A vintage car and truck met the train at Helmstetter’s Curve as the clouds moved back in. Several vintage cars were used for a grade crossing scene. Three miles from the end of the tourist railroad the tracks leave the WM right-of-way and swing onto the former Cumberland & Pennsylvania for the final march into Frostburg. The C&P features a twisting three per cent
grade and actually crosses the WM twice. Arrival at Frostburg found the depot area looking like a vintage auto dealership, with many cars available for props. A few minutes of sunshine brightened everybody’s mood (not to mention the ensuing photos). Following lunch it was time to head
down the mountain again. The skies re- mained largely uncooperative, howev-
er. The day wrapped up with No. 729 silhouetted against the gray sky at Helmstetter’s Curve.
Overall, it was a well-run charter with the weather only putting a slight damper on things. It had all the Lerro touches — vintage cars, actors, a night photo session and a renumbered loco- motive — that made the trip worth- while, even for the veterans of past WMSR charters.
Oh, and why was 729 chosen as the locomotive number? Last year Pete and Gen Lerro welcomed their first child in- to the world. And what is Olivia’s birth- day? July 29, of course.
LEFT: And then it was over... No. 729 becomes no more as the front number plate is removed. The number was chosen to honor the birthday of Pete Lerro’s daughter Olivia —July 29. Re- moving the number plate are Peter Lerro, Jr. (Olivia’s grandfather and a noted railroad artist himself) and Peter Lerro III (Olivia’s dad and the charter organizer). BELOW: The first day’s photos included low sun shots at the sig- nature photo spot on the former Western Maryland at Helmstetter’s Curve. John Helm- stetter, the third generation of the family to run the farm, has been most generous in let- ting charter groups to use his property for photography.
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