Eastern Railroad Discussion > WM Scenic visit, and encountering an old friend

Personal and museum business took me to the old hometown on 5/18/2023. While in Frostburg, I scheduled myself so I could catch the "Frostburg Flyer" on the WM Scenic.
The diesel power will continue until July 1 as shown on the WMSR schedule, #1309 last ran in February. While I was assured that 1309 is down for "regular maintenance", one wonders if there is something else.
Certainly the train length and customer count reflected the absence of the the big steamer.
I spotted no other photographers along the way.
At  12:36, #558 approaches the Trimble Rd. crossing in Slabtown, MP178 on the WM Connellsville Sub.

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With 2 work zones on MD RT36 on the way to Frostburg, I waited for the "Tracks and Yaks" crew and their funky 4X4 @ 12:48, again their customer count seemed to be down.
#558 and its 4-car train rest at the Frostburg depot.
The highlight of the train, IMO, is the 1954 Budd-built short dome know as "Stampede Pass", built for the Northern Pacific North Coast LTD.

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@ 15:24, #558 is rounding Helmstetters Curve on the way back to Cumberland.

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I have had some good times in Stampede Pass, on Labor Day weekend in 2015, I enjoyed riding the vestibule on the way up the east slope of the Poconos on xDL&W track between East Stroudsburg and Mount Pocono behind #765
On 5/7/2016. I rode the dome up Christiansburg Mt. behind #611.
Hopefully the budget will eventually support another ride on the WMSR.

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Thanks for sharing. Not a big surprise that a Thursday run before school is out would be a pretty sparse crowd. I’m honestly surprised they run at all during the week before the second week of June.

Posted from iPhone

For Big Savage... a photo from that September 5, 2015 excursion you rode featuring the dome liner Stampede Pass at the Delaware Water Gap

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Thanks for the nice series on the Western Maryland Scenic, and the Roanoke 611 excursion.  I recognize the volunteer server in the dome shot and will send him a picture.

Jim

Cool videos, that paint job they did on that 8-40B looks great in Western Maryland Paint though!