Status of the Western Maryland Scenic RR

[nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org]

FYI
I know this isn't the N&W [but we don't have 611 or 1218 in steam anymore],
and
it isn't O, S, or 1:20 scale either, but I am asking that you please
redistribute this email and act as you feel motivated. The "I" in the first
sentence is Bill Larduskey. 

The quick synopsis of the situation is the desire of some to cut the old WM
line all the way back to Brush Tunnel between Cumberland and Frostburg, MD. 
The "hike and bike" folks would like to just rip up the whole line; who
needs a
loud stinky steam engine messing up the environment anyway.  Please consider
sending a letter to the Maryland governor's office in support of retaining the
whole railroad.
Jim Stapleton
==========
>
> First some good news, and then some great news as Carl Franz, Charles Smith
> and I traveled to Cumberland again Friday March 25th to meet with the
WMSR and
> get updates on how the work is progressing.
>
> Keep those cards and letters coming as you ARE making an impact.  Word from
> Annapolis, MD is that Governor Ehrlich has received so much mail on
saving the
> WMSR that he has had to add a person just to handle it.  Well done everyone,
> but it's not over yet.  Business's in the Cumberland area are also getting
> behind the "Save the WMSR" effort with petitions to sign during their St.
> Patrick's Day Celebrations and even comment cards at a local restaurant
have a
> place for you to sign and support this worthy cause.
>
> The WMSR received some positive coverage Friday as they worked with the
> Make-A-Wish Foundation to give a young boy and 27 of his friends a chance to
> ride a real train.  The story is covered on the Cumberland News-Times
website
> (requires free registration):
>
>
> <http://www.times-news.com/articles/2005/03/26/sections/regional_news/gene
>
> ral/news45.txt>http://www.times-news.com/articles/2005/03/26/sections/regi
> onal_news/general/news45.txt
>
> I'll have more soon on how you can help the WMSR stay in business and
provide
> the service and experience everyone has known and loved over the years.
>
> Now for the photos I've been waiting to take since last December, the first
> track has been laid to reconnect the segment between Signal Bridge 2 and
> Woodcock Hollow Road.  Track crews have been working for 11 days now and
have
> spiked down 1 mile of track and have another ½ mile of ties down (almost to
> Trimble Road) and were re-attaching the rail over as far as the Coal
Tipple. 
> They are using all brand new ties but are just using the old rail as is with
> very few exceptions.  They hope to start ballasting the work completed next
> week.  There is still a deadline of April 30th loaming but as long as the
> crews can work, there's still a chance they can make it all the way to
> Woodcock Hollow.
>
> All shots were taken with a Nikon D1x and resized for viewing.
>
> First up, the new meets the old.  This shot has Signal Bridge Two to my back
> and Switch 9 around the bend.  As you can see, the new track still
connects to
> track 1 (the usual westbound track on the WMRY) but will slide over to the
> track 2 position by the time it reaches Signal Bridge 2 about 200 yards
behind
> me.  If you want to see some shots of Signal Bridge 2, check out this
month's
> issue of Railfan and Railroad which should be hitting the streets as I type
> this.
>
>
> <http://www.larduskey.com/>http://www.larduskey.com/images/Trains/WMSR/050
> 325/DSC_0001sml.jpg
>
> Next is a shot of the crew working south of Parkersburg Road.
>
>
> <http://www.larduskey.com/>http://www.larduskey.com/images/Trains/WMSR/050
> 325/DSC_0013sml.jpg
>
> The right of way is a total mess and not able to be used by a car so if you
> want to see for yourself, wait until the mud dries up some.  If you don't
> believe me, here's a shot of my formerly Polo Green Yukon after exploring
> just some of the right of way.
>
>
> <http://www.larduskey.com/>http://www.larduskey.com/images/Trains/WMSR/050
> 325/DSC_0020sml.jpg
>
> The crew is setting the rail back on the ties here at The Coal Tipple but
for
> me they're doing it backwards and will have to pull the far rail over the
near
> rail to set it in place.
>
>
> <http://www.larduskey.com/>http://www.larduskey.com/images/Trains/WMSR/050
> 325/DSC_0021sml.jpg
>
> The end of the line for now, this shot looks west to the Coal Tipple and
> Trimble Road is to my back.  I'm guessing the crew will finish laying
rail to
> here as the ties would surely be gone over the weekend if they didn't.
>
>
> <http://www.larduskey.com/>http://www.larduskey.com/images/Trains/WMSR/050
> 325/DSC_0024sml.jpg
>
> Not to be outdone, the WMSR has work to do as well and track crews are at
> Cash Valley Road replacing ties around famous Helmstetter's Curve.
>
>
> <http://www.larduskey.com/>http://www.larduskey.com/images/Trains/WMSR/050
> 325/DSC_0026sml.jpg
>
> More in a bit as I have more shots of the work down on 734 back at the shops
> in Ridgeley,
>
> Bill Larduskey
> ===============