4th Crossing/B139.6

There is a story in the book The Land of the Living, by John Mash that tells of National Guard troops that were camped here at the bridge during World War I. Sabotage by people sympathetic to the Germans was thought to be a great threat so in 1917 the National Giard was given the responsibility of guarding the bridges of the WM and the B&O. At each bridge were camps for the troops and gun emplacements to guard the approaches of the bridges. The troop camp here at the 4th crossing was remembered by two men by the name of Bud and Dave Keifer who were children at the time. They remember the camp to have had neat rows of tents that were surronded by neat rows of white washed rocks. The camp was at the west end of the bridge between the road that crossed the tracks and the bridge. It it known that the rocks are still here today lined up as thay were in 1917.

The abandoned WM right-of-way east from Kessler Tunnel leaves the deep cut and around a slight curve to the bridge. A barricade was constructed by the park service to keep people off the bridge. (Sept. 2001)

It's hard to spot the bridge through the grown up trees, but if removed, it would be a nice photo. There is a large flat area here that would also make a good camp site.

Out on the west end of the bridge in September 2001. The bridge is in good shape here up until about the center of the bridge where the crossties are missing.

The WM bridge at Magnolia, photographed from B&O's bridge.

Along the east side of the bridge the tracks are consumed again by the trees.

Looking down river from Wm's 4th bridge. A portion of the river breaks off to the left of the island in the left of this photo taken in Summer of 2004.

Down river from the bridge in September 2001. This location would make a nice photo for an eastbound Western Maryland train.

The summer months hide the bridge. It's hard to believe that this was a mainline railroad at once.

Looking east from atop the bridge. A tree has grown up through the crossties. This tree is rather large and is growing around the crossties. Other trees are pushing agains the handrails and are beginning to push them over. A trail NEEDS to be built to save the bridge from further deteriation.

The eastern portion of WM's 4th bridge is curved inorder to allow the WM to run around a long bend of the river. The WM will next cross B&O's Low Line, the former route of the B&O up the Potomac river Valley. After completion of the WM line the B&O soon began construction of its own line that would be known as the Magnolia Cuttoff.

The WM crossed the B&O's Lowline as it crossed the river numerous times in the Paw Paw Bends. The orignial color of the bridge was balck. When it was black it used to read "WESTERN MARYLAND RAILWAY FAST FREIGHT LINE". The old paint is beginning to show through the fading silver paint that was applied later in the WM's days.

This signal base is located just off the east end of the bridge. It was used for the hotbox detector signal for all eastbound trains. The WM ran east of here through this cut before reaching the West End of Jerome.

Go West
Go East