West End of Frostburg/B181.4






The WM had a station at Frostburg that doubled as a train-order office before CTC was installed in the mid 1950's. The WM Station later burned after being closed. A 8 cars station track was here at the station. Two tracks still passed Frostburg until the line was abandoned in April 1975. The two tracks were part of the passing siding. To the west at the B181.4 was the west end of the two tracks also known on the WM as the Frosburg Interlocking. To the east of WM's Frostburg Station was the Frostburg Crossover at the B180.7.

Today the WM Frostburg Station site is a parking lot for the Allegheny Highlands Trail. A connecting path was constructed up the hill to the C&P Station.


View Larger Map



Looking east at the water tank and former layout of the crossover here. The tank would be removed and the crossover changed later to remove one track from here to Colmar. (Thanks to Jim Coshun for photo)

Bill Price has caught WM Decapod 1117 passing the crossovers along the double track here at Frostburg. The crossover was changed later when one track was removed from here to Colmar. This location is around the corner from the WM station. It was known as "Frostburg Interlocking". Here the double track that ran from Slabtown ended here and formed one single track. A signal bridge used to stand here as part of the CTC during the diesel era but was knocked down in a derailment just before the line was taken out of service as a through route.



The following five photos are of the derailment that occurred in the early 1970's at the Frostburg Interlocking. This derailment as you can see knocked down the signal bridge here. The signal bridge was the third of three along the double track that ran from Mt. Savage Interlocking to the Frostburg Interlocking. The second signal bridge was for the crossover in the middle of the double track known as "Frostburg Crossover". This crossover was used to access the C&P connection.
After the derailment the signal bridge was cut up and removed. A single signal for the westbound main track was installed in favor of replacing the signal bridge. Keep in mind the line would soon see it's last through train.

Some WM locomotives have the "Big Hook" out working near the Rt. 36 underpass just west of the Frostburg Interlocking. Notice the single derailed car alone up the track from the "Big Hook". That single derailed car is directly over top the rt. 36 underpass. (thanks to Bob Lemmert for photo)



A WM train led by a string of N&W power pulls thru the siding passing the new signal that replaced the signal bridge destroyed in the above derailment. This is a great photo taken by an unkown photographer, so please let me know who so can give proper credit. The secind train is also a westbound WM train lead by GP35 3578 and some N&W locomotives pull thru the Frostburg Interlocking onto single track. Rt. 36 is high up on the right and had numerous retaining walls to keep the hillside and road out of the tracks. Today part of this cut through which the train is passing has been filled in creating a large hump in the trail. Believe this was done to widen Rt. 36 and make it a little safer after the rails were pulled up. It doesn't offer a smooth ride either way on the trail today or look very professional. (thanks to Bob Lemmert for second photo)

Looking east down the WM and at the Rt.36 underpass here in Frostburg. The old cross ties are in piles along the right-of-way, left over from when the rail were pulled to be used on the C&P. (Jan.11, 1997)

Looking west up the 1.75% grade from the WM right-of-way at Frostburg. Rt.36 runs beneath the WM in an underpass. After abandonment the track was left in all the way to Borden Tunnel where there was a small coal mine. After the mine went out the track was idle until pulled up and relayed on the C&P from Switch No.9 to the C&P Depot at Frostburg. The track is still in use as part of the WMSR. Today this section of the WM is now part of the Allegheny Highlands Trail. A fence was put up on both sides of the Rt.36 underpass for the hiking trail. (01/11/97 - 11/04)

West of the Rt.36 undepass the WM hugs the hillside as it climbs the 1.75% grade to Colmar. (Nov. 2004)

Less than 1 mile west of Frostburg the WM passes thru a cut known as Federal Cut. Just after Federal Cut the right-of-way is still under construction. (Nov. 2004)

Further up the grade almost at Borden Tunnel the trail is partially done. The trail will be on the left on the graded section, construction trucks still drive along to the right.




Go West
Go East