The Western Maryland Railway was an American Class I railroad which operated in Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. It was primarily a coal hauling and freight railroad, with a small passenger train operation. The WM became part of the Chessie System in 1973 and ceased operating its lines in 1983 when it was merged into the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. The B&O itself was then merged into C&O on August 31, 1987 before the C&O merged with the Seaboard System Railroad to legally form CSX Transportation on September 2, 1987.
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 separated 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 North Branch.
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. The Tower, was manned 24 hours a day, and is seen in a lot of William Price's photos.
This part of the WM lost its through trains on January 5, 1976. It did however see service up until 1995 as an industrial spur to reach a scrap dealer in South Cumberland.
Only a short stretch of track remains for the WMSR to turn its steam locomotive on the wye nearby, adjacent to the former MD Junction Shops.
The Small cache you seek is hidden along the former right of way that leads to Knobley Mountain Tunnel, NOW the Carpendale Rails to Trail that leads to South Cumberland.
Cache is stocked with a Stash Note, Log sheets, a writing utensil and some swag to trade. Room Inside for trackables as well.
Congratulations to Salarmy Tree-O for the FTF !!!