Railroads Around Hagerstown, MD

[bbrant]

Last week my family and I made a trip to Baltimore. I noticed we crossed over about 3 railroads on I-70 around Hagerstown. Just curious who's line they might be. If I recall, all were single-track and looked like well manicured mainlines.

Also, while we were in Baltimore we made a trip to the B&O RR Museum. It was awsome! Would've liked to have been able to get a close up photo of CSX 9699, the Trains all-American loco, but only got to see it in passing while on the train ride. Oh well.

Brian

[RudyRockvilleMD]

The three railroads you crossed in the vicinity of Hagerstown, MD were: Starting from from west of I 81 the first line you encountered was CSX's former Western Maryland main line from Hagerstown to Big Pool, Cherry Run and Cumberland; this line hosted the Alpha jet Series of freight trains from the Midwest to New York and New England. the Western maryland interchanged with the B&O at Chery Run but B&O freights ran through to Hagerstown from Cherry Run.

The next line you crossed was the former Pennsylvania line to Martinsburg, WV and Winchester, VA; this line is now operated by the Winchester & Western, and it runs from Winchester to Hagerstown and return three days a week, usually Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

The last line you crossed was the Norfolk Southern's (former Norfolk & Western Shenandoah Division) line from Roanoke to Hagerstow. The north end of this line from Riverton Jct (near Front Royal, VA) to Hagerstown can be quite busy at times. Norfolk Southern uses the former Southern Railway "B Line from Manassas, VA and the former Norfolk & Western Shenadoah Division to move its trains from the south to the New York City area and to New England. Back in the days of Conrail the Norfolk Southern used to connect with Conrail at Hagerstown, MD to forward Norfolk Southern trains to the New York City area and New England.

[nanaimo73]

Does the W&LE still run down to Hagerstown ?

[Anonymous]

There is a fourth line which runs under I-70 south of Hagerstown: the remnants of the B&O's Washington County Branch which serves a scrap processor about 5 miles to the south.It lies to the east of the Norfolk Southern's tracks. As to the W&LE running to Hagerstown I haven't heard of this, but if it happened it would have been on the WM / B&O,the W&LE did not have its own line to Hagerstown

[poppyl]

And thus the nickname "The Hub City" for Hagerstown. Action seems to have picked up over the past year with more interchanging between CSX and NS -- mostly northbound on NS and westbound on CSX.

Post-war Hagerstown is an interesting place to model.

[RudyRockvilleMD]

QUOTE: Originally posted by nanaimo73

Does the W&LE still run down to Hagerstown ?

The W&LE runs into Hagerstown via trackage rights from Connellsville, PA over the ex B&O, however, the trains may only run once or twice a week. When the W&LE reaches Hagerstown it interchanges with the Norfolk Southern to go down the former N&W Shenandoah Division to deliver grain to a brewery in either Elkton or Harrisonburg, VA (I am not sure) , and pick up empties. I understand a single W&LE crew takes the train to Hagerstown and down the NS to Elkton or Harrisonburg. The W&LE crew may have to lay over in each direction as well as lay over at its destination.

[Mark300]

QUOTE: Originally posted by poppyl

And thus the nickname "The Hub City" for Hagerstown.

Post-war Hagerstown is an interesting place to model.

In addition;

To the east the Western Maryland 'wyed' off to it's mainline to Baltimore & to their Dutch Line to York PA.

The other side of the Western Maryland's 'wye' ran north out of Hagerstown and shared trackage rights with the Reading. This line ran to Shippensburg where the Reading continued operations to Harrisburg and their Rutherford Yards. This route was also part of the 'alpha-jet' trains described above.

To the north also ran the Cumberland Valley Division of the Pennsy off to Chambersburg & Harrisburg. This line no longer runs thru and ends somewhere around Shippensburg.

Incidently, the B&O abandoned their line before WW2 and used the WM's tracks from Williamsport. Thus when the C&O/B&O merger formed and absorbed the WM creating the Chessie System, that line became their access route. Today it's CSXT.

During the first half of the 20th century, the N&W, B&O, Pennsy, the WM and Reading all had division changes or end of the line infrastructure in Hagerstown......thus the HUB city and very steeped in railroading (Both sides of my parent's families lived and worked the RR's in Hagerstown for several generations.)!!

Agreed....it's a marvelous town to model!

And don't forget, between the fallen flags mentioned above and the CSXT/NS reality of today, their was Conrail too.

Happy Railroading.

Mark

[Anonymous]

I suspect it's time we find a way to model this town in a space that allows for good accomodations for those of us interested in using this as a ternimal or junction on our pikes.

Dont forget there is a small trolley line that ran from Hagerstown to Frederick which was owned by the Edision Power. I dont recall what happened to it but that is another item missed to this point.

[Mark300]

QUOTE: Originally posted by HighIron2003ar

I suspect it's time we find a way to model this town in a space that allows for good accomodations for those of us interested in using this as a ternimal or junction on our pikes.

I agree, Hagerstown is as good a prototype for a HUB as any large metro city....without the enormous size and scale.

QUOTE: Originally posted by HighIron2003ar
Dont forget there is a small trolley line that ran from Hagerstown to Frederick which was owned by the Edision Power. I dont recall what happened to it but that is another item missed to this point.

Ohh.....Yeah, my late Grandmother used to talk about riding the trolley line back like in the days of WW1. I got the impression it ran to Funkstown along old US 40. But I could be very mistaken here.

Anyone?

Happy Railroading.

Mark

[nanaimo73]

The Hagerstown and Frederick operated 76 miles from Hagerstown. It went west to Williamsport, east to Frederick (and Boonsboro, Braddock Heights and Thurmont) and north to Greencastle, Pennsylvania.

http://myersvillelionsclub.org/trolley/history.htm