1967, is proof that business conditions were n ot what they seemed to be. Work was slowing down at the Furnace. Other plants of this nature were being established near the great industrial centers where oper ating costs were cheaper and transportation problems fewer. The paint mill close d and many of the village men found work on the Western Maryland Railroad.

Catoctin House as it appeared around 1900 Finally by 1907, the Catoctin Iron Works went into the hands of receivership and was sold, this time to a Pennsylvanian, Mr. Thropp, who soon closed it complete ly. The end had finally come. All of the machinery was moved to his other plant near Pittsburgh. On December 7, 1907, the Frederick Railroad Company was chartered under the laws of Maryland. Among the railroads absorbed by the Frederick Railroad Company wer e the Monocacy Valley Railroad, and the Washington, Frederick and Gettysburg Rai lroad. The Monocacy Valley as a corporation went out of existence and the operat ion of the Monocacy Valley as a separate segment ceased.

Catoctin Furnace as it looks today In 1923 the furnace property was sold on a mortgage to Launcelot Jacques, a desc endant of the first owner, and his partner Stanley Hauver. The tenants of the ho uses on the property were given the option to buy their homes and today, many of them are still owned by the third and fourth generations. Several years later some of the furnace acreage was sold, a portion of which was purchased by Lawrence Richey, then secretary to President Herbert R. Hoover. A camp was built on the site and a cabin was erected for the President. President Hoover spent many week-ends here, but disliked the publicity which he received e very time he came to Catoctin. Since he was unable to close the country road whi ch led to the Richey camp, he withdrew to Rapidan, near Madison, Virginia, where he spent his weekend outings.

Sandy Hole, a favorite spot for picnics, fishing and swimming In the early part of the 1930 s, the Federal Government purchased 5,000 acres of the mountain land including Catoctin House, for the purpose of establishing the Catoctin Recreation Demonstration Area. Catoctin House had been vacant for many years prior to this and was badly in need of repair. Many citizens were led to believe that the National Park Service would restore the old Thomas Johnson home as a memorial to Maryland s first governor, but this has never materialized. Th e beautiful boxwood which lines the walk at Catoctin House was removed. Some of it was re-planted at the White House and some at the Lincoln Memorial. The old h ouse itself was found to be in such bad condition that nothing was ever done to preserve it. Today all that remains of this historic site is the old stone walls which can hardly be seen from the road for the thick undergrowth that has grown up around it. Nature has almost obliterated all trace of its former activity an d the important part it must have played in the development and progress of the once famous Catoctin Iron Works.

The Tanning Industry The manufacture of leather by tanning skins and hides is probably the oldest cra ft associated with civilization itself. Leather sandals and other articles made from animal hides and showing the effects of tanning and curing have been found in Egyptian tombs that are more than 3,000 years old. According to existing reco rds, the in-habitants of China and India knew how to make leather before they de veloped their system of writing, thousands of years ago. When the early explorers reached the shores of the New World, they found that th e American Indians were well versed in the art of tanning and that all of the tr ibes used the same method. The proximity of the rock oak in the adjacent mountai ns and the abundance of water made Mechanicstown a very favorable place for tann ing hides. When Daniel Rouzer came to Mechanicstown, he brought with him the art of tanning leather and in 1793 he established the Rouzer Tannery, which became the first major industry in the community. In the early days, the tanning industry was mostly centered in New York. The tan ners making hemlock leather were located along the line of growth of that tree, which took them through Pennsylvania, lower New York, Michigan, and northern Wis consin. The tanners using oak bark and chestnut wood followed a line through the mountains of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina an d Tennessee. The depletion in the supply of oak and hemlock bark and the virtual extinction of chestnut wood by blight, curtailed many tanneries. The early tann eries were small and established near the sources of the tanning materials. When the local supplies of vegetable tannis were exhausted, the tanneries were disma ntled and moved to locations where supplies were plentiful. Daniel Rouzer was considered an expert tanner and the Rouzer Tannery flourished for many years, providing employment for the citizens of this fast growing settl ement. Plank boxes were sunk in the ground for vats, and oak bark, containing tannin, w as crushed by means of heavy stones. This was generally the only tanning agent u sed. Tannins precipitate solutions of gelatin and of toker proteins, and when uniting with rawhide, form leather. Treatment of the hides with the tanning solution ch anges the protein in the hides so that they will be water-resistant and will not petrify. Rouzer then suspended or deposited the hides in a successive series of vats cont aining tan liquor or ooze which was made increasingly rich in tannin. At first, the hides were frequently turned over in the vats, but this handling became less frequent as the process continued, until in the final vat the hides would rest for six weeks without being disturbed. When finally taken from the tan bark vat, the hides were then drained in a heap, then covered so as not to let in any lig ht. After the draining process was completed, the hides were then suspended in a loft for drying, in which condition they form rough leather. When completely dr y, the hides were then taken from the loft and dampened and softened in a water bath. Following this they were scoured to remove the bloom from the surface, the n oiled and the entire surface worked over by pressure with a three-sided steel implement called a striking pep. After tanning, the leather was then dressed by the currier and leather dresser. Daniel Rouzer took great pride in his work and produced some of the finest leath er in this part of the country. His son, John Rouzer, took over the operation of the tannery in later years and became one of the leading tanners and influentia l citizens of Western Maryland. A marble slab, used for an entrance walk to the property of George W. Wireman on Carroll Street, is without a doubt, the last remaining relic from the Daniel Ro uzer tannery. This stone was used to smooth out the leather in the final stages of the tanning process and was brought to the Wireman property by George Stocks- dale during the construction of the house in 1874. Although the Rouzer tannery was the first major industry in Mechanicstown, it wa s not the only tannery. In 1810 the Wampler Tannery was built and in 1820 Richar d Jones of Baltimore established the Hunting Creek Tannery which featured some 2 00 vats and turned out more than twenty-five thousand sides of superior leather yearly. A year later in 1821, Samuel Stern built a tannery near the mountains. Henry Rouzer established a tannery, located on East Main Street on the site now occupied by the home of Austin Bruchey. The bark sheds were built along the stre et and the vats were located to the rear of the property, which today serves as a backyard for the Bruchey residence. By 1831 there were seven tanneries in operation, each producing a fine grade of leather and contributing much to the economy of this little, but thriving commun ity. Early Industries Early in its history, Mechanicstown was the center of considerable manufacturing industry, and soon after the Rouzer Tannery was established, the town began to grow rapidly. Most of the citizens were engaged in some kind of work, principall y mechanics, and from this it derived its early name, "Mechanicstown." Jacob Weller, strides across the pages of history as a vivid figure of Mechanics town, and his interests and attainments were notable in this frontier period. As the town grew in size and scope, it was soon justified in building a hotel, p rincipally for the many travelers who passed along the main road leading through the mountain gap to Hagerstown and beyond. This hotel, built in 1800, was known as the Gilbert House and was kept by the son of the first settler of Mechanicst own, Jacob Weller. This building, constructed of stone from the nearby mountains , stands today on the "square" and is as strong and sturdy as the day it was bui lt. The property is owned by Mr. and Mrs. Jules Shapiro who have operated a clot hing store on the first floor since their arrival in Thurmont 20 years ago. In 1805 Jacob Weller built a beautiful stone tavern directly across the road fro m his home on West Main Street. Located on the corner of West Main Street and Al tamont Avenue, this home still stands as a monument to its builder and is known today by the older citizens of the community as the "Johnson House." It was give n this name when George Johnson purchased the property from the Weller family. T he Johnsons maintained it in the family until 1889 when it was bought by the Zim mermans. Just recently it was purchased by Mr. and Mrs. Robert Dunn, who are in the process of restoring it with many items of days gone by. The Dunns are to be congratulated for their interest in this old home, for there is a lack of inter est in historic places in this area and very few realize the value of holding on to things of this nature.

