Looks grand! I'm a railroad guy too. I'll bet the ride was great.

+oM

I'll bet that was a fun ride!
I'm a RR guy too and am old enough to remember steam locomotives on the mainline of the Great Northern RR in the late 40s. We lived two blocks from the mainline on Puget Sound north of Seattle.
I was a RR Depot Agent on the extra board for the Union Pacific in the mid 60s. My territory was eastern Washington State, northern Idaho, and northern Oregon along the Columbia River.
If I had the time and money, I'd have a garden railroad. It would be fun using dwarf conifers and rock outcroppings for scenery.
Mike

Guys, the ride was as smooth as glass, tho we never exceeded 25 mph going uphill. There were bridges and even a mountain tunnel to go thru. In the summer you can store bikes in one of the passenger cars up to Frostburg, then follow the train downhill along the adjacent bike trail back to Cumberland. I think the steepest grade is almost 3 degrees. You get to see the land/mountains from a perspective you never get on the highways.

The old coal-burning Baldwin #734 is a bit over 2000 hp, but w/massive wheel-torque. It was built ~1920.

Though not steam-driven, I did take Amtrack from Milwaukee to Seattle back in my youth. You are so right-a train rider can see things from so different a perspective than the highways offer. On that trip, we of course had to get through the Rockies, the Cascades, and finally into the Coastal Range (I think-that was in 1974!). At any rate, we had the opportunity to really see the mountains! Nice report.

+oM

i am jealous

ken

For some closer details on the locomotive, here it is back at the Cumberland station.

That thing is a monster!! I bet the ride was beautiful

More train fans, awesome!!!!

I perked up when I saw this thread. I lurk a lot on this forum and learn a lot. I live with a railfan who publishes a rail magazine. He has had a photo of the Western Maryland scenic in the magazine. He also has a model layout in our basement and garage (Allagash Railway) so I am immersed in trains!

thyme2dig, his scenery is impeccable! Best I've ever seen.
Mike

With the name beng, I pictured you as being Asian. I can see you aren't. Sorry if that is strange to you. When I see people posting over time, I form a image of what their name makes me think they look like.

I think its perfectly natural do that, poaky! It gets really interesting when you actually meet someone from this forum =) The two I have met have certainly become good friends and it is nice to put a face with the username. Beng is another regular I would enjoy meeting if our paths were ever to cross.

Small world!

Cumberland, MD is quite a nice town. I enjoy it every time I pass through there - ancient interstate and all.

I visited this eminent citizen in June 2012.

The only person I've actually seen from garden web is Dax , from his posts with huge trees he posts here. He usually stands or squats down beside the trees. Ken has posted a pic or 2 of his son with red hair, so Ken is likely Caucasian, fair skinned. And I think there is a older guy with white beard and has a mature or near mature conifer forest, and comes here sometimes to the tree forum, but is a conifer guy. He posted his pic and his trees have huge roots that grow over boulders, down into the soil . That's all I remember. The rest, the imagination guesses.

I'm a RR buff, particularly of steam. I'm jealous.

On my bucket list is a ride on Grand Canyon railway when that have the steam engine doing the runs.

Beng, I got your Email, but accidentally lost it. Well, anyway, that must be your son in the photo. The guy in the photo can't be 70 yrs old. If that is YOU you are doing something right.

My grandfather's last name was Bengsten. He was from Denmark.
Danes hold their age well. ;-)
Mike

poaky, I didn't send you an email. I'm not 70 yet -- 57 actually.