CUMBERLAND
signals are a rarity these days. The tracks through Mexico are on a north-south alignment, with the sun strongly favoring eastbounds most of the day. Trees on either side of the tracks cast long shadows, but from mid-morning to mid-afternoon there is plenty of sun. In the opposite direction, the tracks come to the overpass on a tight curve; this area is in shadow most of the day, and when it isn’t you are shooting directly into the sun. Still, fog- gy mornings or rainy days can yield in- teresting results. Traffic through Mexico, as with Sand
Patch and the Magnolia Cutoff, can be sporadic. Sometimes there can be one train after another, while at other times there may be nothing for hours. Yard movements will occasionally pro- vide a break in the main line doldrums. Amtrak’s eastbound Capitol Limited makes a mid-morning appearance, but keep in mind that during the shortest days of the year there still may be shad- ows by the CPL’s when the train goes through.
MARYLAND
WEST
VIRGINIA
There’s no telling how long the scene
at Mexico will remain the same. The CPL’s have almost completely van- ished from CSX, and it’s probably safe to assume the Mexico set will eventual- ly fall. The tower probably has a brighter future, as it controls move- ments into and out of various yard tracks. Still, towers of any sort near a main line are getting rare. The Cumberland area has a lot to offer the visiting railfan. But after searching the mountains take a few minutes
to visit the survivors in
Mexico. It is a classic B&O scene that’s getting harder and harder to find any- where else as time marches on.
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