The Johnson House, West Main Street The First Hotel, Built in 1800 Jacob Firor opened the first store in Mechanicstown in 1806, but there is little known information as to where the store was located and just what items were so ld there. It is reasonable to believe that it was like any other community store of its day, handling almost any item needed by the citizens of the community. Using the power of Hunting Creek, Jacob Weller started an edge tool factory in 1 811. The factory was operated as a tilt hammer forge and existing records show t hat this was the very first establishment of its kind south of New York. He woul d start the tilt hammers long before day break and these were said to serve as a n alarm clock for the early-rising townspeople. Jacob Weller forged edged tools from cold steel and became widely known for his skill in this trade. Tools of al l descriptions went out from his factory to all parts of the South and as far as the West Indies and Cuba. Weller also manufactured pump augurs which were used in the manufacturing of sto ck pumps. These pumps, made by the local pump makers, were used extensively in t he western counties, and until the advent of the wind wheels, could be found on most every farm. The process began by boring a hole down the center of oak logs ten to fifteen fe et in length, with long augurs. As many of these as the depth of the well requir ed were joined together, one end fitting tightly into the other, so as to form a continuous wooden pipe of substantial character and enduring nature, The rod, w hich was usually made of wood, worked up and down in this tube, by an iron pump handle, which was fastened at the top of the well. A better and more substantial pump to be worked by hand has scarcely ever been devised. Mill irons were also produced in Mr. Weller s factory which is said to have flourished until around 1 850. About the time Weller opened his edge tool factory, the town had grown to such a n extent that the need for a post office was felt and although there are no reco rds to support this fact, it is believed that Jacob Weller also had a hand in th is project. J. Conradt in 1815, started a large woolen mill which became very successful and remained in operation for almost 40 years. By 1820 the Hunting Creek Tannery ma de its appearance followed by several more, which have been covered in a previou s chapter. Special account has also been given in another chapter of the histori

c Catoctin Iron Works which began in 1768.

Prior to 1860, Lynn s Pottery, located on the road leading to Crow s Nest, manuf actured many fine flower pots, crocks, vases and jugs of all sizes. These were a vailable in two types, plain or ornamental. Today many beautiful pieces of this pottery may be found in some of the homes of the community. A sugar bowl is on e xhibition at the Metropolitan Art Museum in New York. Just recently Miss Catheri ne Harbaugh purchased a piece of Lynn s pottery at a local sale and proudly disp lays it in her home on Lombard Street. In 1881, Mr. Lynn built a new pottery on Boundry Avenue and is said to have empl oyed a George H. Parker, who was considered a skillful master of the trade. A su n dial, made from the old potter s wheel at the Lynn Pottery was found some year s ago by the late Albert Gernand and was moved to his property just west of town . On several occasions my father told me of the weaving factory and a nail shop, m aking the finest hand wrought nails in the county. There was a Casket Works, car riage and harness shops and the Crecite Excelsior Works. This was a very importa nt industry, having been established in 1898 by J. Wesley Creeger, Samuel L. Bir ely and V. W. Winchester. The original plant was destroyed by fire but was immed iately rebuilt on a much larger scale and Mr. Creeger became the sole owner of t he business.

Around 1887 the Root brothers organized and built a cannery adjacent to the ceme tery and along the tracks of the Western Mary-land Railroad. This was later dest royed by fire and a new canningfactory was built, known as the Western Maryland Canning Co. The late Ray Taylor, a local citizen, was associated with the establ ishment for many years. Before the present canning factory closed it was operate d by a Frederick firm known as Jenkins Brothers, Inc. When operating at peak cap acity the local firm employed as many as 130 people and processed beans, peas an d tomatoes. Today the site of this once thriving industry is a total ruin, havin g been idle for many years. During a recent Halloween celebration, a number of t he old labels were found scattered along the streets which brought to mind memor ies of an industry that once offered employment to many citizens in the area, an d which has since passed from the scene. Around 1896, M. H. Whitmore set up shop on Water Street and began the manufactur e of cigars. The shop, located on the site now occupied by the home of Lillian M . Smith, employed 12 to 14 workers and was kept busy filling orders for a distri buting firm in Baltimore, Maryland. My father worked for the Whitmore firm until around 1901 when he and several others left the cigar trade and went to work fo r the Western Maryland Railroad.

