Our visit will start at Point of Rocks, Maryland. The Chessie Baltimore Division has a mainline from Baltimore that was to the left of the station and another line that was to the right of the station that went to Washington, DC. The tracks will pass through Brunswick, Weverton - where the Cumberland Division starts - then passes Harper’s Ferry, Cherry Run on the way to Cumberland, MD.
The mainline also had an interchange with the Norfolk & Western/Norfolk Southern in Shenandoah Junction, WV.
Point of Rocks, MD
Chessie GP38 #3714 & GP40-2 #4416 with an eastbound coal train passes the Point of Rocks station. The Coal train headed towards Baltimore, MD in May 1986.
Chessie GP-38 #3790 helping Amtrak F40-PH #272 & the westbound Capital Limited at Point of Rocks in the early evening in September 1984.
Chessie GP-40 #4162 & B&O GP38-2 #3800 are west at Point of Rocks, MD. September 1984.
Chessie GP40-2 #4313 & an ex-Western Maryland SD35 power a westbound freight at Point of Rocks in August 1982.
Chessie SD-40-2 #7605 & #7613 are heading west, passing the station, in May 1986. These units are pushers going to another assignment.
Maryland Department Of Transportation (MDOT) F-7 #7381 with a commuter train arriving from Washington, DC on September 14, 1984. This train has some GO commuter cars from Toronto, Canada in it’s consist.
Maryland Dept of Trans F-7 #7181 is westbound at Point of Rocks in the evening in September 14, 1984.
Chessie. MDOT F-7 #7183 arriving at Point of Rocks with brakes smoking on September 14, 1984.
Former Western Maryland SD40 #6157 is west at Point of Rocks on a hot and humid August 1990.
An RF&P caboose #905 is one the rear of the westbound freight at Point of Rocks on the hot & humid August 1990.
An eastbound coal train at Point of Rocks with helpers SD40-2 #8383m SD50 #8631 and another unit in July 1988.
A rather grimy Chessie SD-50 #8590 & #8589 are east at Point of Rocks with a coal train in August 1990.
Some of our crew: left to right - Barry Trogu, Robbie Robinson, Ed Kaspriske and Ollie Wagner at Point of Rocks in July 1988. Ed and Ollie photographed the PRR and Penn Central in the Harrisburg and Enola back in the day. Robbie worked for Penn Central and Conrail. I am a telecom technician.
Brunswick, MD
We visited Brunswick only a few times. this is the division point where the Baltimore Division ends and the Cumberland Division starts.
Ex-B&O GP-38 #3838 with a caboose near Brunswick, MD in September 1982.
MDOT F-7 #7183 is taking a ride on the “merry-go-round” as she is being turned on turntable at Brunswick in September 1984.
Amtrak. F40PH #267 with the Capital Limited near WB Tower in Brunswick, MD on September 13, 1982.
The eastbound Capital Limited is passing WB Tower at Brunswick in August 1984.
Ex-Western Maryland GP-40 #3799 & Chessie painted ex-WM GP-40 #4320 are in Brunswick in September 1982.
Former B&O GP-40 #4045 is being serviced at Brunswick in September 1982.
B&O wooden caboose #PRF 1974 is on display in Brunswick in September 1982.
Harper’s Ferry, WV
The Harper’s Ferry station was a nice location for photography. Across the Potomac was the tunnels.
The Chessie System Railroad bridge over Potomac at Harper’s Ferry, WV. The old bridge piers are visible.
The old B&O sign at Harper’s Ferry, WVA. This sign was on the bridge over the Potomac River in September 1982.
The Harper’s Ferry station sign in September 1982.
Chessie. Harpers Ferry Tunnel, WV. Eastbound freight goes into the tunnel in August 1983
Chessie GP-38 #3738 and a GE unit are westbound at Harpers Ferry, WV in August 1982.
Chessie. B&O #4808 ready to pick orders at Harpers Ferry, WVA. August 1984.
The Tower operator hands up train orders ‘on the fly’ to fireman on ex-B&O GP38 #4808 at Harper’s Ferry in August 1984.
