Since the demise of the WM, only one significant piece of the main line still exists west of Hagerstown, Md.; as it turns out, this was one of the most pho- tographed stretches during the WM’s heyday. Westward from Cumberland, Md., the line climbs up, circles the val- ley on famous Helmstetter’s Curve and passes through Brush Tunnel. This is now the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad (WMSR), which takes great pride in its WM roots. Primary power for the WMSR is 2-8-0 No. 734, a husky Baldwin that originally worked for the Lake Superior & Ishpeming in Michi- gan as No. 34. When it came to the WMSR in 1991 it was modified to re- semble one of WM’s H-7 Consolida- tions; despite being a bit larger than an actual WM loco, the dimensions were correct and it “scaled up” quite nicely. With a scenic line and a nearly-au- thentic locomotive and
nice fleet of
freight cars, the WMSR has been the lo- cation of many, many photo charters over the years. In fact, outside of the
RIGHT: The rising sun silhouettes two railroad employees as Western Maryland No. 729 pauses at the water column in Cumberland, Md., on October 22, 2013. BELOW: After tak- ing water, No. 729 enjoyed the first light of the day on the CSX interchange along the C&O Canal in Cumberland.
Colorado narrow gauge railroad, the WMSR has probably seen more photo charters than any other U.S. railroad. Unlike the Colorado narrow gauge lines, however, the WMSR doesn’t have multi- ple classes of locomotives that add pho- tographic variety – it has only the 734. Lerro Productions, headed by Pete Lerro, operated two days of charters on the WMSR in October 2013. Pete has
been known for his surprises during charters (including live cows at Osier, Colo., for a stock pen loading scene on the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic) and vin- tage cars and actors on almost every trip. Thus, his passengers shouldn’t have been too surprised when they ar- rived to find a new locomotive —“West- ern Maryland 729” — sitting at the Cumberland station on October 21. (In
60 JANUARY 2014 •
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