Western Maryland Scenic Railroad #1309: Allegheny Winter Express-Final Chase To Frostburg & Back

Date: April 19th, 2026 Consider this as Part 2 to the previous video where I chased the 9 AM run to Frostburg and its return trip. Well here, we did the exact same thing, except this time, we chased its 1:00 run, with slightly clearer skies above the beautiful land of Western Maryland. This will be my last 1309 chase of the weekend trip, as this was its last run for the weekend. Hope you all enjoy the video! (0:00): A walk up to the front of the train as the time for departure gets closer. (0:41): The WMSR Allegheny Winter Express pulls out of Cumberland on its last expedition of the weekend to Frostburg. I filmed on the opposite side of the train this time for a new perspective. WMSR H-6 2-6-6-2 #1309 (ex-C&O) WMSR B32-8 #539 (ex-NS) (4:41): Chasing behind the train as it distantly passes over the Rt 40/36 bridge. If only Happy or Carla from Fairy Tail could fly me overhead. (7:56): WMSR 1309 chugs around the world famous Helmstetter's Curve. I also pointed the camera's focal point to the Helmstetter's Curve Mile marker. WMSR H-6 2-6-6-2 #1309 WMSR B32-8 #539 (7:56): Next, we chase the train to Woodcock Hollow Road again. Not gonna lie, when I first found this spot on the previous video, I legitimately thought it said "Woodstock Hollow Road" until I read the sign more clearly. So much for a Peanuts reference. WMSR H-6 2-6-6-2 #1309 WMSR B32-8 #539 (9:00): Going down the hill from Woodcock Hollow. (9:03): Driving through Mount Savage on Route 36. (9:18): The WMSR Allegheny Winter Express gently rolls into Frostburg Station and sits still for a little while. WMSR H-6 2-6-6-2 #1309 WMSR B32-8 #539 (12:33): More footage of the WMSR Mallet laying over at Frostburg while its adoring public of rail enthusiasts admire and look over it. (15:46): The excursion starts back East toward Cumberland, pulling away from the beautiful depot and the line of railbikes. WMSR B32-8 #539 (ex-NS) WMSR H-6 2-6-6-2 #1309 (ex-C&O) (17:37): The chase home continues as we drive out of this quiet part of Western Maryland. (17:52): Passing the 1927 narrow-gauge Plymouth from Union Mining Co displayed in Mount Savage. (18:04): Passing a few cows and then a horse along Route 36. A horse is a horse, of course, of course, and no one can talk to a horse, of course... (18:12): Catching the Allegheny Winter Express by Woodcock Hollow on its way back to Cumberland. I'm glad I got the GAP Mile marker sign in my shot showing the distance to Connellsville, Pittsburgh, and other spots further North. WMSR B32-8 #539 WMSR H-6 2-6-6-2 #1309 (20:29): We intercept the WMSR excursion at Helmstetter's Curve one final time. My biggest adversary was not the challenge of staying ahead of the train-Not in the least. It was the Western Maryland landscape. Some of those parts of Western Maryland have terrible cell reception, so when I was listening to some Fairy Tail music (I associate Fairy Tail with Western Maryland), I kept having buffering issues. WMSR B32-8 #539 WMSR H-6 2-6-6-2 #1309 (22:20): Final part of the WMSR chase that weekend. WMSR B32-8 #539 glides the train smoothly into the station where 1309's fireman pulls the water column over the tender for the engine to have a nice, long drink after all the heavy pulling. While the B32-8 was nowhere near as exciting as the Mallet, I appreciate its role in leading the train back home, and for assisting with dynamic braking over the Appalachian hills. WMSR B32-8 #539 WMSR H-6 2-6-6-2 #1309 (27:37): More quiet shots of WMSR 1309 sitting and finishing its water drink. (33:35): Walking past the idle consist of CRR Caboose 1072, GSCX Baggage Cars 1761 and 1702 (ex-Amtrak), and WMSX Baggage Car 534 (ex-SOU; Railway Express Agency). (34:24): And that's a wrap, folks! After all of the happy tourists have detrained for the final time of the weekend, WMSR #539 does one final job of towing the passenger consist, still with 1309 on the rear and now bereft of passengers, across the Potomac River into the peaceful community of Ridgeley, WV where they will park in the yard for the final time of the weekend. WMSR B32-8 #539 WMSR H-6 2-6-6-2 #1309 (40:54): Slideshow of the train chase, and some other pics taken. Music: Fairy Tail: Shinjiru Kokoro Fairy Tail: Dragon Force Thanks for watching! Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe!   / nicholas.clemens.7965     / thenwclassa1218   Discord: TheN&WClassA1218#2641