READ FIRST:
Another year, another round of Polar Express fun! Join us as we chase 1309 around Cumberland, Maryland as she pulls the railroad's Polar Express trains from Frostburg to Woodcock Hollow and back. The locomotive continues to wear Howard Pincus's New York Central Long Bell 6-Chime whistle. Clips were shot on 12/9 and 12/10 and are arranged by location order starting from Ridgeley, WV and working west towards Frostburg. Enjoy =)
FAQ [READ BEFORE COMMENTING]:
1. #1309 is an articulated compound engine. This means that under normal operation, the steam is fed from the boiler to the rear set of high pressure cylinders and is exhausted into the forward set of low pressure cylinders before being exhausted out of the stack. This means that unlike simple articulateds (4014, 3985, 1218, etc), you will not hear two separate exhaust rhythms.
2. Until WMSR receives the funds to complete track work that involves realigning the approaches to the Frostburg turntable, there is no way to turn the 1309 at the end of the line there. Thus she will be running with diesel equipment on the other end of the consist for the return runs to Cumberland. Additionally, as with all new or newly rebuilt locomotives, the steam crew is still sorting through a multitude of teething issues that arise as part of the testing process, so the diesel locomotives will function doubly as backup power as needed.
Table of Contents:
0:00 - Ridgeley, West Virginia
5:54 - Potomac River
8:18 - The Narrows
11:02 - Dakota Avenue
12:44 - Manteo Road
13:59 - Brush Tunnel
16:13 - Starting out of Mountain View (MP 174.8)
23:20 - Woodcock Hollow Road
24:45 - Parkersburg Road
26:30 - Parkersburg Siding (MP 179.6)
27:39 - Number 9 Switch (Video Thumbnail)
31:13 - Number 9 Slide (Garner's Meadow)
34:27 - Big Cut
36:02 - Frostburg, Maryland
37:42 - Bonus clip; Night Shot at Garner's Meadow
F40 450 leading eastbound: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXcFHvipYnw