Western Maryland Chapter National Railway Historical Society

SEPTEMBER 21 SOCIAL MEETING of the WM Chapter NRHS will be held at 7 PM in the Cumberland Railroad Museum at 17 Howard Street among the shops at Canal Place. Nearest parking is available in the parking lot along Howard Street beneath the Interstate Route 68 bridge, opposite the historic Footer’s Dye Works building. Parking is free on a first-come basis. Be careful when crossing Howard Street because motor vehicles do not always fully stop at the bottom of westbound Exit 43B ramp. This meeting is open to the public at no charge.

Cumberland Mayor Raymond Morriss will give an encore presentation of his interesting program that he gave on Saturday morning, August 27, to members of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Historical Society. His program, Cumberland Terminal Operations and the Reasons for Change since 1983, the period during the transition from the Chessie System railroads to CSX Transportation. Ray Morriss began his association with the B&O Rail-road in 1974 when he worked on a track maintenance crew during the summer months. He later continued to be employed by the successor corporations Chessie System and CSX Transportation, retiring after 43 years in 2017. Ray will have many fascinating railroad tales to tell.

WM CHAPTER BUSINESS MEETING ON AUG. 17 will be held at 7 PM on Wednesday evening in the Cumberland Railroad Museum, located at 17 Howard Street among the shops at Canal Place in Cumberland MD. Nearest parking is available in the lot beneath the Interstate Route 68 bridge on the north side Howard Street, opposite the historic Footer’s Dye Works building. Parking is free on a first-come basis. Be careful when crossing Howard Street because motor vehicles do not always fully stop at the bottom of westbound Exit 43B ramp.
Regular reports will be given by chapter officers and committee chairmen. Membership applications will be read and considered for approval. Plans will be presented for the social meeting programs that are scheduled for September 21 and October 19. The 53rd Cumberland Heritage Days will take place on September 10-11, so sign-up sheets will be available for members wishing to volunteer as guides at the Cumberland Railroad Museum and aboard the CRR 1072 caboose on Track 3 at Cumberland’s historic Western Maryland Railway Station. The nominating process for the annual election of WM Chapter officers and directors on November 16 will begin with the selection of the Nominations Committee. All WM Chapter members are urged to attend this meeting. Important matters will be discussed and transacted during this business meeting.

     JULY 20 SOCIAL MEETING of the WM Chapter NRHS will begin at 6 PM (one hour earlier than usual) in and around the home of Kelly and Bruce Pfeifer on 190 Shady Rest Lane in Short Gap, West Virginia. This informal gathering of WM Chapter members, spouses and friends on a pleasant summer evening will feature a cookout and viewing of model railroad layouts. Here are directions to their home at 190 Shady Rest Lane in Short Gap WV: From Cumberland, Ridgeley, and Wiley Ford, travel south on WV Route 28 or WV Route 28 Alternate for about six miles. Upon approaching Short Gap, pass the Dollar General Store and the Red Barn Restaurant on the left. Turn right on the Shady Rest Lane, then follow the left curve at the mailbox cluster, and follow the right curve up Shady Rest Lane. No. 190 is the third house on the right, just before the cul-de-sac (turnaround). 

     From Cresaptown, LaVale, and Corriganville, travel south on US Route 220 to the intersection with MD Route 956 near Pinto. Turn left on to MD Route 956 and go three miles until the road intersects with WV Route 28. Turn left at the new traffic signal and go north on WV Route 28, passing Graceland Church on the right. Turn left on to Shady Rest Lane, then follow the left curve at the mailbox cluster, and follow the right curve up Shady Rest Lane. No. 190 is the third house on the right, just before the cul-de-sac (turnaround).

     From Fort Ashby, Springfield, and other places in Hampshire County, travel north on WV Route 28 At the new traffic signal in Short Gap at the intersection with the road coming from Pinto, continue going north on WV Route 28, passing Graceland Church on the right. Turn left on to Shady Rest Lane, then follow the left curve at the mailbox cluster, and follow the right curve up Shady Rest Lane. No. 190 is the third house on the right, just before the cul-de-sac (turnaround). Anyone planning to attend this meeting should contact Bruce Pfeifer at 410-227-8678 before Saturday, July 16, so that he has a good idea how many persons will be visiting his home on July 20. He is looking forward to everyone having an enjoyable evening.

JUNE 15 SOCIAL MEETING of the Western Maryland Chapter NRHS will be held at 7 PM on Wednesday evening in the outside pavilion of the American Legion Post 13, located at 206 Harrison Street, near the Cumberland Amtrak station. This early evening social meeting is devoted to train watching accompanied by eating hot pizza and drinking cold beverages. Thanks to the American Legion Post 13, bar privileges have been extended to WM Chapter members during this event. Participants are expecting to see several CSX Transportation freight trains, as well as the scheduled station stop of Amtrak Train 29, the westbound Capitol Limited passenger train at around 7:17 PM. Hope-fully, WM Chapter members will have an enjoyable time in the full moon light near the longest daylight period of the year during the summer solstice.

          MAY 18 BUSINESS MEETING of the WM Chapter NRHS will be held in the Cumberland Railroad Museum at 17 Howard Street, among the shops at Canal Place in Cumberland MD. Nearest parking is available in the area beneath the Interstate Route 68 bridge on the north side of Howard, opposite the historic Footer’s Dye Works building. Parking is free on first-come basis. Be careful when crossing Howard Street because motor vehicles do not always fully stop at the bottom of westbound Exit 43B ramp.       Regular reports will be given by chapter officers and committee chairmen. The status of membership renewal for 2022 will be discussed, and applications from prospective members will be read. Plans will be presented for social meeting programs on June 15 and July 20. Also, a report will be given by WM Chapter President Tom Biery on the Cumberland Railroad Museum, which has just begun its third year as a growing tourist attraction. There is a critical need for volunteers willing to schedule some time to serve as museum guides. All WM Chapter members are urged to attend this meeting. For the latest information about this meeting, visit the wmnrhs.org website.