CSX railfanning near Cumberland, MD, 4/3/04

WM734 Apr 9, 2004

  1. WM734

    WM734 E-Mail Bounces

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    About three miles east of Cumberland,Md, CSX passes over the old C&O canal near Lock 75, which is now a park. I got these pictures just standing in the park. We (my wife and I) where there for about 45 minutes, and saw three trains. Here is the first one, and some pictures of the park.
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    The lead unit, 4713 one of CSX's later MAC 70's.
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    One of CSX's ex-Conrail's SD80's, 803
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    Now comes CW44AC 81, followed by something not usually seen up this way, Marc 73, a GP39H-2. It is a unit with a 2300hp 645E, and a Cummins HEP Generator..see the muffler protruding out of the unit's back raidiator.
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    This is a view, with my back to Lock 75, looking at Locks 74 and 73.
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    Here is Lock 75 itself. Three easy miles from Cumberland, right off RT 51, a nice spot to vist, picnic, see an actual C&O Canal Lock, and railfan. What's nice about this is that there are a lot of railfanning places like this in and around the Cumberland area.

    Ed
     
  2. Tompm

    Tompm TrainBoard Supporter

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    Nice photos.

    What was the Marc unit doing in that consist?
     
  3. WM734

    WM734 E-Mail Bounces

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    I don't know for sure, but my guess is that the loco may have been worked on in Cumberland, at the CSX locomotive shops, and is "working" on the way home!

    Ed
     
  4. chessie

    chessie TrainBoard Supporter

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    Ed,
    Those are great shots! I have not had an opportunity to railfan that area but must get up there one day! [​IMG]

    Harold
     
  5. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Looks like a very nice place to spend some time!

    Is the MARC unit actually under power? Or DIT? As it's last unit in the consist, I'd think it wasn't running. Wouldn't gearing of a passenger engine be a little too much difference from that of freight?

    :D

    Boxcab E50
     
  6. Alan

    Alan Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    That looks like a beautiful place to watch trains, especially in the summertime when the trees have leaves [​IMG]
     
  7. Flash Blackman

    Flash Blackman TrainBoard Member

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    Ed: What is the pipe or conduit running along the bottom of the bridge? Looks like an easy thing to model. I don't see any overhead wires.

    It really is a beautiful spot. Was this a man made canal or a river? How long since the lock was in use?

    Very nice pictures, too.
     
  8. 7600EM_1

    7600EM_1 Permanently dispatched

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    Nice pictures!!!!!!!!!!!! VERY nice indeed! I want to model 2 SD-80MAC's an one SD-70MAC. I want 2 SD-80MAC's so I have 801 in Bright future, plus another one in the Dark Future to run with the Dark Future unit SD-70MAC! I think it make a nice lash up....

    Flash, I belive that pipe is for the fiber optics cable CSX runs along the mainline.... Its burried aside the main, an that is to carry it along the bridge!
     
  9. WM734

    WM734 E-Mail Bounces

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    Here's a nice link to info about the canal-- http://www.fred.net/kathy/canal.html
    This summer, the weekend of July 9,10,11, Cumberland is going to have a combination railfest-canalfest. The Cumberland headquaters of the canal are located in the bottom floor of the old Western Maryland RR station in Cumberland, which also is the Western Maryland Scenic's depot.
    There is much to see in the Cumberland area. I like to tell people that the Holiday Inn is located next to the CSX main, just a road between the main and the inn! And the inn itself is just a short walk to the WMSRR station.
    The Cumberland CSX locomotive shops, part of which is located next to a street, is a good location for taking photos. And it's just a five minute ride from the inn.
    I do think that conduit is for CSX use, not much on down the line but a signal about 1/4 mile away.

    Ed
     

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