=Western
Maryland Railway =
Hagerstown Terminal February 2002
Posted by WMHubCitygd onRailroad.net Forums
CSX has 4 lines through Hagerstown- The Conservit Line, Lurgan Sub to Chamberbersburg division of the Lurgan sub and the Hanover sub.
The Hanover sub has 6 trains a day- 1 to Hanover, 1 from Hanover, 1 to Highfield, 1 from Highfield and a switcher that serves a cement plant and scrap yard just outside Hagerstown and back. The trains to Hanover have 130 cars and are powered usually by either 3 SD-50's, or a SD-40-2, and AC4400/C-40/8W. Then locals have either a set of GP-38-2's or GP-40-2's. Then trains to Highfield have SD-50's or GP-40-2's and SD-40-2 with an occasional Dash 8 widenose.
The Conservit line has 1 train with a return trip- a switcher. It consists of a RDMT former GP-30M and a GP-38-2 or GP-40-2. It has about 10-12 cars. The line however is being rebuilt to serve a paper mill that recently closed after high construction costs. It was purchased by another company and will reopen soon. Sometimes the switcher serves 2 more customers each needing 1 car.
The Chambersburg section of the Lurgan sub was reasently stripped of all through traffic, and all through freights were transferred to the parallel NS. There however are 2 daily locals (4 if count returns) and they consist of 20 cars apiece heading to South Brandon and Paramount. The power is a combo of GP-40-2, GP-38-2 and RDMT's. CSX says the disconnected section will be rebuilt and 2-4 more daily locals will be added headed to Letterkenny Army depot and to serve several customers in that area that demand better service, due to the backtracking move from Shippensburg.
The Lurgan sub. to Big Pool has about 6 and soon 10+ daily movements starting in Jan. and returns. The trains are a long W&LE mixed consisting of 100+ grain cars and its return, 2 daily Pittsburgh-Norfolk Auto Trains, 2 daily coal drags and 2 empties that take the NS, and a handful of daily trains between Hagerstown and Cumberland. There is also a local which operates between Hagerstwn and Williamsport serving the 10+ customers recieving several dozen daily cars, from 2 elevators, a pipe plant, quarry, brick plant, 2 warehouses, an ink plant, fuel dealer, 2 truck/rail transfer center (one CSX transflo) and a few more. Starting Jan. 1st when the budget goes to 0 a connection will be made at Cherry Run Wv.A. and a signaling system will be added on this line according to several sources high up with CSX. Then either 3 or 4 trains (Q133, Q134, Juice Train, and more) will be added to this line and will be permanantly rerouted over the Metropolitan Subdivision to the Cumberland sub. CSX officials also say something else will happen that they can't share that will DRAMATICALLY increase rail service on this line. One can only wonder. Locos on this line include SD-50's, GP-40-2'a, GP-38-2, RDMT's, AC4400's, Dash 8 widenoses, SD-80MAC's, AC6000, Dash 9's, SD-60MAC's, SD-70MAC's and more.
There is a large yard and engine terminal here too. Every few hours a NS train comes from the Vardo yard and delivers 40-50 cars. NS power is usually GP-38AC's amd SD-40-2's.
The NS has a mainline through town and has about 20-30 trains a day. The line, although single tracked is in the process of being double tracked. NS power is EVERYTHING: SD-80MAC, SD-70M, SD-70, SD-60MAC, SD-50, SD-40-2, GP-59, GP-60, GP-38AC, C-36-7, C-30-7, B-23-7, B-40-8, C-40-8, Dash 9's, you name it. Even the locals on this line go 50-60 MPH!
The W&W also has a line that has 2 to 4 daily trains with 30 to 50 cars, and Paducah rebuilds.
Posted 12/9/2002 6:03:00 PM PST- It would be nice if someone provided an update as of 10/03
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