Western Maryland Scenic Railroad...train route??

Hello all! Im looking to get some fantastic shots of the old steam engines in action,but I need some help routing a course. I want to go to the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad,but dont want to ride the train - kinda hard to get shots of the train coming towards you when your're on the train,lol.

I know the train has a long route it follows around/through the mountains,but I dont know the places where to go to catch it. In a perfect world I would know its course,and be able to jump ahead after each 'photo shoot' and catch it at the next opening. I went there Saturday,waited at the opening of a tunnel (location was on Malcolm Rd in Paw Paw VA) just to be diasppointed to see 2 common freight trains go be ..painfully disappointing. Obviously I need to know the routs and schedules. The site has the schedules posted,but I cant find anything about the route,or hot spots.

Anybody famaliar with this? I tried googling but came up empty. Any help on somekind of route to follow would be GREAT!! My plan is to go up 1 or 2 more times before the fall season to be better prepared FOR the fall season.

Thanks bunches!!!

Discuss Transportation Here

The train travels along side the Great Allegheny Passage Trail from Cumberland, MD to Frostburg, MD. You can follow the tracks on Google Earth and pick out potential spots to shoot from. Keep in mind that parking in many locations is limited to one or two cars, and you can count on several cars racing to the next spot. If you intend to do the same, don't hike too far away from your car. The farther you go, the longer it will take you to get back to it and the train will be long gone by then. There are some iconic sites to shoot, like Brush Tunnel, but you'll have to resign yourself to that being the only spot you'll get to. I want to say it's about a mile walk from parking at Helmstetter's to the tunnel.

Cumberland Station with a visiting loco from last year:

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/g86h​Uc

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/dn4i​Yg

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/dobh​hY

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/dmGq​8j

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JM_2 wrote in post #17064911
The train travels along side the Great Allegheny Passage Trail from Cumberland, MD to Frostburg, MD. You can follow the tracks on Google Earth and pick out potential spots to shoot from. Keep in mind that parking in many locations is limited to one or two cars, and you can count on several cars racing to the next spot. If you intend to do the same, don't hike too far away from your car. The farther you go, the longer it will take you to get back to it and the train will be long gone by then. There are some iconic sites to shoot, like Brush Tunnel, but you'll have to resign yourself to that being the only spot you'll get to. I want to say it's about a mile walk from parking at Helmstetter's to the tunnel.

Cumberland Station with a visiting loco from last year:

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/g86h​Uc IMG_6476 by j.murphy2, on Flickr

Immediately out of Cumberland, it passes through the Narrows, a long straight stretch of track. There's not much room to move off the track for a good angle. You might do better shooting from the road.

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/dn4i​Yg IMG_4145 by j.murphy2, on Flickr

Helmstetter's Curve is worth shooting from different locations. This is a shot of the train as it rounds the curve heading towards Frostburg. The green area immediately behind the locomotive is a cemetery. It's close to the parking area and elevated, so nice shots are possible from there.

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/dobh​hY 20121020_93 1 by j.murphy2, on Flickr

This is as the train heads into Helmstetter's from the other direction, heading back to Cumberland. Walk about 3/4 of a mile past where the train is, and you'll be at Brush Tunnel.

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/dmGq​8j 20121020_50 1 by j.murphy2, on Flickr

At Frostburg, the train is turned around on the turntable for the return trip.
https://flic.kr/p/bE5V​o720111016_76 1 by j.murphy2, on Flickr

Thanks much Judy for sharing your amazing shots! and for the direction. My little adventure hs been set,and Im determined to get some awsome shots myself. Matter a fact,I may head back up this weekend. But I think my first stop will be the station in Cumberland - I suppose it makes sense to start an adventure at the beginning,lol. I will do the google earth and try to map out a course. Starting at the station may give me a better idea of the trains location and time.

Im not a huge train buff (just a small one,lol),but there is some awsome about seeing one of those steam locomotives hauling down the tracks,bellowing out plumes of smoke,with the sun behind/before it.

96whiteknight wrote in post #17064786
Discuss Transportation Here

Addition/correction has been done.

JM_2 wrote in post #17064911
The train travels along side the Great Allegheny Passage Trail from Cumberland, MD to Frostburg, MD. You can follow the tracks on Google Earth and pick out potential spots to shoot from. Keep in mind that parking in many locations is limited to one or two cars, and you can count on several cars racing to the next spot. If you intend to do the same, don't hike too far away from your car. The farther you go, the longer it will take you to get back to it and the train will be long gone by then. There are some iconic sites to shoot, like Brush Tunnel, but you'll have to resign yourself to that being the only spot you'll get to. I want to say it's about a mile walk from parking at Helmstetter's to the tunnel....

Wonderful advice! Thanks for posting this!

Hello. Thanks for your interest in our Western Maryland Scenic Railroad. You may find our WMSR Foundation website interesting and a little more directed to some of your questions. At the bottom on the home page you will also find a link for a PDF of photo locations! Hope that helps you. See you soon!

Www.wmsrf.org

Jody Shaw
Media/WMSR Foundation Coordinator

Wmsr wrote in post #17065392
Hello. Thanks for your interest in our Western Maryland Scenic Railroad. You may find our WMSR Foundation website interesting and a little more directed to some of your questions. At the bottom on the home page you will also find a link for a PDF of photo locations! Hope that helps you. See you soon!

Www.wmsrf.org

Jody Shaw
Media/WMSR Foundation Coordinator

This is too funny - I had been to the site,but didnt see this link at the bottom of the page,lol!! Thanks so much Jody for the information! This really helps to put my little excursion into high gear. Thanks again!
Ed

Also consider spending some time photographing the cities of Cumberland and Frostburg, and exploring the surrounding countryside. Western Maryland is a beautiful area.

JM_2 wrote in post #17066834
Also consider spending some time photographing the cities of Cumberland and Frostburg, and exploring the surrounding countryside. Western Maryland is a beautiful area.

Indeed I will-that is a part of my big plan. But countryside photography will have to wait till the season changes into autum/fall. Its beautiful there now,but nothing compares to when the season changes. But,while Im there over the next few weekends I will take advantage of all opportunities

I think the season may be there now! Or very soon....

CanonCameraFan wrote in post #17213315
I think the season may be there now! Or very soon....

Im sure you're right. Was wanting to go back this weekend but its just not in the cards. Im hoping next weekend will have decent weather,I want to go up then.

My goal was an antique,vintage look. Its a basic edit,but I like how it turned out. Not savy enough to do layers to get atains and dark spots/wrinkles,but even so I think it looks good. Would appreciate some input....

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Same with these. What does everyone think? The color shots look good,but I just have a thing for that vintage look!

IMAGE LINK: https://www.flickr.com …77024467@N03/15​372925138/

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