Eastern Railroad Discussion > Highfield, MD. with the usual suspects; 6/1/20

Yesterday after attending to personal business my ride home intersected again with the Maryland Midland and CSX performing their jobs in the Highfield, MD. area in the peaceful and scenic Catoctin Mountains
As I left home, Maryland Midland's UBHF was leaving Thurmont heading west. Since a very busy time 6-8 weeks ago, MMID has settled into using the 4 SDs for the road freights to Highfield and Emory Grove, while the 4-axle EMDs are being used on the New Windsor dirt trains.
When I later arrived in the Highfield area, the MMID power had just retrieved its return train, tied down at the former FT. Ritchie site.
MMID's SDs rarely smoke, but I did catch a belch as the 4 units notched out on the 1.58% grade.
All photos by WW Jenkins

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That second shot is quite excellent.

What appears to be a Highfield standoff is MMID's eastbound waiting for the westbound CSX Hanover turn to reverse onto the MMID's main line (X-Western Maryland Rwy. East sub) and pickup the cut of cars previously left there by the MMID UBHF.
Highfield was the junction point for the WMRY's 2 lines out of Baltimore, MD., and was a busy place through the 1970s.
After CSX reverses, MMID will pull onto CSX's Hanover line to clear for CSX to pull west and then make their way to Hagerstown, MD.
While there are 3 passing sidings here in Highfield, all three are too short for the lengthy trains that are interchanged here. 
Last week, an incredible 109 empties were brought back to Union Bridge by MMID's Wednesday train.

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MMID then rolls down the Mountain eastbound, I was able to catch it 3 times between Highfield and Thurmont. (10 miles in rail distance)
Lantz, MD. at Foxville-Deerfield RD.
Flint, MD. along MD RT550.
Apples Church Rd. in Thurmont, 2 blocks from home. MMID will stop here with several loads for the NVR plant that makes wood components for new houses.

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Wow! Tough to pick a favorite out of that group. But I think I'll go with your last--at Thurmont with Catoctin Mountain in the background.
Well done.
/Ted

I have enjoyed all the photos and I also love the final one with the mountain in the back ground.  I have many fond memories from riding on this line when it was the Western Maryland Railway and I have been fortunate to have ridden with both steam and diesel.  I'm so glad that the Maryland Midland has plenty of shipments to keep them busy.
John in White Marsh, Maryland

SD45's make all including that  awful paint job look good.