The tower operator is getting the train orders ready to hand up for rear end in Harper’s Ferry in August 1984.
The operator is handing up the train orders to conductor on caboose #903757. in August 1984.
The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) runs commuter trains for passengers going to Washington, DC. The venerable RDC train sets were a sight to see!
an MDOT RDC #9802 train set at Harper’s Ferry in August 1984.As it was getting dark, I used my Nikon FM-2 camera to shoot the trains.
Another MDOT RDC #9810 train set at Harper’s Ferry, in the evening in August 1984.
An eastbound MDOT RDC #9812 train set is stopping at Harper’s Ferry in August 1984.
Chessie GP-38 #3717 & GP40-2 #4416 are on a west freight near Harper’s Ferry, WV in September 1982.
Shenandoah Junction, WV
Ed Kaspriske and I visited Shenandoah Junction, WV a few time in the 1980’s. The Chessie main line was very busy all times - day & night!
The town of Shenandoah Junction, WV in August 1982. This is a busy interchange for Chessie and N&W.
The Shenandoah Junction, WV section house on Chessie main line in August 1982.
The section house had a platform which provided us a place to cook. I am cooking bacon in the morning with coffee perking and with trains running.
Chessie. GP-30 #6919, GP-9 & GP-38 #3698 on empty westbound hopper train at Shenandoah Junction in September 1984.
I took a going away photo of the train with GP-30 #6919 GP-9 & GP-38 #3698 on westbound empty coal train at Shenandoah Junction in September 1984.
Looking east at Shenandoah Junction and the Chessie mainline in a photo taken from N&W Shenandoah Valley line bridge in September 1984..
Like almost every small town, the water came from the ground. This water pump was at the old station foundation. The water was hard and tasted like iron…yuk!
The station 'facilities consisted of an outhouse. However, a hornets nets occupied the premises.
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Living in an old town!
Every small town had a post office and a general store. This is the Shenandoah Junction Post Office and General Store in September 1990.
Chessie GP40-2 #4335 and GP-40 #4067 with a westbound trailer train in July 1984. We made 2 trips to the Junction in 1984…July and September.
A former B&O GP-40 #3712 & a Chessie GP40-2 are eastbound going under the N&W Shenandoah Valley mainline bridge in July 1982.
Caboose #903963 on an empty westbound coal train is going under N&W Shenandoah Valley main bridge in September 1984.
At night, the action picked up. The interchange was serviced by a Chessie train and an N&W train. All this happened around 2AM!
Former B&O GP-30 #6937, GP-40 #4069 arrive at Shenandoah Junction to switch the interchange in September 1984.
GP40-2 #4320 is picking up cars on interchange track that N&W left earlier in August 1982.
A N&W GE C30-7 # 8022 switches the Chessie interchange at Shenandoah Junction, around 3 AM in August 1982.
Chessie GP40 #6620 & GP38-2S #6083 heads east at night at Shenandoah Junction in August 1984. CSX is changing the numbering on the diesels.
Chessie SD40-2 #6101 at Shenandoah Junction in September 1990.
Chessie GP40-2 #4025 & #4034 are eastbound at Shenandoah Junction in the early evening in September 1984.
Martinsburg, WV
An ex-B&O GP-9’s #6485 & #6510 are near Martinsburg,WV in September 1978.
F-40PH #279 power the Amtrak Capitol Limited at NA Tower in Martinsburg, WV in August 1984.
Chessie Steam and a fan taking a photo just east of Martinsburg, WV in September 1978.
The Amtrak station in Martinsburg, WV in September 1978.
Hancock, WV
Our group stopped at Hancock, WV only a couple times to set up camp. We are going to take photos of the eastbound Chessie Steam Special later that morning on River Road.
We woke up to a foggy morning as SD40 #7402 & a GP-9 were heading east in the morning fog at Hancock, WV in September 1978.
Our group set up camp and did some rail fanning at Hancock in September 1978.