M. H. Whitmore and employees pose for photographer in front of shop In 1832 the village of Mechanicstown was incorporated and a Mr. Adelsberger beca me the first mayor. Because of the fact that the old papers of the first incorpo ration were lost, the Maryland Legislature in 1870, took action which repealed t he first incorporation. A new one was drawn up and the community has been govern ed by this down to the present day. In 1868, the John Jones property, west of town, was built by Alec Wireman, a dis tant relative of the author. Mr. Wireman owned and operated a flour mill near th e site for many years. The mill was driven by water power obtained from Hunting Creek which runs nearby. In 1882 the Wireman property, including the mill, was p urchased by John Jones who operated the mill until 1892, when it was destroyed b y a fire. A few years later, Daniel Rouzer built a flour mill but did not stay in the busi ness for any length of time. It is believed that the mill changed hands many tim es. The mill was located on the site of the present one, along the tracks of the Western Maryland Rail-road at the north end of Walnut Street. In 1942 the origi nal mill was destroyed by fire but was rebuilt and equipped to meet the needs of its many stockholders. A large grain elevator with a capacity of 12,000 bushels of grain was then added and since then many new improvements have been made, ma king it one of the most modern and up to date establishments filling the farmer s every need. In 1928 this mill was consolidated with Rocky Ridge and Sabillasville firms and incorporated as a farmer s cooperative. The Thurmont Cooperative today is under the management of D. Saylor Weybright. As early as 1704, the first newspaper in the United States was published. The fi rst newspaper to make its appearance in Mechanics-town was the "Family Visitor." It was started by Isaiah Wolfensberger and the printing office, said to be one of the liveliest spots in town in its day, was located on West Main Street on th e site now occupied by the home of Lee J. Kelbaugh. The "Family Visitor" had a very short life, as the Civil War was being fought at this time and the paper favored the Southern cause and upheld the right of a st ate to secede from the Union. About ten years later, namely on March 4, 1871, Wi lliam Need began the publication of the "Catoctin Clarion" which became widely k nown and a favorite with the citizens of Mechanicstown. Mr. Need s health caused him to give up the publishing of the Clarion and he sold it to Alexander P. Bea tty who continued to operate it until 1879. It was then sold to E. L. Root and C harles Cassell. Mr. Cassell became editor and held this position until about 190 4 when the paper changed hands several times and finally in 1939, due to the lac k of proper support, publication of the Clarion ceased. Up to this time there we re several editors including H. Q. Miller, James Firor, J. K. White and Carl Cas sell. In March of 1940, the "Catoctin Enterprise" made its appearance under the manage ment of George C. Rhoderick, Jr. of Middle-town, with a local woman, Miss Blanch e S. Eyler as Editor. The news of local interest is gathered and then sent to Mi ddletown where the paper is printed each week and then brought back to Thurmont for distribution. Since the "Enterprise" made its first appearance twenty-seven years ago, it has grown to be a publication of which the citizens of the community are mighty prou d. It has on a number of occasions proved that every effort is being extended to make it one of the finest weekly newspapers in the area. In March 1959, Thurmont, and particularly the "Enterprise," came in for an unusu al amount of wide-spread publicity during the visit of President Eisenhower and British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan to Camp David for talks on the Berlin si tuation. This publicity through the medium of no less a distinguished individual , the renowned John Daly, television news commentator, put the lo-cal weekly pub lication in the limelight on his regular news broad-cast on Channel 7. He spoke of the large retinue of newspaper, radio and television reporters who were in Th urmont covering this historic meeting of the two world leaders. He then interjec ted the remark that "some people, however, are hard to impress." He then went on to say that the "Catoctin Enterprise," the town newspaper, had appeared in its current issue with only a short notice at the bottom of the front page regarding the meeting, while a "banner head-line" at the top of the page announced that " Spring Is Here." Mr. Daly s remarks, made in a somewhat humorous vein, were indicative of the fac t that even today metropolitan news mediums and particularly the news and editor ial writers and commentators on such mediums are totally unaware of the things t hat make up a small, community newspaper. There is no question that the staff of the "Enterprise" was impressed by the presence of such dignitaries as those who visited Camp David, but as publishers of a weekly community newspaper they must always judge discriminatingly between the matters of prime interest and casual concern affecting their readers. Items which have already been emblazoned in hea d-lines and pictures throughout the nation are not calculated to get much of a " rise" out of the readers of a local weekly paper. Too often we are called "hicks " and "yokels" and this is not the case. We secure all of the information we pos sibly can from the metropolitan dailies and tune in our favorite television news programs for the latest events on the world scene. Our weekly publication is mo re concerned with local events and does a fine job in covering them from week to week. Recently Miss Blanche Eyler retired as Editor of the Enterprise and Mrs. Sally B enjamin took her place in reporting the latest news of local interest. The Catoc tin Enterprise has grown and continues to thrive as a result of a policy of feat uring the news which interests its readers most. Mrs. Benjamin is doing a very f ine job and the Enterprise is a weekly publication of which the community is mig hty proud. It might be well to point out here that the citizens of Thurmont have become acc ustomed to seeing world leaders and distinguished visitors in town and we try no t to show our concern or create any excitement by our emotions over such visits. It is the general feeling of our citizens that this is the way our distinguishe d guests would want it and this is the way we try to make it.

East Main Street, Looking West

Western Maryland Railway References - Books I thought it would be really useful if I catalogued all the books, magazine arti cles and links I ve found relating to the Western Maryland Railway. This is a b ibliography of WM-related materials, if you will. This particular page lists onl y books. If you know of a book that has useful information on the Western Maryland, pleas e email the WebMaster at this address: . If possible, include the title, author , publication date and company, a brief description, and a scan of the front cov er of the book.

Title: Alco FA-2 - Diesel Data Series Book 2 Author: Davide Peck Published: Hundman Publishing - Softcover ISBN: none Description: Includes plans and drawings for the Alco FA2, as well as photos of the FA2s used on the WM and other roads. Excellent modeling information.

Title: Conquering the Appalachians - Chronicling the construction of th e Western Maryland Railway and the Clinchfield Railroad over, around and through the Appalachian Mountains Author: Mary Hattan Bogart Published: April 2000 - Railroad Research Publications - Hardcover ISBN: 1-884650-08-2 Description: A 2004 addition to my collection, this book is a great find for anyone who may be interested in how these forests, valleys and mountains came to host our favorite railroads. Includes numerous old construction photos.

Title: Cumberland and Pennsylvania Railroad - Western Maryland s Histor ic Coal Carrier Author: Deane Mellander Published: 1981 Carstens Publications - Softcover ISBN: 911868-63-1 Description: Information about one of the the predecessors of the WM.

Title: Cumberland & Pensylvania Railroad Revisited Author: Patrick H. Stakem Published: 2002 - Pat s Railroad Books - Softcover/Photocopy ISBN: 0-9725966-0-7 Description: If you are interested in the C&P, this book has some additional information that nicely augments the other C&P offerings. Here you can also read about the WM absorption of the C&P from a perspective other than what we usuall y read.

Thumbnail Click for Larger Version Title: Hagerstown - Railroading around the Hub City - Images of Rail Author: Mary H. Rubin Published: 2003 - Arcadia Publishing ISBN: 0-7385-1507-8 Description: Book with history and photos of central Maryland railroads. Incl udes a chapter with old WM photos from Hagerstown, Pen Mar and the surrounding a rea. Title: The Pen Mar Story Author: Judith A. Schlotterbeck Published: (First Edition) December 1977, Reprinted Jan, May 1978 - Tri-Sta te Printing, Inc. Funkstown, MD. Softcover, Trade Paperback ISBN: none Description: 244 pages. A history of Pen Mar Park, which naturally includes i nformation about the Western Maryland Railway Title: A Pictorial History of Steam Railroads of the Tri-State Area Mar yland-Pennsylvania-West Virginia Book 1 Author: Carroll F. Spitzer Published: (Second Edition) 1988 - Tri-State Printing, Hagerstown, MD - Sof tcover, Horizontal Format ISBN: none Description: 234 pages. Book with a large number of photos of steam engines, as well as some news clippings and other tidbits. Title: A Pictorial History of Steam Railroads of the Tri-State Area Mar yland-Pennsylvania-West Virginia Book 2 Author: Carroll F. Spitzer Published: (First Edition) 1987 - Tri-State Printing, Hagerstown, MD - Soft cover, Horizontal Format ISBN: none Description: 223 pages. Book with a large number of photos of steam engines, as well as some news clippings and other tidbits. Title: A Pictorial History of Steam Railroads of the Tri-State Area Mar yland-Pennsylvania-West Virginia Book 3 Author: Carroll F. Spitzer Published: (First Edition) 1988 - Tri-State Printing, Hagerstown, MD - Soft cover, Horizontal Format ISBN: none Description: 230 pages. Book with a large number of photos of steam engines, as well as some news clippings and other tidbits.

