Confluence/B226.4

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Confluence Tourism Association 1933 and 2012 topo map Just west of the station the WM crossed the Casselman River on a large bridge, ran thru a cut and over a fill to cross the Youghiogeny River again on another large bridge. When the WM was abandoned the section of the Youghiogeny River bridge over the highway was removed for better clearence. Later just weast of the bridge a large section of the fill leading up to the bridge and cut was removed for construction of a by-pass road around Confluence. The Youghiogeny River Trail that uses the abandoned WM roadbed also detours the fill and bridge by using Rt. 281 and River Road. I'd like to see the trail people correct this in some way to include the WM bridge over the Youghiogeny River. It's a shame that this section is in disuse when a small pedestrial bridge can replace the fill and missing section of the bridge. View Larger Map

The eastern most WM bridge at Confluence crosses the Casselman River. To the east of the bridge stood the WM Confluence Station. This bridge is the only WM bridge at Confluence currently part of the Youghiogeny River Trail. The second bridge here at Confluence crosses the Youghiogeny River and is by-passed by the trail. WM Challenger No. 1206 storms across the Casselman River heading east. (Thanks to Medford Trains for WM 1206 photo)

The Casselman bridge got the silver and black speed lettering by the WM. Not many bridges got the silver paint, many retatined the black paint from the steam era.

An old photo looking west at the second bridge at Confluence on August 16, 1917. (Thanks to Mike Yetter and Warren Hart for photo). This old photo also shows the span over the road that was later removed to inprove clearence after the line was taken out of service. This bridge at Confluence crosses the Youghiogeny River and is just below the dam.

A WM empty hopper or a loaded ore train bound for Pittsburg steel mills heads west crossing the Youghiogeny River bridge. (Thanks to Medford Trains for photo)

Looking east from atop the bridge. A section of the bridge overtop the road was removed after the line was abandoned due to its low clearence. Having done this the bridge was not included in the Yough River Trail.

Looking east and west from atop the WM bridge.

Looking at the WM bridge from the downstream side with a A WM train is shown crossing this bridge in the video; "Western Maryalnd End of an Era".

The westernmost section of the bridge is setup for double track. This section does not have the clearence problem that the east section did. Perhaps if was the same as this section it may still be intact and the bridge could be used as part of the Youghiogeny River Trail.

This section of the bridge was installed for the clearance needed to cross the B&O's Kendall Branch which once ran below this section of the bridge.

This 1917 photo is from down on the B&0 looking at the western end of the WM bridge. This is the B&O's Kendall Branch seen passing under the bridge. (Thanks to Mike Yetter and Warren Hart for photo)

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