Steam & Excursion > WMSR 1309 Running Again 5/9/25

WMSR 1309 visible on the VRF Cumberland South camera crossing the bridge into Cumberland at 18:06:05.

QRRR

Looks like 1309 is out of the gate at 1900 hours, pulling passengers for the first time since 12/16/2023.
But as usual with the WMSR, there's something that makes you go hmmm...
The train is 1309 , 8 cars, and 2 (two) diesels , one behind the steam engine, one aft, both idling on departure.
A little extra insurance?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/09/25 16:21 by bigsavage.

Well, kissing your sister is better than no kiss at all. Let's hope that once they get the bugs out of her they'll have the courage to run her without diesel(s) in the consist. 

   Hope springs eternal.  Onward & Upward. Ross Rowland

Ha ! Ha ! Ha ! 👍

WM 1309 usually runs to Frostburg on Saturday & Sunday so this train might have been a special run? There was a group photo taken before the 7pm departure.

Screen grabs from Virtual Railfan's Cumberland PTZ live cam - thanks to the moderator!

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Nice shots!

JPB Wrote:
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> WM 1309 usually runs to Frostburg on Saturday &
> Sunday so this train might have been a special
> run? There was a group photo taken before the 7pm
> departure.
"Sunset on the Mountain" is a Friday evening age-restricted booze and entertainment excursion that runs to Frostburg and back without layover.
It will run semi-regularly through the rest of the season.
It was always the plan of the WMSR to use 1309 on the Friday evening trains, along with the 2 weekend daytime runs to Frostburg.
We'll see how long this 2 diesel setup goes, or maybe it's something to get used to...

Frostburg Flyer just pulled into Cumberland depot at 1037 Saturday 5/10/25 for the 1130 excursion topped and tailed with B32-8 diesels with 558 leading. No 1309 today apparently.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/10/25 08:22 by JPB.

JPB Wrote:
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> Frostburg Flyer just pulled into Cumberland depot
> at 1037 Saturday 5/10/25 for the 1100 excursion
> topped and tailed with B32-8 diesels with 558
> leading. No 1309 today apparently.
11:30 departure
What a shame, lots of people up there, lengthy yaks and traks bikes just pulled in.
A local railfan says 1309 is still under steam at the shop, so it looks like 1309 is going to be "day to day".

bigsavage Wrote:
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> JPB Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Frostburg Flyer just pulled into Cumberland
> depot
> > at 1037 Saturday 5/10/25 for the 1100 excursion
> > topped and tailed with B32-8 diesels with 558
> > leading. No 1309 today apparently.
> 11:30 departure
> What a shame, lots of people up there, lengthy
> yaks and traks bikes just pulled in.
> A local railfan says 1309 is still under steam at
> the shop, so it looks like 1309 is going to be
> "day to day".

There's commentary on the Cumberland live cam site saying that while 1309 is steaming at the shop and despite the successful Friday night run, 1309 is being given the day off to have a few issues resolved? 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/10/25 08:22 by JPB.

And so it goes...
Tune in tomorrow to see if this outfit can salvage the weekend.
Wonder how many refunds were handed out today?

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/10/25 13:34 by bigsavage.

1309 test run, audible on VRF Cam at about 14:35:30, visible approaching and stopping at Cumberland station @ 14::37.

That was a decent PR move if that what was intended; the 1309 stayed at the station to meet the returning train.
It appeared the train's passengers were given ample opportunity to get photos and examine the engine up close after disembarking the train.
Finally at 16:15, the engine backed slowly onto and across the Potomac bridge, unleashing a whistle salute at 16:18.
Maybe a good omen for tomorrow...

Yesterday's test was apparently good, as 1309 arrived at the Cumberland station @ 10:48 this a.m. with just 1 diesel on the rear of the train.

Dynamo Productions posted a shot of 1309 heading today's train.  Nice bark at the stack and the rod packing seemed nice and tight.

Mary McPherson
Dongola, IL
Diverging Clear Productions