This topo map shows both old and new and how things have changed
Maryland Junction was not part of the WM's West Sub, however most people would agree that it actually started here as each part of the WM lines to Elkins, Connellsville, and Hagerstown seperated here. Maryland Junction was a famous photograph location on the WM. It had a single track mainline that came out of a tunnel and split into numerous yard and mainline tracks. There was even a tower here to control the interlocking and 6 miles of CTC east along the West Sub to Noirth Branch. "MY Tower" was manned 24 hours a day, and is seen in alot of William Price's photos. This part of the WM lost its through trains on January 5, 1976. It did however survice up until 1995 as a industrial spur to reach a srap dealer in South Cumberland by the name of Brocks Salvage Yard. CSX deemed the track in so bad of shape at the tunnel that they ended business with this customer and pulled up the tracks. The tracks also came up under pressure from the City of Cumberland, who wanted to construct a road in South Cumberland and did not want to fool with any railroad crossing. The city also wanted the tunnel and bridge for a railtrail. The road would be constructed later and today is known as Canal Parkway. Today the tracks are gone and it is a mud pit at the west end of thge tunnel from all the water that drains into the right-of-way. Only a short stretch of track remains for the WMSR to turn its steam locomotive on the wye nearby.
Maryland Junction as it looked in 1906, shortly after the West Subdivision completion to Cumberland.
This video shows Keystone Viaduct, Maryland Jct. Shops, a train eastbound from Maryland Jct., and lastly looking east from atop Knobley Tunnel at the 9th. Potomac River bridge.
Looking east towards MY Tower and Knobley Tunnel in 1935. Notice the old WM logo on the coal hopper to the left.
Western Maryland's MY Tower was located at the switches that seperated the mainline into numerous tracks that ran to either Elkins, WV. or Connellsville, PA. (photo by Richard Polk) Second photo was taken in the early 1980's and the tower has been boarded up. (photo by Warren hart) This location was the end of the WM rails in 1998 here at the former location of MY Tower in the third photograph.
View looking out of MY Tower towards Knobley Tunnel. (Ray Wongus Collection of the WMRHS)
The first shot is looking east from atop the hill above the site of the tower. The outhouse for MY Tower is the only structure that remains standing today at Maryland Jct. It looks like the thorn bushes hold it up. (Feb. 2002)
The WM right-of-way just west of MY Tower. This was the connection to Knobmount Yard and the WM mainline to Elkins. It is now the only access to the abandoned yard west of here. (Oct. 1995)
WM 4-8-4 Potomac No 1412 takes a train east from Knobmount Yard for Hagerstown on September 27, 1952. (Bill Price photo)
Bill Price has caught two trains this day in October 1953. First double headed Potomac's numbers 1412 and 1410 take a fast freight east towards Hagerstown. Next F7 231 and a FA2 pick up orders at from the operator at MY Tower. (1953, Bill Price photos)
A N&W run through train comes out of Knobley Tunnel and pass MY Tower on its way to Connellsville. N&W locomotives were common on the WM bewteen Connellsville and Hagerstown. (photo by Richard Polk)
Looking west at Maryland Jct. in 1976. When this photo was taken the tracks were beginning to be pulled up in South Cumberland and Welton Tunnel. (1976, photo by Don Biggs)
Two more photos by Don Biggs taken in 1976 looking at MY Tower at Maryland Jct.
The Chessie System which took control of the Western Maryland used some abandoned mainline tracks and yards to store extra freight cars or "bad-order" cars that were in need of repair. In this photo taken on February 16, 1998 by Brian Paulus Chessie has the tracks full of these cars. By this time MY Tower had already burned and the tracks here at Maryland Jct. would only remain intact for another 7 1/2 years before being pulled up as well. (photo by Brian Paulus)
The WM tracks at the former location for one of the many switches here at Maryland Jct. This photo was taken two weeks after this remaining section of the WM was abandoned as an industrial spur. In the second photo the tracks had been removed and the road improved. (Oct. 1995 and April 2001)
This whistle post remains today besides the B164 milepost. The whistle post was for the crossing west of MY Tower. That particular crossing still has track as it is the eastern leg of the wye.
The right-of-way looking east towards Knobley Tunnel. This was the spring switch that joined the two main tracks. the rails wewre removed shortly after and weeds are beginning to grown. (Oct. 1995 and Feb. 2002)
Looking east towards Hagerstown on December 18, 2011. Finally the town of Carpendale, witch is located at WM's Maryland Jct., took it upon themselves and constructed a trail. This trail runs east from the road crossing, through Kessler Tunnel, across the Potomac River bridge and merges with the C&O Canal towpath just west of the WM's bridge over the C&O Canal. (12-18-11)
WM WM tracks in 1995 had recently been abandoned but were still intact. This was the former spring switch that joined the mainline track from Knobmount Yard to the single track mainline that ran east to Hagerstown. Later in April 1998, the tracks had recently been removed. Piles of old crossties dotted the area. (Oct. 1995 and Apr. 1998)
The concrete bases in the foreground to the left once held up a timber overhead bridge. That bridge has been replaced by a newer steel and concrete highway bridge. (Feb. 2002) Second photo taken on December 18, 2011 of the newly completed rail trail from Carpendale, WV. to the C&O Canal towpath on the other side of the tunnel.
