After the triumphant return of regular steam service to the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad less than a year ago, former Chesapeake & Ohio H6 2-6-6-2 Mallet #1309 continues to thunder proudly through the mountains as 2022 comes to a close. With the fall season in full swing, the spectacular colors of fall surround the train on the journey through the mountains of Maryland at many familiar locations along the scenic line. Come along as we follow this mammoth iron horse as she traverses through the vibrant foliage with the sounds of a New York Central 6 chime and a Pennsylvania Railroad 3 chime, reminiscent of the days when K4's ruled the rails of the PRR. The Pennsy 3 chime was mounted on 1309 in support of the mission to restore K4 #1361, "The Spirit of Altoona". Along with the normal daytime excursions from Cumberland to Frostburg, we follow a unique nighttime excursion to Frostburg featuring the haunting echoes of that iconic K4 voice lingering in the darkness. Please sit back and enjoy "The Fall Foliage Mountaineer" brought to you by Keystone Rail Productions!
History of 1309:
Western Maryland Scenic Railroad 1309 is a 2-6-6-2 steam locomotive designated as an H6 class "Mallet" that was built in 1949 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad. In desperate need of new motive power, these 10 Mallets delivered in 1949 would be the final steam locomotives built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for a North American railroad. During her short service time on the C&O, the locomotive would haul heavy coal drags in Kentucky and the vast mountains of West Virginia until she was retired in 1956. Spending nearly two decades dormant in storage in a C&O roundhouse, she would finally be moved to Baltimore, Maryland in 1975 to be cosmetically restored and displayed at the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum. Almost 40 years later, she would be purchased for the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad to be restored to operating condition in WSMR's shops in Ridgely, West Virginia. After thousands of man hours, 7 years, and more than 3 million dollars, the mammoth locomotive would move under her own steam 64 years later on New Year's Eve of 2020. She would be placed into regular service in December of 2021 in a Western Maryland fireball scheme and now serves as the "New" Mountain Thunder for the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad.
Locations:
0:00 Ridgeley, WV
1:56 Simmering at Cumberland
2:45 Brick Factory
4:04 The Narrows
5:59 Helmstetter's Curve
8:17 Milepost 175 - Woodcock Hollow
9:08 Trimble
10:02 Arriving at Frostburg
11:28 Frostburg
12:02 Backing Down Helmstetter's Curve
13:50 Returning to Cumberland
14:57 Cumberland at Sunset
16:40 Nighttime Cumberland Departure
18:12 Darkness at Helmstetter's Curve
To learn more and support the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad's operations, please visit:
https://wmsr.com/
To learn more and support the Railroader's Memorial Museum and their efforts to restore the 1361, please visit:
https://www.railroadcity.org/1361.html
Special Thanks To:
- The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad
- The Crews of 1309
- The KRP Family
Filmed on:
Friday, October 14, 2022
Saturday, October 15, 2022
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