Walkersville Southern Railroad

Discussion in 'Route Suggestions & Proposals' started by Anthony Vo, Jul 18, 2018.

?
  1. Yes

    66.7%
  2. No

    33.3%
  3. The locomotives and some coaches only should go into the simulator

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  1. Anthony Vo

    Anthony Vo Member

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    Walkersville Southern railroad​

    The Walkersville Southern Railroad is a 6.72 mile (11 km) heritage railway in Walkersville, Maryland. upload_2018-7-18_10-48-21.jpeg running from MP 60.0 south of Woodsboro, MD to MP 66.72 just north of the intersection of Route 26 and U.S. Route 15 near Frederick, Maryland (Using PRR Milepost data where mileage ran north to south, and Frederick was at MP 69.0). The railroad runs track and structures originally built by the Frederick and Pennsylvania Line railroad. This railroad ran from Fredrick, MD to the Pennsylvania-Maryland State line, or Mason Dixon line, near Kingston, PA.

    One of the industries that fed the railroad during its earliest time of operations was the Lime Kiln in Walkersville. This was among the industries that fueled the need of the railroad, to ship fertilizer to farmers in and around the Walkersville region. The Frederick Secondary remained in the control of the Pennsylvania Railroad even into the creation of the Penn Central Railroad. The Walkersville Southern operates on part of the Penn Central's Frederick Secondary. Penn Central, then in bankruptcy, sold the line to the state of Maryland in 1972 after Hurricane Agnes washed out the bridge over the Monocacy River. [​IMG]The line remained dormant until 1980 when the Maryland Midland Railway began operations over the route between Walkersville north to Taneytown. South of Walkersville the right-of-way, devoid of freight customers, was overtaken by brush and weeds.

    Volunteers for the new Walkersville Southern began restoring the line in 1991. The State of Maryland awarded the company operation of the line south of Walkersville in 1993 and tourist trains began running to the Monocacy River in 1995. The bridge was rebuilt, completed in March 1996, and trains began crossing the river, 23 years after Agnes. In 1998, the line was rebuilt to its current terminus at Maryland Route 26 in Frederick. Screenshot 2018-07-19 at 11.09.00 AM.png View attachment 5544 upload_2018-7-18_10-48-21.jpeg Although crossing Maryland Route 26 was in the original plan to reach potential freight customers in downtown Frederick, the rise in automobile traffic over Route 26 and the departure of potential customers from Frederick led to the eventual abandonment of any further restoration plans into the city. Current local government plans call for the old right-of-way south of Route 26 to be converted into a hiker-biker trail.

    In November 2008, Maryland granted rights to operate three miles of right-of-way to the north, linking to the Maryland Midland Railway at North Glade Road. In 2013 the summer steam excursion was routed over a portion of the newly restored track. As of the January 1st, 2014 the north division has been restored.

    As of 2018 both the south or north divisions aren't linked to there actual terminuses making the railroad it's current length.

    Operations
    Today, the railroad runs two to three round trips daily on Saturdays and Sundays in May, June, September, and October; and on Saturdays only in July and August. They also host some special events, including some on weekends and during the off-season. In some cases, individuals with their own equipment can use the right of way with prior permission or during selected special events.

    The railroad typically operates unique industrial diesel locomotives, all rarely seen in today's modern railroading. In 2012, the railroad operated steam excursions for the first time using the Gramling Locomotive Works "Flagg Coal 75"a 0-4-0T tank engine. The 75's operation marked the first time a steam locomotive had operated on this railway since the Pennsylvania Railroad last ran steam over 60 years ago. In 2013, steam returned in the form of Lehigh Valley Coal 126, also owned by the Gramling family.

    The railroad also keeps adding on rolling stock to its fleet making it bigger every now and then.

    Diesel locomotives
    1. WSRR #1 Plymouth Locomotive Works 18-ton switcher 1941 Display Formerly operated by the Wilmington & Western Railroad
    2. WSRR #2 Davenport Locomotive Works 25-ton switcher 1939 Operational. MOW locomotive Built on steam switcher frame
    3. WSRR/ex-DGVR 45 General Electric Transportation GE 45-ton switcher June 1943 Operational Formerly US Army 7496 at the Army Air Forces Depot, Orlando, FL, during WW II; owned by Al Leyh
    4. WSRR #101 Electro-Motive Division EMD Model 40 1942 Primary locomotive; Operational. One of only 11 EMD built in total; formerly US Army 7954 during WW II
    5. WSRR #3 Davenport Locomotive Works 20-ton switcher 1942 Under restoration Formerly US Army 7707 at Fort Holabird, MD, during WW II
    6. ex-PRR/WSRR #9331 General Electric Transportation GE 44-ton switcher 1948 Operational Owned by the Strasburg Railroad from the 1960s to 2013; now owned by Jamie Haislip
    7. ex-PRR/WSRR #9339 General Electric Transportation GE 44-ton switcher 1948 Operational Original PRR equipment; formerly South Carolina Railroad Museum 33; owned by Jamie Haislip
    GN 5201 General Electric Transportation GE 44-ton switcher 1940 Stored Former Great Northern; believed to be the oldest survivor of its type
    Rolling Stock
    • Open excursion car Two cars; #10 and #11 Unknown. #11 ex-B&O, #10 ex-WVN Both cars operational Primarily found on summer trains
    • P54 Five cars (as of July 2018) Long Island Railroad Four cars fully operational. One lettered "Ligonier Valley". Three used in passenger service. One used as a dining car. Used year-round; formerly owned and operated by the Long Island Rail Road between 1908-1972.
    • Troop Sleeper [11] One car Pullman-Standard Operational Used on the dinner train; ex-WM car, originally US Army in World War II
    • Solarium Observation Car [12] One car Pullman-Standard Operational Part of the dinner train consist; was operated on the Southern Pacific Lark train. The Pullman solarium car, named the Meadow Lark, is owned by the Chesapeake Railway Association and under restoration by the WS. The railroad uses it on dinner trains as a dressing room for dinner theater actors and as a mount for a generator (attached to the car's underside) for providing electrical power to the train.
    • In addition to the RF&P 923 and Wabash 2827 cabooses hosted for the CRA, the railroad also hosts a number of private equipment for multiple individuals. For example, there is a private but active PRR N5 in the yard.

    Walkersville Southern Railroad Museum
    The railroad has a small museum in a separate building near the 1890s Walkersville Depot. The museum contains railroad artifacts and a model railroad.
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jul 19, 2018
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  2. LeadCatcher

    LeadCatcher Well-Known Member

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    While this might be a great route if you are familiar with the road - being such a short route 6.72 miles - I feel it would be meet with little enthusiasm by the current market - It would be a great “starter” route for one to begin their route building adventure however.

    I would much rather see DTG devote their resources to routes that would have larger appeal to the general enthusiast population like some portion of the LIRR.

    I do appreciate your proposal - but feel this would be a better personal project over a commercial endeavor.
     
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  3. Anthony Vo

    Anthony Vo Member

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    thanks for the comment. I understand what you mean but then there's other shorter routes that are like a mile or so.
     
    Last edited: Jul 19, 2018
  4. LeadCatcher

    LeadCatcher Well-Known Member

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    Yes you have a point - just ran a freeroom on one last night — Forgat I had it since it provided little variety - but it was well done and very realistic.
     

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