Steam & Excursion > Western Maryland Scenic on Jeopardy

The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad will be a category on Jeopardy November 25th. Check your local listings.

If you recall, Alex Trebek ran 734 on May 25 of this year:

http://times-news.com/local/x433427336/-Jeopardy-host-runs-steam-engine

Bill Larduskey

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Awesome! Didn't know anything about Mr Trebek's appearance on 734 this past May--thanks for sharing and I'll tune in on Nov 25th, too!

Bill, when I first read the subject line, it looked like it said "in Jeopardy"--scared me!

See, there are good reasons for not reading TO on "smart" phones, with those tiny screens.....

--Mike

So what is the significance of the trestle under construction in the lead photo? Helmstetter's curve?

It is how the curve was built. You'll also notice a narrow gauge railroad to deliver fill. According to John Helmstetter, the trestle was just buried under the fill as they went along.

The above shot was the original that John Lent me and was able to get high res scans including the beautiful edging. The result of which you can buy at: http://www.helmstetterfarm.org/ and click on the Print Store.

Baltimore Bill



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/20/11 14:47 by BillL.

NKP779 Wrote:
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> So what is the significance of the trestle under
> construction in the lead photo? Helmstetter's
> curve?

I think that might be the Salisbury Viaduct near Meyersdale.

No, it is Helmstetter's Curve being constructed. That is Helmstetter's Farm in the background including the original barn that burned to the ground and over $40,000 was raised to build a new one.

This is Salisbury Viaduct which is past the summit (Deale) near Meyersdale.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/20/11 14:58 by BillL.

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Oops, my error, I didn't notice the barn on the right.

BaltoJoey

BillL Wrote:
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> It is how the curve was built. You'll also notice
> a narrow gauge railroad to deliver fill.
> According to John Helmstetter, the trestle was
> just buried under the fill as they went along.
>
> The above shot was the original that John Lent me
> and was able to get high res scans including the
> beautiful edging. The result of which you can buy
> at: and click on the Print Store.
>
> Baltimore Bill

Hey Baltimore Bill:

You state that the trestle was just buried under the fill? That's hard to believe. Do you know when this was done, the year it happened?
Thanks.
JH a/k ClubCar in Maryland

ClubCar Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> BillL Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > It is how the curve was built. You'll also
> notice
> > a narrow gauge railroad to deliver fill.
> > According to John Helmstetter, the trestle was
> > just buried under the fill as they went along.
> >
> > The above shot was the original that John Lent
> me
> > and was able to get high res scans including
> the
> > beautiful edging. The result of which you can
> buy
> > at: and click on the Print Store.
> >
> > Baltimore Bill
>
> Hey Baltimore Bill:
>
> You state that the trestle was just buried under
> the fill? That's hard to believe. Do you know
> when this was done, the year it happened?
> Thanks.
> JH a/k ClubCar in Maryland

The same thing occurred on the Central Pacific when the original trestle at Secret Town was buried under fill... there is a precedent, indeed.

It was constructed sometime between 1907 and 1912 according to Wiki:

In 1907 the syndicate acquired several railroad companies, including the George's Creek and Cumberland Railroad (GC&C), which had built a line west through the Cumberland Narrows, and then south to Lonaconing, Maryland.[1]:47-48 Using the portion of the line through the Narrows, the Connellsville Extension was built west from Cumberland to Connellsville, Pennsylvania, beginning around 1906 and it was completed in 1912. At Connellsville the WM connected with the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad (P&LE). In 1915 the WM obtained trackage rights on a B&O line from Bowest Junction (2 miles south of Connellsville) to Chiefton, West Virginia, which provided access to coal mines in the area west of Fairmont, West Virginia.

The below site states 1906

http://www.wmwestsub.com/connellsvillesub/helmstetterscurve.htm

I never took a shot of the back of the photograph but might have to travel out there next month so I could ask John then.

Baltimore Bill

It was actually a fairly common method before trucks were practical. Build a light trestle (I think I see bark on the poles still) to support the (often)narrow-gauge railroad that was hauling from the "cut" to the "fill", then it was side dumped off either side of the trestle to form the fill...I always wondered how they got decent compaction, and have seen at an old dam site what happens when the trestle decays, but that's another story....

Cheers, Dave

This method of fill was also used in Connellsville were the WM came into town on the west side near the "West Penn" shops
When the dirt was removed around 20 years ago the wood pilings were still there

Tim c

The Wabash did this in various locations on mainline trackage. Also, when the elevation was built for the PRR/Wabash in Fort Wayne, Indiana just before WWI, it was built on pilings and filled. I suppose after a trestle is covered, it is not subject to decay as there is no oxygen?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/21/11 15:14 by wabash2800.

I don't think you have to worry about that as the pilings hold things up and the fill will settle over time.

Hillcrest Wrote:
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> I always wondered how they got decent
> compaction, ....
>
>

There's also plenty of examples of filled trestles on the Ocean Shore RR. You can see one at Davenport today, chopping the beach off from the rest of its ravine.

Mike Massee
Tehachapi, CA
Photography, Railroading and more..