Sharing the Great Allegheny Passage
Here's a down-the-throat view of the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad's recently-restored 2-6-6-2 Locomotive #1309 as she poses for night photos just outside the west portal of Brush Tunnel (MP 172.2) in Corriganville, MD. In this view, you can easily see how the former 2-track tunnel has been reconfigured by removing one track and creating a rail-trail of sorts, for bikers and hikers. Called The Great Allegheny Passage, this trail runs 150 miles from Cumberland, MD, all the way to Pittsburgh, PA, including the 16 mile segment from Cumberland to Frostburg, MD, which parallels the route of the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad. As you can see in this image, the 914 ft. long Brush Tunnel has lights inside, along with barriers to separate the rail trail from the railroad tracks. It also has plenty of signs warning hikers and bikers to avoid the tunnel when the train is coming, simply because the noxious fumes and cinders from this massive, coal-burning locomotive can get pretty intense as she hauls the heavy passenger trains westbound up the hill to Frostburg.
Sharing the Great Allegheny Passage
Here's a down-the-throat view of the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad's recently-restored 2-6-6-2 Locomotive #1309 as she poses for night photos just outside the west portal of Brush Tunnel (MP 172.2) in Corriganville, MD. In this view, you can easily see how the former 2-track tunnel has been reconfigured by removing one track and creating a rail-trail of sorts, for bikers and hikers. Called The Great Allegheny Passage, this trail runs 150 miles from Cumberland, MD, all the way to Pittsburgh, PA, including the 16 mile segment from Cumberland to Frostburg, MD, which parallels the route of the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad. As you can see in this image, the 914 ft. long Brush Tunnel has lights inside, along with barriers to separate the rail trail from the railroad tracks. It also has plenty of signs warning hikers and bikers to avoid the tunnel when the train is coming, simply because the noxious fumes and cinders from this massive, coal-burning locomotive can get pretty intense as she hauls the heavy passenger trains westbound up the hill to Frostburg.