Quite amazing that 7 WM 2-8-0’s are required each time for this coal drag…are those rails still there?
Western Maryland 2-8-0s 840 and 816 swing around one curve and into another as they lead a coal train east through rugged Blackwater Canyon between Elkins and Thomas, W.Va., in May 1952. Three more 2-8-0s at mid-train, and two more on the rear, help the 78-car train upgrade.
Ed Theisinger photo
WOW! Shades of the old Colorado Midland in Ute Pass or in the Colorado Rocky Mountain High on Hell Gate…almost anyway. Just imigine what the crew cost must have been?
Yes that’s a lot of water and coal … and of course 7 crews, … no mu, communication with hand signals and whistles must have been critical. Actually the whole thing is rather stunning.
Actually 7 Engine crews and one Train Crew. WM operated in territory with serious grades. I could be mistaken but I believe WM was the only Class 1 to order a Shay locomotive for regular service, others that rostered Shay’s were normally logging companies.
New York Central used Shay locomotives for the street running in New York City. The locomotives were covered in sheet metal so as to not scare the horses.
Thank You.
I stand corrected.
Just where and when did the UP’s Uintah branch run?
Thank You.
The UP branches in the Tintic mining area of Utah had shays.
Thanks, Mike. I doubt that this part of the UP system was known as the Unitah Branch, since it is southwest of Salt Lake City, and the Unitahs are north and east of Salt Lake City.
The only railroad I know of in the Unitahs was the Uintah, which was not a part of the UP, and had no physical connection with the UP.
BaltACD-- So 7 engineers, 7 Firemen, at least 1 Conductor and 2 Brakeman…minimum of 17. I suppose the 2 pushers at the rear would cut off at some point. What a lot of preparation work and quite a feat to coordinate. Conmmunication must have been vital.
Some Math nut out there should calculate how much water is evaporated and turned into usable energy for this train.
That must have rained cinders for some time. The sound echoing off those rugged walls must have been incredible to hear. A symphony.
Does anyone know if this branch still exists?
I did some on-line research and it looks like this particular WM branch was abandoned and is now a hiking trail. As a matter of fact if I remember and article I read a while back (I think in “Classic Trains”) most of the WM was abandoned when it was absorbed into the Chessie System/B&O. Just why was a mystery to the author as the WM had some better engineered routes with easier grades than the B&O did.
At any rate, that’s a magnificent photograph. Reminds me of a phrase Don Ball once used, “This was railroading for all eternity.”
Most all WM territory was Single track. Where destinations overlapped, the B&O’s double track lines were the survivors.
The WM’s ‘Dutch’ line between Baltimore and Hagerstown via Gettysburg survived because of the local business that was served, especially the quaries at Bittenger that supplied Bethlehem Steel at Sparrows Point and a number of aggregate dealers in the Baltimore area. The line between Emory Grove and Highfield, that was severly damaged in hurricane Agnes in 1972 was sold off to the Maryland Midland. Several coal hauling subdivisions in Western Maryland were retained for the mines they served.
Thanks Balt! Nothing like getting it from one who was there.
A hiking trail? Figures…suppose that is somewhat ok…must be a lot of cinders underfoot. Yes, thanks for the info BaltACD.
Anyone know the whereabouts of RME?
Hope the updated rules of posting and editorial muscle has not caused him to rethink his contribution and withdraw.
And the same was also done with a mix of diesels and steam.
It happened all the time. Whistle signals, the reading of brake pressure gauges, and simply the “feel”, allowed engineers to coordinate thier actions.
Tight curves and steep grades made larger locos impractical - so they simply used more locos…
Sheldon
the Uintah Railroad itself was narrow gauge and connected with the D&RGW main line at Mack. Famous for running narrow-gauge articulateds, not sure if they were Mallets (compounds).
Deggesty, the only UP branch I knew near the Uintah Basin or Uinta Mountains was the Park City branch, and they ran rod locos.
Dave K, your post got me to reach for my copy of Beebe’s Narrow Gauge in the Rockies. The Uintah Railway’s articulateds were simple, and not true Malleys, although many refered to them as such. The Uintah Ry. also had NG shays.
RME just kind of comes-and-goes, I’m sure he’ll be back eventually. I like his engineering insights and posts in general, so I hope it’s not a long absence.
Cinders underfoot along the Blackwater Canyon Trail? It wouldn’t surprise me. I haven’t been there, but from what I’ve read on the old B&O Sand Patch Grade the cinders from long-gone steam engines are still at least ankle-deep along the right of way.
I suppose they’re the railroad equivalent of the old Civil War earthwork remnants you find around the Richmond VA area, or the old trenches and dugouts on the Western Front in Europe.