Western Maryland Scenic Railroad

The Western Maryland (WM) was a small Class 1 railroad that served Cumberland, Maryland, along with a branch line that ran between there and Frostburg, as well as stretching to other small towns, like Hancock and Connellsville. In 1973, the WM joined the Baltimore and Ohio and Chesapeake and Ohio railroads to group into the Chessie System, which would eventually be completely merged into the new CSX transportation system. From 1988 to 1991, the Allegany Central Railroad was contracted to operate excursions on the line, before the SRDC began operations themselves as the WMSR. WMSR's excursion trains start in Cumberland at the Western Maryland Railway Station. In January 2024, the WMSR announced their long-term lease of the Georges Creek Railway—a short line that lies between Carlos and Westernport, Maryland—from the Eighteen Thirty Group. The WMSR’s initial goal for the railway is to thoroughly revitalize the trackage and to eventually operate the short line as a separate business entity called the Georges Creek Division, and the line would provide tourist excursions matching the WMSR’s main operations while providing occasional revenue freight trains that would interchange with CSX. The railroad also acquired former WM EMD GP9 locomotives Nos. 25 and 39 for the eventual operation. ==Shops==

The WMSR operates out of the former WM's Ridgeley, West Virginia, car shops located just across the Potomac River from Cumberland. The shops include offices, a Federal Railroad Administration building, and the former paint shop which is now used to house the steam engine and perform repairs on the railroad's equipment. The WMSR shops also serve as a business offering restoration services for locomotives and coaches from both commercial and private owners. South, past the Ridgely shops and yard, the WMSR maintains a wye (original part of Maryland Jct) that is used to turn the railroad's locomotives and coaches. ==Passenger and freight equipment==

Since its creation, the WMSR has gained an extensive collection of lightweight style passenger coaches, many of which it either has restored to service in its green and gold livery, or has used for parts to restore other coaches. Many of the restored coaches are painted with the names of local area towns, as well as benefactors of the scenic railroad. The WMSR also has a collection of freight equipment it has collected from CSX and other sources that it uses for storage at the shops, rail line maintenance, and photo freight excursions. The WMSR currently also has three cabooses. They are two ex-C&O cabooses and one ex-WM caboose. Other un-restored equipment includes an ex-Chessie System crane, ex-Amtrak material handling cars, heavyweight coaches and pieces for a turntable. ==Equipment==

Locomotives Former units Rolling stock ==Gallery==

File:Western Maryland Scenic Railroad.jpg|The first WMSR Station is located at 13 Canal Street in Cumberland, Maryland File:Western Maryland Railway.jpg|WMSR Nos. 501 and 734 crossing the Potomac River from Cumberland to Ridgeley File:Train to Cumberland - 52434332176.jpg|WMSR No. 450 at the WMSR station in Cumberland File:WMSR 501.jpg|A WMSR excursion traveling below Parkersburg Bridge File:Helmstetter's Curve wide.jpg|2-8-0 No. 734 crossing Helmerstetter's Curve File:Brush Tunnel, east portal, MP 172.1, 9-37 a.m.jpg|2-8-0 No. 734 with a photographer freight train at Brush Tunnel File:Wsmr train tunnel 20161009 150847.webm|No. 501 going through Brush Tunnel File:Train to Cumberland - 52434788750.jpg|2-6-6-2 No. 1309 pulling an excursion into Frostburg File:FROSTBURG HISTORIC DISTRICT, ALLEGANY COUNTY.jpg|The second WMSR Station is at 18 Depot Road in Frostburg, Maryland ==See also==