Steam & Excursion > 1990 Steam: 1238 on the (future) WM Scenic

In 1990, a trip to the Western Maryland Scenic found former Canadian Pacific 4-6-2 #1238 doing the honors.

1) Coming into Cumberland from Ridgely, WV yard.

2) In Frostburg.

3) Upon return to Cumberland.

B&OBill



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/05/22 07:39 by bandob.

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All nice photos BandO Bill.  Thanks for sharing with us.  I'm one of those people who first rode behind the 1238 along with sister 1286 when they were owned by the Red Clay Valley group out of Wilmington, Delaware and these engines pulled an excursion trip over the former Pennsylvania R.R. main line from Baltimore's Penn Station, up the Northeast Corridor to the line up along the Susquehanna River know as the "Port Road" to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, then back to Baltimore on the old Northern Central R.R.  That was the last through steam powered train to ever come down the former Northern Central.  The year was 1969.
John in White Marsh, Maryland

bandob Wrote:
> In 1990, a trip to the Western Maryland Scenic
> found former Canadian Pacific 4-6-2 #1238 doing
> the honors.
> B&OBill

Thanks for sharing your photos, but I think you'll find that this was the Allegany Central Railroad, not the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad. The markings on the tender are a clue.
/Ted

Ted, the markings say Allegheny Central, because the locomotive had been used on that line in Virginia.  However, the railroad between Cumberland and Frostburg is the Western Maryland Scenic.

I see your point, though. 

From wikipedia: 
"In the early 1970s, the locomotive was sold to Jack Showalter for use in excursion service on the Alleghany Central Railroad in Covington, Virginia. After the line had been ripped up, the Showalter relocated his railroad and locomotives in 1989 to Cumberland, which sprung the beginning of excursion service over this line. After the WMSR was officially founded in 1991, the Alleghany Central was relocated again to the Virginia Central in Staunton."

I changed the subject heading. Thanks for your comment.
B&OBill



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/05/22 07:38 by bandob.

When operated by Jack Showalter, the railroad was indeed the "Allegany Central" (having dropped the "h" from the predecessor "Alleghany Central" in Virginia).  Only after the departure of Jack and ex-CP G5s did the railroad become the WMSR.

The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad Development Authority was "overseer" of the Railroad between Cumberland and Frostburg, MD from day one. Jack Showalter's ALLEGANY CENTRAL (Allegany as in Allegany County, Maryland) was the designated operator in the beginning.

Only after Jack's departure did the "Authority" decide to operate the Scenic Railroad themselves with leased equipment as the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad. with cars from the Horseshoe Curve Chapter and diesels from BKE.

Mr. Showalter's business name was the Allegany Central Corporation.... Point of Interest that pay represents 56 trips firing for Mr. Showalter that season, 1 - 2 trips a day /  2 - 3 days a week. Not bad for a part-time gig back then.

On a side note, It was nice to see the WMSR recognize Mr. Showalter with plagues now adorned on #1309 on this past Friday....

Tim W.


 

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