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Western Maryland Scenic Railroad

The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad takes passengers sixteen miles on a ride up through the mountains out of Cumberland MD, and it truly is scenic. The train runs as far as Frostburg where you can have lunch while the steam locomotive is turned on the turntable for the trip back down. The railroad also operates old diesel locomotives as well as steam engines too.

The short Western Maryland Scenic Railroad has given me many chances to take pictures in all the seasons. As seen below, the most dramatic ones were done in winter cold and snow. No surprise there, that’s when the smoke and steam are the most plentiful, rising high into the air for the most effect.

This little heritage railroad and tourist line was once part of a much larger situation, the Western Maryland Railway. It reached from tidewater at Baltimore to the West Virginia coal mines and up into western Pennsylvania. Much of it was through some very scenic mountain landscape and some tough mountain railroading too. Today, you can still enjoy a piece of that on a short two-hour ride out and back from Cumberland MD.

The railroad has a unique feature for biking enthusiasts too as part of the 150-mile Great Allegheny Passage bike trail. The old Western Maryland Railway mainline was originally double tracked. Today, only one remains and the other is now for bicycles, which makes this a rails-with-trails. If you arrange with the railroad first, you can put your bike on the train for a ride to the top and coast back down! I’ve done this and it’s a blast.

It’s a great scenic ride either way on this heritage railroad, especially in the Fall. All these railroad pictures are available on laminated high gloss, canvas, and matted paper, printed and made by hand by myself, the artist. ~Andy

Western Maryland Scenic RailroadPanoramic Photographs

Western Maryland Scenic Railroad Pictures

A Western Maryland steam train rounds a snowy mountain curve with a bright headlight leading the way and lots of smoke and steam.

Cold and Bright #13901
A steam locomotive pulling a vintage freight train while making big smoke and steam in the winter cold. This is the Western Maryland Scenic RR crossing the Potomac River at Cumberland, MD.

Cold Crossing #13471
Pushing black smoke, a steam locomotive in excursion service waits to leave the Cumberland MD station in the cool blue light just before dawn.

Dawn Departure #13669
A railroad steam engine Western Maryland #734 sits at the station making black smoke under blue skies.

Firebreather #13668
A steam freight train rounding a curve through a snowy rock cut beside a river with steam locomotive billowing smoke in the cold winter air. Taken along Wills Creek in the Cumberland Narrows outside Cumberland, Maryland.

Ghost Train #13013
On a cold winter day, the Western Maryland Scenic RR steam train runs through the Narrows between two high mountain ridges.

Smoke in The Narrows #15247
With headlight shining yellow into the darkness, an old fashioned steam train enters a mountain railroad tunnel as the locomotive smoke boils against the ceiling. Lens flares fly all through the shot.

High Beam #13365
Western Maryland Scenic Railroad #734 pulls vintage freight cars uphill through fall foliage on it's way from Cumberland, MD, in Allegany County. Quality prints start at $29. © Andrew Dierks

Mountain Climbing #14704

Mountain Curve #12987
A steam train entering a railroad tunnel with black locomotive smoke boiling against the ceiling, with a powerful headlight shining yellow in the darkness.

Night Train #13366
A Western Maryland freight train rounding curve through a snowy rock cut through Haystack Mountain beside Will's Creek. The picture was taken in the Cumberland Narrows outside Cumberland Maryland. with the steam locomotive billowing smoke in the cold winter air.

Straightaway #13655
Clouds of smoke and steam from an old fashioned steam train on the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad crossing the Potomac River at Cumberland MD.

The Crossing #12980
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