Cumberland Station/B165.8
Cumberland Station/B165.8



Cumberland was a major division point of WM lines. The West Sub, Thomas Sub, and Connellsvile Sub all converged here. The WM has a station in downtown, which is currently owned by the City of Cumberland and used by the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal Visitors Center and the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad. To the west is City Junction. City Junction is located at the mouth of the Narrows, here the WM line to Connellsville left Cumberland and rose up the mountain to Deal on a 1.75% grade. There was also a connection with the B&O by means of a bridge across Will's Creek. This connection was once used by the Western Maryland to reach the old Cumberland & Pennsylavania Railroad. The C&P had tracks west to Frostburg, coal mines, and onto Peidmont, WV. The WM had trackage rights over the B&O to reach the C&P. City Junction hosted a small yard and roundhouse of the Georges Creek and Cumberland Railroad. The GC&C later purchased by the WM in 1907, had two lines into Cumberland. The first route ran into Cumberland to reach the C&O Canal. The GC&C then connected to the West Virginia Central & Pittsburg RR, later owned by the WM. The second line ran across Will's Creek on the bridge previous mentioned to the C&P RR now B&O.

South Cumberland was the division point for the West Sub and the Thomas Sub. Across the river from Cumberland in West Virginia was Ridgeley Yard, Maryland Jct., and Knobmount Yard. Ridgeley Yard was where west bound WM trains off the West Sub yarded before continuing west up the Connellsville Sub. Ridgely Yard is now the present shops for the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad. Maryland Jct. was in the center of both Ridgely and Knobmount Yards. There is also a wye here that is seldom used to turn the WMSR 2-8-0 steam locomotive. There once was an interlocking tower at Maryland Jct. up until abandonment. This tower was named "MY Tower". Virtually everything in the Maryland Junction area is gone today. Maryland Jct. once had shop facilities for maintaince and a small yard to servive locomotives. In the steam days this was the site of a large roundhouse. Most all shop buildings are now gone or scheduled for demolition. This area is then to be sold by CSX. Knobmount Yard was where all eastbound freights for the West Sub originated and all eastbound freights off the Connellsville Sub yarded. It was a coal classificatiuon yard for the Thomas Sub. It had a hump and a icing platform for refrigator cars. All tracks and most structures are also now gone.





Early photos taken by the WMRY at the Cumberland Station in 1917. Notice the old vehicles and the watered C&O Canal. Very neat photos, but glad to see the station grounds was restored and still look similar to these photos. (thanks to Warren Hart and Mike Yetter for photos)

Two photos of the WM buildings behind the Cumberland Station. The first photo is the WM Freight Station and the Second is the WM Offices which were attached to the freight station. Like to have those cars today, notice the horse and carriage in the second 1917 photo. (photo found by Lindsey Feaster)&(thanks to Warren Hart and Mike Yetter for 1917 photo)

A WM Pacific leaves the Cumberland station bound for either Hagerstown and Baltimore, MD. or Elkins, WV. (photo by William P. Price) Later WM's Cumberland Station seen in October 10, 1992. This is now the WM station and tracks looked after the end of passenger service and through freight operations on the WM. The station tracks and platform was rebuilt to its original appearence in April 1998 and remains today.

These two photos were found and saved from an attic in a building that was to be torn down. First photo was taken during construction of a new and the current connection with the B&O/CSX RR at the station. Second photo is of a waiting WM Pacific type passeger locomotive at the station. Again some neat photos. (photos found by Lindsey Feaster)

WMSR 734 heads across the 10th crossing of the Potomac River from Hagerstown as it heads to pick up waiting passengers at Cumberland. (10-09-10)

Western Maryland Scenic Railroad's FA's nos. 305 and 800, and 2-8-0 steam locomotive No. 734, cross the 10th Potomac River bridge as they head to pick up waiting passengers at the Cumberland station.

WMSR 734 heads across the Potomac River in a snow shower, (12-18-11)

Two more photos found by Lindsey Feaster I thought would be neat for others to see. First is a 1952 Dodge Station Wagon outfitted with steal wheels for company inspection use on the railroad. Second photo was taken during flood wall construction at the station.

WMRY F-unit 241 has a has a train on the sidetrack just west of Cumberland Station. The mailien to Connellsville is the bridge over Wills creek in the foreground also seen in the second photo. (photo found by Lindsey Feaster)&(1-14-05)

The B166 milepost can be seen here on the right. This track on the right will soon be removed to make way for the Allegany Highlands Trail. (1-14-05)

The old tell-tale still stands over the right-of-way here next to the old site of the Queen City Brewery. (1-14-05)

Looking west from under the B&O's City Junction Viaduct. The old eastbound main track is elevated above the westbound main track. (1-14-05)



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