East End of Deal/B189.4

Summit 2,375 ft.

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Deal was the Western Maryland's Summit of the Alleghenies. The elevation at Deal is 2,375ft., 300 feet lower than the B&O's. To the east was Cumberland 21 rail miles away with a 1.75% grade drop. To the west Connellsville was 65 rail miles away with a .08% grade drop, the easiest railroad crossing of the Alleghienies. Deal was not just the top of the mountain for the railroad but also the Eastern Contiential Divide. Water ran west to the Mississippi River and on to the Gulf of Mexico. TO the east water ran into the Potomac River, Cheseapeake Bay, and Atlantic Ocean. Deal had a passing siding a two setoff tracks. Four tracks were here at the East End of Deal including a 110 car storage track. In the steam days a water tower stood here as well. The train order office was closed in the mid 1950's but still stood for a telephone service and for work crews. The office closed as a result of the CTC that was installed between Cumberland and Deal. View Larger Map

A 2-10-0 Decapod pushes hard passing the photographer Bill Price on September 24, 1952 in the first photo. Decapod 1123 pushes another train in November 1952 at the same location.. The railroad once crossed a road/driveway to a farm at near the West Portal of Big Savage Tunnel. An old WM CTC power pole still stands to the right on November 7, 2004.

Further west from Big savage almost at Deal. The cut at Deal can be seen on the right of the photo. the trail curves right to the cut and by a farm house. (11-7-04)

F7 237 brings a train west up the grade with a mid-train helper. Bill Price has also caught a mid-train helper almost at the top of the grade at Deal. Big Savage Tunnel is just around the corner at the end of the train. First photo taken by an unkown photographer, perhaps it was Bill Price and the same train?

A WM train is westbound nearing the top of the grade at Deal. The train will soon enter the cut seen in the second photo. Looking west into the cut at Deal in 2004. The cut has a lot of standing water and when I took this photo I had rode my bike up from Frostburg. (11-7-04)

Looking back east from atop the fill along Grisner Rd. This fill was once a wooden overhead bridge during WM days. Since abandoment the bridge was replaced with this fill. It may howevewr be removed and a large culvert installed to alow passage of th_e Allegheny Highlands Trail. (11-7-04) The second photo is also looking east but in 1977. By the time this photo was taken the tracks were out of service and being removed in areas. (1977, Don Biggs photo)

A WM train comes into Deal to find the Nickel Plate 4-8-4 waiting in the sidind. The westbound WM trains helpers would be need to take the steam special down the 1.75% grade to Cumberland. (10-18-70 by unkown photographer)

The WM special leaves Deal with a set of F7's. This was done to use the diesels dynamic brakes down the hill to Cumberland. Later on 11-7-04 I got a photo from a silimar angle that the previous photographer did. (10-18-70 by unkown photographer)

Looking west in 1977 at the out of service WM mainline at Deal. Notice the signals at the east end of the passing track have their masts turned, another sign that the line is being removed. (1977, Don Biggs photo)

A very early photo, perhaps shortly after the Connellsville Sub was open taken at Deal. (Thanks to Jim Coshun for photo)

Looking east from Deal on November 9, 2004. The westbound signal base is on the left in the photo.

A WM train heads eastbound from the section of double onto the single track at the East End of Deal. When I visited the same location in 2004 I noticed this foundation that was used for a small metal shed here at Deal. The train-order office was to the right of this building in. The water tower once stood on the left of the fallen shed in the background. (11-09-04)

Bill Price has caught a WM train eastbound passing the signal at the east End of Deal. As of November 9, 2004 all work on the Allegheny Highlands Trail stops here with the exception of the newly completed Big Savage Tunnel about a mile to the east.

Old signal bases and supports for the train-order pickup device that was here at the East End of Deal. The WM shed at deal has collapsed from lack of maintence. (Aug.29, 1996)

WM 2-8-0 No.813 and a F7 both in the Fireball scheme are at the E.E. of Deal. (Thanks to Jim Coshun for photo)

Looking east from the eastbound WM signal base that once controlled WM train movements by CTC. (Aug.29, 1996)

Just west of the switch and signals the siding was being removed in this 1977 photo. It looks as if the siding is being left intact due to the wheel stop in place on the rails. Perhaps this was planned for use still as part of the section left intact at Keystone. Second photo is also looking west down the right-of-way that was once the Western Maryland mainline and passing siding here at Deal. (1977, Don Biggs photo and Jeremy Cooper photo on Aug.29, 1996)

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