Thumbnail Click for Larger Version Title: Reminiscences of a Western Maryl and Railway Maintenance Man Author: Francis L. Webb, Sr Published: 1984 - Western Maryland Railway Historical Society, Inc. ISBN: 0-9612854-0-0 Description: A nice little book full of anecdotes from a former WM employee

Thumbnail Click for Larger Version Title: Steam in the Alleghenies - Weste rn Maryland Author: Ross Grenard and John Krause Published: Carstens Publications - Undated - Softcover ISBN: 911868-37-2 Description: Another great steam photo book

Thumbnail Click for Larger Version Title: Western Maryland Diesels Author: Richard W Jahn, John D.L. Johnson Published: 1979 - Crusader Press - Softcover ISBN: none Description: A book full of black and white prototype photos, classifications and data regarding the Western Maryland Diesel Locomotives

Thumbnail Click for Larger Version Title: Western Maryland Diesel Locomoti ves Author: Patrick H. Stakem and Patrick E. Stakem Published: 1997 - TLC Publishing - Hardcover ISBN: 1-883089-24-7 Description: The essential WM diesel book. This book includes roster informat ion and photos of all of the types of diesels used on the WM.

Thumbnail Click for Larger Version Title: Western Maryland Cabooses Author: Dwight Jones Published: 1991 - Western Maryland Railway Historical Society, Inc. - Hardc over and Softcover ISBN: none Description: If you like cabooses, you must get this book and its associated updates book. Covers all manner of WM cabooses including those made from troop s leepers.

Thumbnail Click for Larger Version Title: Western Maryland Railway Caboose s - Updates and Corrections Author: Dwight Jones Published: 2003 - Western Maryland Railway Historical Society, Inc. - Softc over ISBN: none Description: An update to Dwight Jones great caboose book

Thumbnail Click for Larger Version Title: WM Color Guide to Freight and Pa ssenger Equipment Author: Jack Brown Published: 1995 - Morning Sun Books - Hardcover ISBN: 1-878887-53-X Description: A great sampling of Western Maryland prototype equipment. While a full accounting for the various equipment used on the WM could easily fill 10 volumes this size, this book provides a nice set of information, especially for those who model the WM during the more modern times.

Thumbnail Click for Larger Version Title: The Western Maryland Railway Sto ry - A Chronicle of the First Century - 1852-1952 Author: Harold A. Williams Published: 1952 - Western Maryland Railway Company - Baltimore, Maryland - Hardcover ISBN: none Description: A history of the Western Maryland published by the WM itself. In cludes black and white A. Aubrey Bodine photos.

Thumbnail Click for Larger Version Title: The Western Maryland Railway in the Diesel Era Author: Stephen J. Salamon, William E. Hopkins Published: 1991 - Old Line Graphics - Hardcover ISBN: 1-879314-07-X Description: For fans of RWB and speed lettering, this book is a bible of pho tos and operational information.

Thumbnail Click for Larger Version Title: The Western Maryland Steam Album Author: William P. Price, edited by Deane Mellander and Bob Kaplan Published: 1985 - Potomac Chapter, National Railway Historical Society, Inc . - Hardcover ISBN: none Description: If you love steam, this is considered by many to be the definiti ve WM steam book.

Thumbnail Click for Larger Version Title: Western Maryland Mainline Memori es - A photographic depiction of hte past and present railway heritage of Thurmo nd, Maryland Author: Francis A. Tortoro, Jr. Published: 1996 - Francis A. Tortoro, Jr. - Softcover ISBN: none Description: A book with very regional information related to the Thurmont ar ea. If you like WM operations east of Hagerstown, or you enjoy the Maryland Midl and, you will enjoy this little book.

Thumbnail Click for Larger Version Title: Western Maryland Scenic Railroad Author: Thomas K. Kraemer Published: 2003 - RR Trax Studios, Cumberland, MD - Softcover ISBN: 0-9743060-0-2 Description: A book that covers the Western Maryland Scenics shops and operat ions on former WM track and property.

Thumbnail Click for Larger Version Title: The Western Maryland Railway - F ireballs & Black Diamonds - Second Edition Author: Roger Cook and Karl Zimmermann Published: 1981 (First Edition), 1992 (Second Edition) - Garrigues House, P ublishers - Hardcover ISBN: 0-9620844-4-1 (previously 0-8310-7139-7) Description: Considered by many to be the definitive historical work related to the WM, this was the first purchase for my collection. The photos are great a nd the text is both informative and quick to digest. All WM fans should own a co py of this work.

Thumbnail Click for Larger Version Title: Western Maryland in Color Author: David R. Sweetland Published: 1995 - Morning Sun Books - Hardcover ISBN: 1-878887-43-2 Description: A great compilation of photos of WM equipment.

Thumbnail Click for Larger Version Title: Western Maryland Railway 1872-19 99 - A pictorial history of the men, women and machines that made it famous Author: Carroll F. Spitzer - Roundhouse Museum Curator Published: 1999 - Hagerstown Roundhouse Museum ISBN: none Description: A book containing all sorts of papers, tables, photos and misc i nformation related to the WM. While not a necessary modeling or historical refer ence, I have found this a good addition to my collection.

Thumbnail Click for Larger Version Title: Western Maryland Trackside with George M. Leilich Author: Jeremy F. Plant Published: 2002 - Morning Sun Books - Hardcover ISBN: 1-58248-074-5 Description: A book chock full of photos of the more modern era WM operations . One could only wish that Morning Sun would get the fireball right :-)

Thumbnail Click for Larger Version Title: West Virginia Central and Pittsb urg Railway - A Western Maryland Predecessor Author: Alan Clarke Published: 2003 - TLC Publishing, Inc. - Hardcover ISBN: 1-883089-87-5 Description: A great book, packed full of historical information related to t he WVC&P, and its eventual absorption into the Western Maryland

Title: West Virginia Logging Railroads Author: William E. Warden Published: 1993-2000 - TLC Publishing, Inc - Hardcover ISBN: 1-883089-03-4 Description: Little to no direct WM content other than a few mentions and one hopper photo. However, this is a book about West Virginia Logging railroads, so me of which interchanged with the WM. If you are interested in putting a small ( or large) logging scene on your WM layout, this book is a must-have.

