Western Maryland 1309: Thunder In The Allegheny Mountains (HD)

After numerous years of restoration, the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad returned former Chesapeake & Ohio "Mallet" steam locomotive #1309 to operating service on the famous mountain line. During her first regular summer season under steam, the locomotive would power excursions every weekend from Cumberland, Maryland to Frostburg, Maryland leading "The Frostburg Flyer" and "Moonlight on the Mountain" excursions. The articulated beast makes her way up the mountain in a tremendous show of steam and thunder, fitting the title of the "new" Mountain Thunder. Traversing the scenic line, the grand scenery of the Allegheny Mountains would treat passengers and photographers to the timeless scene of the sights and sounds of "The Last Baldwin" climbing grades, crossing bridges, and navigating sweeping curves. The weekend would feature a selection of the sounds of two different whistles, a Norfolk & Western hooter and a genuine Pennsylvania Railroad 3 chime worn by a PRR T1 Duplex that is to be touted by America's next steam locomotive that is currently being constructed, T1 #5550. Watching and listening the locomotive stretch her legs was an excellent display of steam power and testament to rugged machines that built the United States. Please sit back, relax, and enjoy "Thunder In The Allegheny Mountains" by Keystone Rail Productions!

History of 1309:
Western Maryland Scenic Railroad 1309 is a 2-6-6-2 steam locomotive designated as an H6 class "Mallet" that was built in 1949 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad. In desperate need of new motive power, these 10 Mallets delivered in 1949 would be the final steam locomotives built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for a North American railroad. During her short service time on the C&O, the locomotive would haul heavy coal drags in Kentucky and the vast mountains of West Virginia until she was retired in 1956. Spending nearly two decades dormant in storage in a C&O roundhouse, she would finally be moved to Baltimore, Maryland in 1975 to be cosmetically restored and displayed at the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum. Almost 40 years later, she would be purchased for the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad to be restored to operating condition in WSMR's shops in Ridgely, West Virginia. After thousands of man hours, 7 years, and more than 3 million dollars, the mammoth locomotive would move under her own steam 64 years later on New Year's Eve of 2020. She would be placed into regular service in December of 2021 in a Western Maryland fireball scheme and now serves as the "New" Mountain Thunder for the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad.

Locations:
0:00 Ridgeley, WV
1:25 The Grand Entrance
2:31 Simmering in Cumberland
3:37 Brick Factory
4:48 The Narrows
5:51 Helmstetter's Curve
7:54 Woodcock Hollow
8:39 Patty Baker
9:49 Parkersburg
10:30 Slipping into Frostburg
12:16 Idling in Frostburg
12:46 Departing Frostburg
13:33 Backing Down Helmstetter's Curve
14:41 Returning to Cumberland
16:23 Cumberland at Sunset
19:28 Dakota Truss Bridge
20:20 Darkness at Trimble
21:11 Frostburg at Dusk

To learn more and support the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad's operations, please visit:
https://wmsr.com/

To learn more and support the T1 Trust and their efforts to construct 5550, please visit:
https://prrt1steamlocomotivetrust.org/

Special Thanks To:
- The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad
- The Crews of 1309
- The T1 Trust
- The KRP Family

- The Big Banana Railfan:
   / @thebigbananarailfan  
- Kurtis Hooey:
   / kurtishooey  
- Keeper of Steam Studios:
   / @keeperofsteamstudios6654  
- Dynamo Productions:
   / dynamoproductions-trains  
- MPT Productions:
   / @mpt_productions  
- Steam Z Productions:
   / steamzrailfan  

Filmed on:
Friday, June 17, 2022
Saturday, June 18, 2022

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