Eastern Railroad Discussion > Train engine catches fire

I'm surprised this wasn't on here sooner.
Gary

By Sam Shawver, Cumberland Times-News Staff Writer
"Sunday, July 24, 2005 10:32 AM EDT
FROSTBURG - "We didn't know there was a problem until we saw the fire trucks coming down the hill - it was very exciting," Peggy January said after the diesel engine on a Western Maryland Scenic Railroad excursion train caught fire at the Frostburg depot on Saturday afternoon.

January and son Michael were with a group of rail fans from north Baltimore County who boarded the train in Cumberland with about 400 other passengers.

But just as the train arrived at the Frostburg depot, a wisp of smoke could be seen curling from the helper locomotive, No. 502, that was bringing up the rear.

"The helper engineer noticed a small amount of smoke coming from the engine when they first pulled into the depot, but when it became heavier the crew started shooting a dry powder fire extinguisher, and kept it under control until firefighters arrived," said Doug Beverage, general superintendent of the scenic railroad.

Volunteer fire companies from Frostburg, Shaft and Clarysville, as well as Frostburg Area Ambulance personnel responded to the 12:47 p.m. blaze. There were no injuries."

#502 is the GP-30 correct?

Hopefully, it's not anything major.

#501 and 502 are both GP30's.

Gary

I'm just waiting to see how CSX is blamed for this.

This was the Ravens-painted unit - and I don't think too many folks on here will miss it!!

The enginewas built as RDG #3607 in 1963, and wound up as CR #2175. It was the last active GP30 on the CR roster. It came to the WMSR in 1995.

WMSR employees say the unit is dead.


Let's hope thar they replace it with a more authentic Western Maryland engine like an F-unit or old geep. The WM never owned any GP30's.

Manheim,
Cumberland

Oscar_Manheim Wrote:
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> The enginewas built as RDG #3607 in 1963, and
> wound up as CR #2175. It was the last active GP30
> on the CR roster. It came to the WMSR in 1995.
>

I thought both of the Geep 30's are of Reading hearitage?

Was the steamer on this train?

Maybe a cinder lit the deisel on fire?

WPandYfan Wrote:
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> I thought both of the Geep 30's are of Reading
> hearitage?


...the 501 was built for the PRR - originally #2249 (also ran on PC and CR as #2249).

"Helper engineer"

Is that as in engineer of a separate unit, or the engineer's
assistant?

Z

As in helper locomotive engineer..