Title: Working on the Western Maryland - A Collection of Employee Inter views Author: Edited by Wes Morgenstern Published: 1999 - Western Maryland Railway Historical Society, Inc. - Hardc over ISBN: none Description: An excellent book full of numerous employee interviews and stori es. This is a great way to get a feel for the character of the WM and the people who operated it. Other books available: • The 50 Best of the Western Maryland, volumes 1 and 2 • Rails To The Big Vein, The Short Lines of Allegany County, Maryland - Deane E. Mellander - Potomac Chapter, NRHS • Western Maryland Railway Company, Freight Train Car Diagrams and Data --- TLC Publishing, Inc.

Western Maryland Railway References - Magazines I thought it would be really useful if I catalogued all the books, magazine arti cles and links I ve found relating to the Western Maryland Railway. This is a b ibliography of WM-related materials, if you will. There are described in a bit m ore detail than what you ll find in the Kalmbach magazine index. Western Marylan d Railway Historical Society (WMRHS) BMX issues are not listed here. For an inde x of those, please contact the society. Only magazine articles are listed here; books are listed on a separate page. If you have knowlege of a magazine article, no matter how small or insignificant, e ven just a letter to the editor, that is useful and relates to the Western Maryl and (could even be another prototype if WM had the same thing (car, motive power , etc.) that is discussed in the article), please send an email to with detail s like the entries listed below. Thanks! Big 6 Author: Robert S. McGonigal Publication: Classic Trains Issue: Volume 6 Number 1 (Spring 2005) Publisher: Kalmbach Publishing Description: Six page article on the history of Western Maryland Shay 6. Includes: Prototype Photos Fast-Freight Articulates Author: Neil Carlson Publication: Classic Trains Steam Glory Issue: Special Edition No. 02 - 2004 Publisher: Kalmbach Publishing Description: Article on "super power" articulated locomotives. Includes one larg e color photo of WM M-1 #1202 stopped with a train of cement hoppers. Also inclu des a table comparing articulates including the WM M-2. Includes: Prototype Photos The VO-1000 - Part 11 Baldwin s First Standard 1,000-horsepower Switcher Author: Paul K. Withers Publication: Diesel Era Issue: Volume 16 Number 1, January/February 2005 Publisher: Paul K. Withers Description: Part 11 of the VO-1000 series concentrates on Wabash, Western Maryl and, Western Pacific and the Western Railway of Alabama. Includes several photos , builder s numbers and dates and general information. 128 in fireball, 128 in s peed, 129 in fireball, 129 in speed, 131 in speed, 132 in speed (2) and 132 in T ennessee Eastman colors. Finally, 132 in current HRM colors Includes: Prototype Photos Western Maryland s Well-Favored Decapods Author: Raymond W. Brown Publication: Locomotive Quarterly Issue: Volume 01 Number 03, Spring 1977 Publisher: Metaphor, Inc Description: Many prototype photos and article regarding the I-2 Heavy Decapods. Also a couple photos of the I-1, and of heavy decapods with other roadnames. In cludes painting of 1112 at the end of the article. Includes: Prototype Photos Western Maryland s Heavy Consolidations Publication: Locomotive Quarterly Issue: Volume 26 Number 01, Fall 2002 Publisher: Metaphor, Inc Description: Lots of good photos and information on various consolidations (both light and heavy). Includes: Prototype Photos Rod Type Locomotives of the Greenbrier, Cheat & Elk Railroad Author: George Fizer Publication: Log Train, The Issue: Volume 02 Number 02, October 1983 Publisher: Mountain State Railroad & Logging Historical Association Description: One photo each of WM 454 (1940, Cumberland), H-5a 507 (1940, Cumber land) and B-2 1003 (York, 1941). Also includes table of GC&E road numbers and bu ild dates cross referenced to the WM locomotive they became Includes: Prototype Photos Feature Issue: The Chaffee Branch Home of the Western Maryland Shays Author: George Fizer Publication: Log Train, The Issue: Volume 03 Number 04, Volume 04 Number 01, January 1986, April 1986 Publisher: Mountain State Railroad & Logging Historical Association Description: Entire issue dedicated to the Chaffee Branch. There is overlap with the BMX articles, also by George Fizer. "Plans" are the normal WM locomotive ou tline plans as included in the steam data book Includes: Prototype Photos, Maps, Detailed Plans Western Maryland Shay No. 6 - Part One Author: Various Publication: Log Train, The Issue: Volume 05 Number 03, October 1987 Publisher: Mountain State Railroad & Logging Historical Association Description: Entire issue dedicated to WM #6. Includes lots of information. "Pla ns" are the normal WM locomotive outline plans as included in the steam data boo k Includes: Prototype Photos, Detailed Plans Western Maryland Shay No. 6 - Part Two Author: Various Publication: Log Train, The Issue: Volume 05 Number 04, January 1988 Publisher: Mountain State Railroad & Logging Historical Association Description: Entire issue dedicated to the move of WM #6 from the B&O Museum to Cass Includes: Prototype Photos Western Maryland Shay No. 6 - Part Three Author: Various Publication: Log Train, The Issue: Volume 06 Number 01, April 1988 Publisher: Mountain State Railroad & Logging Historical Association Description: Entire issue dedicated to the restoration of WM #6 Includes: Very Detailed Prototype Photos J-1 4-8-4 Painting on Cover Author: Andrew Harmantas Publication: Mainline Modeler Issue: Volume 01 Number 03, July/August 1980 Publisher: Hundman Publishing Description: J-1 Painting on Cover Includes: Misc. USRA Single Sheathed Box Car Author: James E. Lane Publication: Mainline Modeler Issue: Volume 01 Number 03, July/August 1980 Publisher: Hundman Publishing Description: Article, data and prototype photos including one minor WM photo of the boxcar behind WM 1102 (better photo of 1102 than the boxcar) Includes: Prototype Photos USRA Single Sheathed Box Car Author: Robert L. Hundman Publication: Mainline Modeler Issue: Volume 01 Number 03, July/August 1980 Publisher: Hundman Publishing Description: Plans for USRA Single Sheathed Box Car (main plan and then letterin g by prototype, including WM fireball) Includes: Detailed Plans Western Maryland 4-8-4 : Large Engine - Small Drivers - Modern Author: Russ Wilcox Publication: Mainline Modeler Issue: Volume 01 Number 03, July/August 1980 Publisher: Hundman Publishing Description: Excellent prototype photos and information Includes: Very Detailed Prototype Photos Western Maryland, Class J-1, 4-8-4 Author: Robert L. Hundman Publication: Mainline Modeler Issue: Volume 01 Number 03, July/August 1980 Publisher: Hundman Publishing Description: Plans for the J-1 "Potomac" Includes: Detailed Plans Alco FA-2 Author: Dave Peck Publication: Mainline Modeler Issue: Volume 05 Number 01, January 1984 Publisher: Hundman Publishing Description: Detailed article, including plans, of the Alco FA-2. One builder s photo of