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NC Tower on the WM, referred to Town on the Pennsylavania RR, is located just east of the WM passenger station at Hagerstown. NC Tower is the division point of the WM lines to Baltimore, Lurgan, and Cumberland. NC Tower once had a interlocking tower that was operated by the PRR to control train movements of the PRR and WMRY over the diamond. Today the tower remains but is now closed. All operations are controlled by the Ns and CSX dispatchers.
Lurgan Sub Intro Western Maryland's Lurgan Sub ran from NC Tower up the Cumberland Valley to Shippensburg, Pa. The Lurgan Sub was only 35 miles in length but bosted a helper grade out of Hagerstown on the Altenwald Cuttoff. The Altenwald Cuttoff was constructed in 1899 to complete a more direct route between Hagewrstown and Shippensburg. Originally the Lurgan Line was built off the East Sub at Edgemont and ran North passing Waynesboro, Altenwald, Chambersbrug, and terminating at Shippensburg. The route was too slow and hard as trains would have to climb the mountain to Edgemont then down the grade back into the Cumberland Valley. The Altenwald Cuttoff kept the line in the valley and eliminated the grade and extra 10 miles. The Waynesboro to Edgemont line was taken out of service in the 1950's. The remaining line between Quinsonia to Waynesboro remained in service long after and was eventually removed. The line was WM's eastern outlet for the high priority Alpha Jet trains. At Shippensburg the WM connected with the Reading RR just south of Shippensburg at a location known as Lurgan. WM and Reading trains operated the line between Hagerstown and Harrisburg, PA.
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