Western Maryland (#1004)

Early in the 20th century, the Western Maryland became the link by which the Wabash Railway system controlled by George Jay Gould I would establish an east coast connection. Gould was stringing together railroads to form a transcontinental competitor to the giants like the Pennsylvania Railroad on his "Alphabet Route". The Connellsville Extension was built west from Cumberland, Maryland to Connellsville, Pennsylvania beginning around 1906 and was completed in 1912. West Virginia Central and Pittsburg Railway began as a narrow gauge line in 1880, its name and gauge changed in 1881 and in the ensuing years it opened a huge swathe of timber and coal territory in northern West Virginia to use, creating such towns as Elkins, Davis and Thomas. A major connection was made with the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway's Greenbrier Branch at Durbin, West Virginia in 1900. Sold to the Gould interests in 1902, it became an important part of the WM in 1905 and contributed heavily to that road's prosperity in the coal and lumber trade down to modern times. Thus, although never a giant, the Connellsville subdivision of WM handled through midwest fast freight traffic and coal from company-owned mines near Fairmont, West Virginia and Somerset, Pennsylvania. In 1930, the Pittsburgh and West Virginia Railroad Company reached Connellsville to hook up with the WM. That line operates today as the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway. In 1964, the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O) and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) jointly filed for permission to acquire control of the Western Maryland Railway with the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC). In 1973, as part of the Chessie System, the Western Maryland ownership went to C&O and it was operated by the B&O. In 1987, it was merged into the C&O which itself became part of CSX Transportation. Much of the original Western Maryland line has been abandoned including the crossing of the Allegheny Mountains and the Eastern Continental Divide near Deal, Pennsylvania after going through Savage Mountain in a 3,000 ft tunnel. The elevation at Deal is 2,375ft. Portions of the former WM are now operated by West Virginia Central, a short line railroad, and Western Maryland Scenic Railway. Other portions are now rail trails.

Photo album created with Web Album Generator