an unnumbered A-A pair of WM FA-2 locomotives in fireball. Also include s roster of all FA-2 locomotives purchased by various railroads. Also includes r oof, interior, and exterior detail shots Includes: Very Detailed Prototype Photos, Detailed Plans Western Maryland Bulkhead Flats : A Greenville Car Author: Robert L. Hundman & Russ Wilcox Publication: Mainline Modeler Issue: Volume 13 Number 10, October 1992 Publisher: Hundman Publishing Description: Prototype photos and information Includes: Very Detailed Prototype Photos WM Bulkhead Flat Author: Robert L. Hundman Publication: Mainline Modeler Issue: Volume 13 Number 10, October 1992 Publisher: Hundman Publishing Description: Plans for the bulkhead flat Includes: Detailed Plans ARA 1932 Box Car : Part III - Variations on a Theme Author: Martin Lofton Publication: Mainline Modeler Issue: Volume 14 Number 01, January 1993 Publisher: Hundman Publishing Description: Prototype photos (speed, fireball) details and article Includes: Prototype Photos 1932 ARA Box Car with Duryea Underframe Author: Robert L. Hundman Publication: Mainline Modeler Issue: Volume 14 Number 01, January 1993 Publisher: Hundman Publishing Description: Plans for the box car Includes: Detailed Plans WM Bulkhead Flat : Modeling - Part 1 Author: Robert L. Hundman Publication: Mainline Modeler Issue: Volume 14 Number 01, January 1993 Publisher: Hundman Publishing Description: Article on modeling the bulkhead flat car Includes: Modeling Information WM Bulkhead Flat : Conclusion Author: Robert L. Hundman Publication: Mainline Modeler Issue: Volume 14 Number 03, March 1993 Publisher: Hundman Publishing Description: Article on modeling the bulkhead flat car Includes: Modeling Information WM Passenger Cars : Designed for Locals Author: Russell L. Wilcox Publication: Mainline Modeler Issue: Volume 14 Number 07, July 1993 Publisher: Hundman Publishing Description: Prototype photos of various WM steam-era passenger cars Includes: Prototype Photos Bulkhead Flat Car : Western Maryland Author: Glenn Bartolotti Publication: Mainline Modeler Issue: Volume 17 Number 03, March 1996 Publisher: Hundman Publishing Description: Construction Article for the WM Bulkhead flat (see October 1992 iss ue for plans). mostly scratch-built by starting with Walther s car. Also see mor e detailed earlier article by Bob Hundman. Includes: Modeling Information Western Maryland Section House : Structure at Cascade, Maryland Author: Robert L. Hundman Publication: Mainline Modeler Issue: Volume 20 Number 11, November 1999 Publisher: Hundman Publishing Description: Prototype photos, article and parts list. Includes: Very Detailed Prototype Photos Cascade Section House Author: Robert L. Hundman & John McKeeman Publication: Mainline Modeler Issue: Volume 20 Number 11, November 1999 Publisher: Hundman Publishing Description: Plans for the section house Includes: Detailed Plans Western Maryland Gondola : Drop End, Plain, Container, Covered Author: Robert L. Hundman Publication: Mainline Modeler Issue: Volume 22 Number 01, January 2001 Publisher: Hundman Publishing Description: Detailed prototype photos and article Includes: Very Detailed Prototype Photos Western Maryland Gondola Author: Robert L. Hundman Publication: Mainline Modeler Issue: Volume 22 Number 01, January 2001 Publisher: Hundman Publishing Description: Plans for the open gondola Includes: Detailed Plans Western Maryland Covered Gondola Author: Robert L. Hundman Publication: Mainline Modeler Issue: Volume 22 Number 01, January 2001 Publisher: Hundman Publishing Description: Plans for the covered gondola Includes: Detailed Plans Western Maryland Well Hole Flat Car : Scratchbuilding - Part One Author: Robert L. Hundman Publication: Mainline Modeler Issue: Volume 22 Number 12, December 2001 Publisher: Hundman Publishing Description: Part 1 in a series. Article on modeling the well hole flat car from scratch. Includes prototype builder s photo of WM Well Hole Flat 6011 in speed Includes: Modeling Information Western Maryland Well Hole Flat Car Author: Robert L. Hundman Publication: Mainline Modeler Issue: Volume 22 Number 12, December 2001 Publisher: Hundman Publishing Description: Plans for the well-hole flat car Includes: Detailed Plans Western Maryland Well Hole Flat Car : Part two Author: Robert L. Hundman Publication: Mainline Modeler Issue: Volume 23 Number 01, January 2002 Publisher: Hundman Publishing Description: Part 2 in a series. Article on modeling the well hole flat car from scratch Includes prototype photo of WM Well Hole Flat 60xx (Presumably 6011) in speed, with load Includes: Modeling Information WM Well Hole Flat Car Modeling : Conclusion Author: Robert L. Hundman Publication: Mainline Modeler Issue: Volume 23 Number 02, February 2002 Publisher: Hundman Publishing Description: Part 3 in a series. Article on modeling the well hole flat car from scratch Includes: Modeling Information Baldwin DRS 4-4-1500 Road Switcher Author: Robert L. Hundman Publication: Mainline Modeler Issue: Volume 23 Number 07, July 2002 Publisher: Hundman Publishing Description: Plans for modeling the 4-4-1500. Prototype shown is WM Includes: Detailed Plans Baldwin s First B-B Road Switchers : DRS 4-4-1500 Author: Peter C. Weiglin and Kenneth L. Douglas Publication: Mainline Modeler Issue: Volume 23 Number 07, July 2002 Publisher: Hundman Publishing Description: Article with photos about the prototype. Shown are 170 (fireball), 174 (fireball) and other roads Includes: Prototype Photos Baldwin DRS 4-4-1500 : A Time Line in Photos Author: Robert L. Hundman Publication: Mainline Modeler Issue: Volume 23 Number 08, August 2002 Publisher: Hundman Publishing Description: Photos of the Baldwin DRS 4-4-1500 switcher including WM 171 (speed ) and WM 170 (speed) Includes: Prototype Photos Western Maryland 4-6-6-4 Author: Robert Hundman Publication: Model Railroader Issue: Volume 27 Number 10, October 1960 Publisher: Kalmbach Publishing Description: Prototype photos and plans for the WM Challengers Includes: Very Detailed Prototype Photos, Detailed Plans Western Maryland 50-ton coaling station Publication: Model Railroader Issue: Volume 29 Number 12, December 1962 Publisher: Kalmbach Publishing Description: Prototype plans of timber tower built for the Baltimore Terminal in 1914 by the T.W. Snow Construction Company Includes: Detailed Plans Western Maryland Shay : Largest of the Shays Author: Allen J. Brewster Publication: Model Railroader Issue: Volume 38 Number 05, May 1971 Publisher: Kalmbach Publishing Description: Prototype photos (including cab interior) and plans for WM Shay #6. Issue has lots of other Shay information as well. Includes: Very Detailed Prototype Photos, Detailed Plans The great WM 2-8-0 Author: Robert L. Hundman Publication: Model Railroader Issue: Volume 39 Number 11, November 1972 Publisher: Kalmbach Publishing Description: Excellent prototype photos (including cab interior), and plans of t he H-9 Consolidations. Includes: Very Detailed Prototype Photos, Detailed Plans Western Maryland Decapods Author: