Why 1309 doesn't turn on the Frostburg Turntable - Western Maryland Scenic Railroad 

Two things 1. this explains EVERYTHING 2. your voice completes the video, keep up the good work!

The diesels providing dynamic braking on the return trip has saved them so much money and time not having to replace brake shoes. No more braking for 16 miles downhill every time. Not to mention the wye in Ridgeley is basically no man’s land, no way they want to bring 1309 back there every single day just to turn it. So there is really no need for the turntable now.

Another thing to consider are much longer trains than 734 was pulling and most of the time the rest of the train is in the foul line for the switch

Great video, your information is 100% correct. This has been one of the best videos explaining the situation to date. Bravo to you!

Another thing to consider is that the track going into the turntable crosses a road. This road will have to be ripped up and repaved with a new crossing installed. To add to this the road in question is a snow emergency route so doing the work in the WMSR’S “off” season in the winter nearly impossible. With the alignment needed ripping most of the Frostburg track up this would cut access to Frostburg for a minimum of a week or two in the middle of summer.

They just weren't thinking when they made this purchase. I know it's different management but seriously, when 1309 needs to go down for a rebuild, they need something a bit more practical.

I really hope they can fix this problem someday as seeing the turntable being not used is just unfortunate.

Well, that answers my question. It's interesting that the hinge doesn't allow for any vertical flexing. Perhaps that was a feature only on higher-speed articulated locomotives. I know Challengers and N&W Class A had them.

I remember riding in the cab of 734 as she was turned at Frostburg, a highlight of my ride.

Wow I never knew that. Thank you for sharing. I am glad that 1309 has been running but I was there one time on that railroad and 2015 with my mom and my grandparents it was 734’s last year we got lunch in a café at Frostburg .therefore we did not watch the locomotive turn around as we went up to the hill to eat somewhere before we came back for a return trip back to Cumberland

Very interesting. Nice video.

Are you telling me it’s that expensive for the track work just as much or more to restore 1309? That is unbelievable.

Very nice, like 🤩 !!!

Same reason many articulated locomotives are prohibited from running over the hump in a hump yard (not that any sensible person would try to do that anyway).

The grade crossing adjustments would also be involved.

All I will say is it was better as Allegheny Central. Jack ran a wonderful operation. WMS seems poorly managed to say the least.

I see the old tunnel, is the line ever going to extend from frostburg, in the future?

The cost to relocate and correct the degree of curvature would be in the range of 5-7 million.

Mountain mommy is crazy

Heck yeah mountain mommy.

Quick question; what happened to 734 is she getting a 1472? Sold? Storage?

👍👍👍👍👍💪💪💪🤝🎉🎉🎉🎉

The best possible outcome in the future is the elimination of the Turntable and a 2.2 miles of track laided between the Frostburg station and the current end of the Georges Creek Branch. That way they have a complete railroad, ignoring tge expensive of the tunnel. Then find a new place for the turntable in Westernport.

There are several issues with extending the old C&P line back down to Westernport md. First the tunnel doesn’t meet existing standards for today. The tunnel is timber lined and has been out of service for at least 100 years. So rehabilitation of the tunnel would be approximately 10 million on the low end. To correct a severe drainage issue that resides with in the tunnel. Best would be the former right of way was built over with an apartment complex on the west side of it. Further down the line Interstate 68 buried the line near midalothian md. Neat would be after that obstruction is the former right of way reverted back to the adjacent property owner’s and a local strip mining and or landfill operation. Past all the hurdles in the way. It would costly to undertake this endeavor. Th only way for it to happen would be if the state was to take eminent domain for the completion. That is not going to happen in today’s environment. The senic railroad doesn’t haul freight at this point in time. I don’t see them hauling coal from that region since the mines have been worked out a long time ago. There is a possibility of having local businesses in the westernport that could possibly generate traffic for the line in the future. Then another issue arises as for csx to regenerate the former interchange with the westernport/ Mc coole md. They had one a few years ago whe the former westvaco plant was working.

What happened to Mountain Thunder?

With longer trains comes more power and unique issues.

So thought process here, lower and move the turn table a bit so the curve is less and so is the grade

Why not just back up the hill and have the steamer facing foward for the downhill?

its obvious

they could just build a y

And the governor of Maryland just cut the budget for support of WMSRR which will make its finances more tenuous..

Simple: 1309 is just too big to fit on the turntable.

IMO for what it's worth, get 734 rebuilt and send that 1309 piece of junk back to the B&O museum. There's something seriously wrong with 1309 and I would rather not be around it (when it blows up). Just my opinion. I know, opinions are like a__holes, everyone has one.

Perfect video🤌 And I don’t say that lightly. Thank you.

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