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Western Maryland Railway Locations - On and Around Jack's Mountain

On April 10, 2005, Ken Kime took me on a tour of the Western Maryland mainline from Gettysburg up through Jack's Mountain and on to Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania. This page covers some of the area on and around Jack's Mountain.

Iron Springs Road Horseshoe Curve

On the long crawl up Jack's Mountain, the Western Maryland makes a sharp super-elevated horseshoe turn from facing West to facing back East, to continue the ascent.

Horseshoe Turn Looking roughly northPete Brown Photo - April 10, 2005

Horseshoe Turn Looking roughly northwest Pete Brown Photo - April 10, 2005

Horseshoe Turn Looking roughly northeast Pete Brown Photo - April 10, 2005

East of Horseshoe Turn Looking roughly east. Pete Brown Photo - April 10, 2005

Turkey at Horseshoe Turn Pete Brown Photo - April 10, 2005

You never know - you might get lucky and spot a Turkey or two (we saw two and heard another) when climing up in this area.

Map

Topographic Map from terraserver.microsoft.com

Google Street Map

Approaching Jack's Mountain Tunnel from the West

If you tour this area yourself, please keep in mind that the track is still very much in use, and due to the grit mill, it is difficult to hear approaching trains. In addition, many parts of the area have no easy place for a person to leave the track to avoid an oncoming train.

Looking at the photos below, don't ever let anyone tell you that tight curves on your layout are unprototypical, if you model the Western Maryland!

Please refer to the map below when looking at the photographs. Note that the topographic map does not capture the tight curves present on the railroad.

Topographic Map from terraserver.microsoft.com

Old WM Mail Stop Location 1 on the map, looking west away from the tunnel. Pete Brown Photo - April 10, 2005	Old WM Mail Stop Location 1 on the map, looking east towards the tunnel Pete Brown Photo - April 10, 2005	Flange Oiler Location 2 on the map. Pete Brown Photo - April 10, 2005	Flange Oiler Location 2 on the map. Pete Brown Photo - April 10, 2005
Sand Between locations 2 and 3 on the map. Pete Brown Photo - April 10, 2005	Greenstone Grit Mill You can just make out the white covered conveyor towards the bottom. This is looking west from Location 2 on the map.Pete Brown Photo - April 10, 2005	Same Flange Oiler Looking west from just east of location 2 on the map. Looking towards Jack's Mountain TunnelPete Brown Photo - April 10, 2005	More Curves From location 2 on the map. Looking east towards the cut and Jack's Mountain Tunnel Pete Brown Photo - April 10, 2005
Rock Cut Location 3 on the map. Looking towards Jack's Mountain Tunnel Pete Brown Photo - April 10, 2005	Rock Cut Location 3 on the map. Looking away from Jack's Mountain TunnelPete Brown Photo - April 10, 2005	S Curve Looking east, towards Jack's Mountain Tunnel, from just east of the cut. Pete Brown Photo - April 10, 2005	S Curve Looking east, towards Jack's Mountain Tunnel, from just east of the previous photo. Pete Brown Photo - April 10, 2005
S Curve Looking west, away from Jack's Mountain Tunnel, from just east of the previous photo. Pete Brown Photo - April 10, 2005

Jack's Mountain Tunnel - West Portal

Once you enter the cut for the west portal of Jack's Mountain Tunnel, the amount of rock debris really picks up. It makes you appreciate why the WM equipped all their steam road power, and many of their early diesels, with rock knocker "plows".

Telltale for the Tunnel Looking west, away from Jack's Mountain Tunnel, towards the S curve. Pete Brown Photo - April 10, 2005	Telltale for the Tunnel Looking east, towards Jack's Mountain Tunnel Pete Brown Photo - April 10, 2005	Rail Gauge Clip Inside the cut for Jack's Mountain Tunnel, just west of the portal. Pete Brown Photo - April 10, 2005	Jack's Mountain Tunnel Satellite Image Google Maps
Jack's Mountain Tunnel - West Portal Pete Brown Photo - April 10, 2005	Jack's Mountain Tunnel - West Portal Pete Brown Photo - April 10, 2005	Jack's Mountain Tunnel - Inside West End Pete Brown Photo - April 10, 2005

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