J. Harold Geissel and GOrdon Odegard Publication: Model Railroader Issue: Volume 52 Number 06, June 1985 Publisher: Kalmbach Publishing Description: Prototype photos (including cab interior) and plans for the WM I-2 decapods Includes: Very Detailed Prototype Photos, Detailed Plans Western Maryland s Cumberland Station Author: Harold W. Russell Publication: Model Railroader Issue: Volume 67 Number 01, January 2000 Publisher: Kalmbach Publishing Description: Prototype photos and excellent plans for the WM s station in cumber land. Includes floorplan and interior shots. Includes: Very Detailed Prototype Photos, Detailed Plans Western Maryland Railway s Class M-2 4-6-6-4 Locomotives Author: Denny Wertz Publication: Prototype Modeler Issue: Volume 03 Number 05, April 1980 Publisher: Prototype Modeler, Inc. Description: Article, prototype photos, parts list and information on modeling t he locomotive by starting with the AHM model Includes: Prototype Photos, Modeling Information Accurate ACF Covered Hopper Models, Part IV : Railroad-Owned Grey Cars Author: Ed Hawkins Publication: Railmodel Journal Issue: Volume 03 Number 05, October 1991 Publisher: Golden Bell Press Description: Photos of various covered hoppers, including a small 3/4 photo of W M 5105 in herald. Includes basic paint information for that car. Article also in cludes a partial roster of all 70 ton covered hopper cars built by ACF circa 193 6-1953, including WM. Includes: Prototype Photos, Modeling Information Eastern-style Steel Cabooses : Western Maryland Author: Robert Schleicher Publication: Railmodel Journal Issue: Volume 03 Number 05, October 1991 Publisher: Golden Bell Press Description: Includes photo of Life Like model 1804 in speed, 1891 in R/W/B and Small Prototype photos of WM 1819 in R/W/B in a string of 6 WM R/W/B cabooses. 3 /4 Shot of WM 1874 in R/W/B, side shot of WM 1891 in Chessie, and small end shot s of two WM cabooses, one in R/W/B, the other in speed. Includes: Prototype Photos, Modeling Information Modeling Freight Cars of the Fifties : Western Maryland Channel Side 55-Ton Hopp ers from Stewart s kit Author: Ed Hawkins Publication: Railmodel Journal Issue: Volume 08 Number 12, May 1997 Publisher: Golden Bell Press Description: Includes prototype photo of WM 15528 in speed. Also includes dimens ional information and roster both in text. Includes: Misc. Passenger Car Modeling: Boston & Maine and WM Coaches from Bethlehem Car Works K its Author: John R. Greene of Bethlehem Car Works Publication: Railmodel Journal Issue: Volume 09 Number 01, June 1997 Publisher: Golden Bell Press Description: Article on modeling passenger cars. Includes model construction pho tos and a prototype photo of WM coach 832 Includes: Prototype Photos, Modeling Information Ride and Railfan the West Virginia Central Author: Todd M Atkinson, Alan R Nichols Publication: Railpace Newsmagazine Issue: Volume 21 Number 07, Issue 231, July 2002 Publisher: GRIT Commercial Printing Description: Lots of maps of the route and photos of the WVC locomotives includi ng BL-2 #82, F7A #67, F7B #415?. Also a few older prototype and non-WM photos. Includes: Maps Consolidation Cover Photo Author: Mark C. Perri Publication: Railpace Newsmagazine Issue: Volume 22 Number 04, Issue 240, April 2003 Publisher: GRIT Commercial Printing Description: Cover Photo of WMSR #734 in the snow with a photo freight Includes: Misc. Fire and Ice - Steam Photo Freights Charters on the Western Maryland Scenic Rail road Author: Mark C. Perri Publication: Railpace Newsmagazine Issue: Volume 22 Number 04, Issue 240, April 2003 Publisher: GRIT Commercial Printing Description: Photos and information about the photo freights Includes: Prototype Photos The Western Maryland: A Corporate History Author: George M. Leilich Publication: Railroad History Issue: 155 - Autumn 1986 Publisher: The Railway & Locomotive Historical Society, Inc. Description: Historical article Includes: Misc. Steam Locomotives of the Western Maryland Author: William D. Edson Publication: Railroad History Issue: 155 - Autumn 1986 Publisher: The Railway & Locomotive Historical Society, Inc. Description: Article, photos and information on the various steam locomotives of the WM. Includes: Prototype Photos The Ubiquitous Northeastern Caboose Author: Dick Steinbrenner Publication: Railroad Model Craftsman Issue: Volume 51 Number 02, July 1982 Publisher: Carstens Publications Description: The first of three parts takes a look at the Reading designed North eastern caboose and follows its development on the Reading Lines Includes: proto type photos, rosters, plans by Chuck Yungkurth Includes: Very Detailed Prototype Photos, Detailed Plans The Ubiquitous Northeastern Caboose Author: Dick Steinbrenner Publication: Railroad Model Craftsman Issue: Volume 51 Number 03, August 1982 Publisher: Carstens Publications Description: The second part of this series examines Northeastern cabooses of th e Lehigh Valley Railroad. Includes: prototype photos, rosters, plans by Chuck Yu ngkurth Includes: Very Detailed Prototype Photos, Detailed Plans The Ubiquitous Northeastern Caboose Author: Dick Steinbrenner Publication: Railroad Model Craftsman Issue: Volume 51 Number 04, September 1982 Publisher: Carstens Publications Description: The final part of this series covers the cabooses of the WM, P&WV, CNJ, L&HR, LNE and Conrail. Includes: prototype photos, rosters, plans by Chuck Yungkurth Includes: Very Detailed Prototype Photos, Detailed Plans Chessie Publication: Railroad Press, The Issue: Issue #59, Oct / Nov / Dec 2003 Publisher: Jaime F.M Serensits Description: Article on Chessie System. Includes Photos of Chessie/WM 4361, 4365 , 4370, 6409, 6416, 7548, Keystone Viaduct, WM Chessie caboose (unknown #) on Sp ring Garden Drawbridge Includes: Prototype Photos Western Maryland : Whatever Becamd of the Western Maryland Part 1 - Going out as it came in - quietly Author: Don Philips Publication: Trains Issue: Volume 40 Number 07, May 1980 Publisher: Kalmbach Publishing Description: Nostalgic story and information about the things that led to the en d of the WM. Includes B&W prototype photos in fireball, speed, chessie, as well as the WM system map and a photo of hurricane Agnes damage Includes: Prototype Photos Western Maryland : Part 2 - A mixing of colors - You can t always see it, but th e WM still is there Author: Don Phillips Publication: Trains Issue: Volume 40 Number 08, June 1980 Publisher: Kalmbach Publishing Description: Nostalgic story and information about the waning days of the WM inc luding B&W photos of units in RWB and Chessie paint. Also includes a map of all WM trains at 10:00 am on Friday June 16, 1978. Includes talley of WM s share of Chessie s power Includes: Prototype Photos Collossus of the Decapods : They held their own against Challengers 13 years the ir junior Author: Bert Pennypacker Publication: Trains Issue: Volume 44 Number 01, November 1983 Publisher: Kalmbach Publishing Description: Great article, lots of prototype photos of the I-2 2-10-0 including cab interior