Hancock, WV and HO Tower on foggy morning in September 1978.
Chessie GP-40 #4150 and GP-38 #3636 along with 2 other units are westbound and passing HO Tower in Hancock in September 1978. The fog cleared as the morning got warmer.
Chessie GP40 #4288, C&O GP #4081 & a friend are eastbound with a freight at Hancock, WV. The Airport Road bridge is in the background in September 1978.
As we were waiting for the Steam special, Chessie GP40-2 #4195 & ex-WM F-7 #7130 came east on River Road near Hancock WV in September 1978.
Chessie System steam fan trip with T-1 # 2101 is eastbound at River Road in September 1978.
Cumberland, MD
Cumberland, MD - the Queen City and gateway to the Allegheny Mountains.
A former B&O GP40 #4063 and other units are proceeding east with a freight at Mexico Farms which is just east of Cumberland, MD in September 1978.
A Cumberland grade crossing is protected in September 1981.
GP35 #3518 and 2 F-7 B units & SD40 #7439 are entering the Cumberland yards in September 1979.
Alexandria, VA
The Chessie System East Coast main line that our group visited started in Alexandria, VA and went south passing through Manassas and Montpilier on the way to Lynchburg, VA. This was RF&P territory and Chessie would switch at Control Point AF.
The station at Alexandria typically has the sun in the wrong direction!
An Richmond,Fredericksburg & Potomac GP40-2 #147 GP-38 #131 with a westbound trailer train at Alexandria, VA in August 1985. Everytime we visited the location, the sun did not help!
An Amtrak F40PH #278 with a southbound passenger train at Alexandria, VA in August 1987.
Mananas, VA
Manassas, VA is a nice location for photography. Many of the Norfolk & Western/Norfolk Southern steam fantrips that originated in Alexandria, VA stopped here to pick up additional passengers. Chessie Systems and Southern Railway diesels can be seen her in the 1980’s.
Chessie SD-50 #8569 and 2 others on a southbound freight at Manassas on a rainy morning in August 1984.
Chessie SD50 #8559, #8562 & #8573 at Manassas in August 1984.
Amtrak F40-PH #257 and another F40 are approaching Manassas in August 1982.
N&W 2716 is leaving Manassas,VA for Lynchburg, VA in September 1982.
The N&W class J #611 is leaving Manassas and heading to Lynchburg, VA in August 1984.
Southern Railway high nose U25B #3916k at the Manassas station in July 1984.
Montpilier,VA
The Montpilier station area was a good place to photograph the N&W steam fan trips. We never photographed any freight trains in this location.
EX-C&O Kanawha #2716 blasts through Montpilier, VA on an N&W fan trip in August 1982.
N&W J class #611 is southbound at Montpelier in August 1984.
South of Montpilier is an overpass that offered a nice view of the steam fan trips.
N&W fan trip with ex-C&O Kanawha 2-8-4 #2716 in August 1982.
N&W J Class #611 is on the fan trip headed for Lynchburg in August 1984.
We were going to camp overnight at Faber, VA. We saw 1 southbound freight. After supper we headed to Lynchburg, VA.
Former Southern Railway GE B30-7A #3515F, #3503F and a 3rd unit lead a westbound freight at Faber, VA in the evening in August 1984.
Lynchburg
Lynchburg has a turntable to turn the steam locomotives for their trips back north. Lynchburg also has an Amtrak station. After the steam trips went back north, we spent some time at the station.
Chessie GE B30-7 #8238 guides the ex-C&O 2-8-4 # 2716 to the turntable in Lynchburg in August 1982.
GE B30-7 #8246 at Lynchburg in August 1982.
GE B30-7 #8238 in Lynchburg is drilling the yard in August 1982.
Amtrak workers are loading baggage into the car at Lynchburg on August 1982.
Southern Railway high nose B30-7 #3916k at Lynchburg in August 1984.
Southern Railway GP-9 #194F is at the station in Lynchburg in August 1982.
Southern Railway GE 3916k is in the Lynchburg yard at night in August 1984.
