East End of Deal/B189.4


Summit 2,375 ft.





Deal was the Western Maryland's Summit of the Allegheies. The elevation at Deal is 2,375ft., 300 feet lower than the B&O's. To the east was Cumberland 21 rail miles away with a 1.75% grade drop. To the west Connellsville was 65 rail miles away with a .08% grade drop, the easiest railroad crossing of the Alleghienies. Deal was not just the top of the mountain for the railroad but also the Eastern Contiential Divide. Water ran west to the Mississippi River and on to the Gulf of Mexico. TO the east water ran into the Potomac River, Cheseapeake Bay, and Atlantic Ocean.

Deal had a passing siding a two setoff tracks. Four tracks were here at the East End of Deal including a 110 car storage track. In the steam days a water tower stood here as well. The train order office was closed in the mid 1950's but still stood for a telephone service and for work crews. The office closed as a result of the CTC that was installed between Cumberland and Deal.


The railroad once crossed a road/driveway to a farm at near the West Portal of Big Savage Tunnel. An old WM CTC power pole still stands to the right. (11-7-04)

Further west from Big savage almost at Deal. The cut at Deal can be seen on the right of the photo. the trail curves right to the cut. (11-7-04)

Bill Price has caught the mid-train helper almost at the top of the grade at Deal. Big Savage Tunnel is just around the corner at the end of the train. I took the second photo down on the right-of-way where the locomotive once was. (11-7-04)

Looking west into the cut at Deal. The cut has alot of standing water. When I took this photo I had rode my bike up from Frostburg. I had to go all the way up the grade to the summit at Deal. (11-7-04)

Looking back east from atop the fill along Grisner Rd. This fill was once a wooden overhead bridge during WM days. Since abandoment the bridge was replaced with this fill. It may howevewr be removed and a large culvert installed to alow passage of the Allegheny Highlands Trail. (11-7-04)

A WM train comes into Deal to find the Nickel Plate 4-8-4 waiting in the sidind. The westbound WM trains helpers would be need to take the steam special down the 1.75% grade to Cumberland. (10-18-70 by unkown photographer)

The WM special leaves Deal with a set of F7's. This was done to use the diesels dynamic brakes down the hill to Cumberland. Later on 11-7-04 I got a photo from a silimar angle that the previous photographer did. (10-18-70 by unkown photographer)

Looking east from Deal on November 9, 2004. The westbound signal base is on the left in the photo.

Found a foundation that was used for a small metal shed here at deal. The train-order office was to the right of this building in the photo. The water tower once stood on the left of the fallen shed in the background. (11-09-04)

Bill Price has caught a WM train eastbound passing the signal at the east End of Deal. As of November 9, 2004 all work on the Allegheny Highlands Trail stops here with the exception of the newly completed Big Savage Tunnel about a mile to the east.

Old signal bases and supports for the train-order pickup device that was here at the East End of Deal. The WM shed at deal has collapsed from lack of maintence. (Aug.29, 1996)

Looking east from the eastbound WM signal base that once controlled WM train movements by CTC. (Aug.29, 1996)

Looking west down the right-of-way that was once the Western Maryland mainline and passing siding here at Deal. (Aug.29, 1996)



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