Cumberland is a city that is perfectly situated for the railfan looking for dra- matic railroading in a scenic location. To the east is the Magnolia Cutoff, straddling the Maryland-West Virginia border with its numerous tunnels and bridges as it cuts the corners on the twisting Potomac River. To the west, the former B&O heads beneath the rock walls of the Narrows before head- ing northwest into Pennsylvania and crossing the summit of the Alleghenies at Sand Patch. And to the southwest, the railroad heads into the coal fields around Grafton over legendary hills like 17 Mile and Cranberry grades. In the city, CSX still maintains a massive shop complex, including the former roundhouse and turntable. But there is one overlooked location near the city limits that has become unique as time takes its toll on the rest of the B&O. Head east out of Cumberland on Maryland Route 51 and you’ll follow the CSX yard for a couple of miles. As the yard begins to taper down to the main line, a sign for Mexico Farms Road will point you to the right. Here a highway bridge crosses the tracks right at the yard throat. This is Mexico. From the road bridge you have a good


view of the still-in-use yard tower and the CPL signals that guard a main line crossover — both the building and the


60 NOVEMBER 2013 • RAILFAN.COM


TOP: The westbound shot at Mexico can be challenging as it is either in deep shadows or directly into the sun. Still, bad weather conditions can make for interesting shots. ABOVE: An eastbound freight rolls through the crossovers while a westbound waits at the signals to enter the yard. OPPOSITE: Amtrak’s eastbound Capitol Limited is a mid-morning visitor to Mexico each day.


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