Includes: Very Detailed Prototype Photos

Challengers Over the Alleghenies : Were Western Maryland s 4-6-6-4 s overrated o r under-appreciated? Author: Bert Pennypacker Publication: Trains Issue: Volume 52 Number 04, Number 4, April 1992 Publisher: Kalmbach Publishing Description: Excellent detailed article and prototype photos Includes: Prototype Photos The Big Engines Author: Robert A. Le Massena Publication: Trains Magazine Issue: June 1968 Publisher: Kalmbach Publishing Description: Referred from Kenny Green Jr. : Article (8 Pages) "The Big Engines" . Autor describes the decline of steam power of engines built after 1937. Small mention of WM; "the decline of perfection, if that is the term, was clearly evid ent in 1940. Western Maryland and Delaware & Hudson 4-6-6-4 s were abnormally he avy for their power, and their grates were unusually small (119 and 108 square f eet respectively.) In these respects they were no better than locomotives built a decade earlier....." Includes: Misc. Underdogs Really Are Better - The Western Maryland: Cumberland, MD, 1973 Author: Tom Biery Publication: Trains Magazine Issue: Volume 64 Number 02 Publisher: Kalmbach Publishing Description: Story about the WM vs. the B&O in Cumberland. Includes photos of F7 A56 in speed, RS3 191 in speed, F7A 238 in speed, F7A 235 in circus, F7A 62 in c ircus,SD40 7495 in speed, MY Tower the MD Junction Sand Tower with B&O 4547, WM hoppers at Westernport, 1973 map of Cumberland Includes: Prototype Photos, Maps

Western Maryland Railway Prototype Information This section includes photos I have taken of Western Maryland Railway locations and equipment. I hope they will be especially helpful to folks who are intereste

d in the WM but don t live in the area, or simply can t get to these locations. If you are looking for information related to the WM BMX Article on Maryland Jun ction, scroll down this page to the Maryland Junction link under "Stations, Stru ctures and Locations" Locomotives Western Maryland K2 Pacific #202 For photos of the Western Maryland K2 Pacific Locomotive, currently located at C ity Park in Hagerstown. Western Maryland 150th Anniversary at the B&O Museum For photos of "Western Maryland Day" at the B&O Museum in 2002, including photos of the newly painted and restored WM F7-A 236 , click here. Cabooses and Rolling Stock Western Maryland Caboose 1814 For photos of privately-owned Western Maryland Caboose 1814, click here Western Maryland Caboose 1826 For photos of Western Maryland Caboose 1826, currently located in Westernport, c lick here Western Maryland Caboose 1885 at Hagerstown For photos of the Western Maryland Caboose, currently located at City Park in Ha gerstown, click here. Caboose 1867 For photos of the not-quite-WM caboose that is located on the grounds of the for mer Western Maryland College (now McDaniel College) click here. Rail Cars Rail Motor Car T200 (Bowest Jitney) For photos of the Western Maryland Bowest Jitney currently housed at the B&O mus eum in Baltimore, click here. Rail Motor Car #6 For photos of the Western Maryland "Eggcrate Cadillac" Rail Motor Car#6 currentl y located at Durbin, WV, click here. Stations, Structures and Locations (in approximate order based on distance from Baltimore) Thurmont Warehouse Photos of the former trackside warehouse in Thurmont, Maryland may be found here Western Maryland Cascade Section House Photos of the Cascade Section House near Highfield may be found here Western Maryland Station at Smithsburg For photos of the former Western Maryland Smithsburg Station, now an office, cli ck here Western Maryland Station at Hagerstown For photos of the former Western Maryland Hagerstown Station, now the Hagerstown Police Station, click here Western Maryland Station at Cumberland For photos of the Western Maryland Cumberland Station, click here. Maryland Junction, Knobmount and Ridgeley For photos of buildings and former locations at and around Maryland Junction, cl ick here. If you are looking for information to supplement the Fall & Winter 200 4 BMX article I wrote, this is the place to go. Western Maryland Station at Westernport For photos of the Western Maryland Westernport Station, click here. Western Maryland Station at Elkins For photos of the Western Maryland Elkins Station, click here.

There are other Western Maryland Railway prototype photos to be found throughout the Railroad section of my site. View of the former Western Maryland Railway Bridge over Maryland Route 550 (look ing down 550 towards Thurmont). This is the route I take back to Thurmont from Mainline Hobby in Blue Ridge Summit, PA via Sabillasville and (IIRC) Highfield. This would be a great modeling scene with the Owen s Creek to the right, the roa d snaking underneath, and the WM right of way crossing high overhead. The WM cr osses 550 twice in this area. In April 2004 I was lucky enough to ride over thes e tracks on a rare-mileage NRHS trip. Photo taken August 9, 2003 by Pete.

Former WM bridge over Owen s Creek at mile marker 619 along Maryland route 550. Unless I m mistaken, it looks like ties, tie plates and rail joint bars have al l been pilfered from this location. Photo taken August 9, 2003 by Pete. Owen s creek winds its way down to Thurmont and is the creek that runs under the covered bridge at Roddy Road.

Rocks high above the mainline leaving Cumberland and Ridgeley. The Western Maryl and is fully of beautiful scenery like this. Photo taken by Pete on May 1, 2004.

Former Western Maryland Bridge in Elkins, West Virginia. Via the Tygart Flyer, t he Durbin and Greenbriar Valley Railroad operates former WM equipment over this bridge almost every day. Photo taken on September 21, 2003 by Pete.