Western Maryland 1309: The Maryland Thunder Experience (4K)

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After 5 years of steamless summer excursions in the Allegheny Mountains, Western Maryland Scenic Railroad is ready to showcase the fruits of their labor by introducing ex-Chesapeake & Ohio H6-class 2-6-6-2 Mallet #1309, known as “Maryland Thunder”, into regular passenger service. The engine had undergone an intensive 7-year rebuild that was completed in late Autumn 2021, and was featured as the star attraction of the railroad’s Polar Express runs that December. Now, spring of 2022 marks the return of regular steam-powered passenger excursions on the former Western Maryland Connellsville Extension between Cumberland and Frostburg. This video highlights these summer excursions through the mountains and valleys of Maryland, with scenes from trackside, onboard the train, and even on the engine, and the sounds of the Norfolk & Western and New York Central echoing off the mountainsides. Now, please enjoy this exciting video brought to you by Blue Comet Productions!
This video was filmed between June and August of 2022.

[@artichokedip5.972]

Showed this video to my grandpa who worked on the Illinois Central at the twilight of the steam era he started tearing up at 11:55 because of that chuffing he said it brought him back so many memories

[@colapone1895]

Beautiful Camera Work, So Glad To See Her Running, Thank You

[@fuscoproductions]

A nice comprehensive ride on the WMSR. Well done - I know how much work this was to get the variety of shots that you did! Nice tribute to Jim Wrinn at the very end.

[@BlueCometProductions]

Thamk you 🥺🥺

[@Glaudge]

the sound of a really *crispy* hooter whistle with the reverbs off of the hillsides.. chefs kiss

[@georgecrosby113]

Great video!!! For those not familiar....the Bike Trail along side the WMSR tracks is the Great Alleghany Passage a.k.a the GAP. It goes from Cumberland, MD to Pittsburgh, PA. When combined with the C&O canal towpath that goes from Cumberland, MD to Washington, D.C, it makes it possible to transit Pittsburgh to D.C on "rail" trails.

[@nathancorcoran5347]

Quite a cool video of Western Maryland 1309/Chesapeake & Ohio 1309.

[@blazeiscrazy8737]

I was up in Cumberland yesterday looking around at the housing market and decided to pop by the train station with some friends. We were in a tour caboose and all the sudden this thing comes in and we got out and had a lovely look at it while it was refueling. We could walk right up to it, get close and literally feel the thing running. It took so many pictures. It was awesome.

[@ToledoRails]

It amazes me how seamless this all came together. Great video as always!

[@BlueCometProductions]

Thank you so much the wonderful and amazing theToledoRails 🥺

[@l.a.2646]

what a great outfit. I haven't been behind the 1309 yet, but had many great trips behind 734 all by herself too, (no assist.) I understand why they run the diesel on the shove, especially when the rails are wet. what a beautiful piece of land , nice people . if you get the chance take a ride on the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad. a great day out with with family or even by yourself. it's a lovely trip. I heard 734's whistle in some of the clips and some of 1309's steamboat hooter. love the sound of both of them.

[@Geardproductions]

Had to go up into the library and view this in fullscreen 4k on my laptop with the good headphones. Phone doesn't do it justice. Great experience!

[@evanternent139]

Wow. Great video! That narrows shot starting at 7:08 is awesome! Very nice collection of shots along the line!!

[@trainmaster90productions]

Very nice I was on board back in August can’t wait to return to wmsr

[@Voucher765]

It's hard to believe that this 2-6-6-2 mallet was once at the B&O museum I place I always go to and now it's running trips on the WM scenic.

[@calvinwalters1556]

7471 looks great in the speed lettering scheme. With 1309 already wearing two whistles other than the hooter, I hope she gets to wear a true WM whistle. I'd like to hear her with one from a WM challenger since she looks so much like one.

[@jeffreyroy2915]

The locomotive is fantastic such in good condition from being left alone for so long and I hear two whistles 😂

[@KenworthKyle69]

I thought I heard two whistles as well!

[@backyardrailroader]

Nice video. I wascbiking along the Great Alleghany Passage Trail that follows the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad out of Cumberland almost to Frostburg MD. I knew a tourist train ran that day. While not expecting the 1309 to be running, I was ready for anything. What I got was an x-NS 4 axle GE pulling the tourist train.

[@tatecarlson]

I remember screaming in excitement when I learned that it was fired up on December 31, 2020 becuz it was the perfect way to end a shitbox of a year to start with something big, and I was there for the photo charters when it thundered through Brush Tunnel

[@e-train765]

I AM RIGHT THERE WITH YOU!!!! I literally CRIED when that video dropped, it was the greatest thing to lift the spirit after what had been a horrendous year.

[@northpennvalleysteamrailroad]

Spectacular video friend!

[@BlueCometProductions]

Thank you!

[@WMPotomacfan27]

Hey there I am (in some clips). Great video! Hope you enjoy your cab ride!

[@CycloneJackHH]

That’s a beauty!

[@ThePennsylvaniaRailfan]

Good work I’ll have to go there sometime

[@BotLiquor]

I can't wait for WMSR to start putting the 1309 on the turntable, it'll probably be a bit before they do but boy will that be nice.

[@andrewcoates3050]

I think they dont do that because 1309 is literally too big, the turntable isn't long enough to accommodate it's size, if you look at pictures of 734 on the turntable you can see that it's not that large

[@SullivanMallek]

actually, that's not the case. 1309 physically can fit on the turntable, it's just barely long enough; the issue is the tracks leading up to the turntable being too sharp for 1309's wheelbase, it would derail just trying to get on.

[@andrewcoates3050]

@ oh, well thanks for teaching me something. i do love learning and im happy to admit when im wrong

[@e-train765]

As already mentioned, the tracks leading up to the turntable are too sharp for 1309's wheelbase - there's another reason too. The trip from Frostburg back to Cumberland is mainly downhill so they use the diesel for the return trips to save wear on 1309's brakeshoes - brakeshoes for steam locomotives in this day and age are very, VERY, expensive.

[@andrewcoates3050]

@ oh that does make sense, just ask union pacific, big boy has 16 of them

[@kevp9601]

The Beast Is Back, Alright. The Beast Is Back. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[@jacobdolman3831]

I see this train the 1309 2-6-6-2 steam locomotive thank you :-)

[@kawasakiz76]

KILLER video!!

[@mtfgamma6257]

now *Thats* a whistle

[@benediktmorak4409]

The stoker ( fireman) for sure knows at the end of the shift that he was working... Wonder how many tons of coal he was shovelling into that hungry mouth? But what i loved even more, all that clanging and bangining and the natural sound, not often seen and heard on a video!

[@willthetrill4849]

Now to get one of the 2 surviving Allegheny’s restored and running

[@TrainMedia00]

They should've keep that whistle on 1309 i l9ve it and your videos hi there

[@Beesrcute]

Which whistle? The N&W hooter whistle? Or the other whistle, Because someone in my family actually owns the hooter whistle, they just gave it to the WMSR.

[@TrainMedia00]

​@@Beesrcute The N&W hooter whistle, and I forgot to comment what whistle am I walking about so yeah.

[@Alex-io5el]

Awesome shot with the cyclist! Also, how much are cab rides? That's something I would love to do someday.

[@RyanHatterer-Ryanns999]

the cab rides were 1309 but I don't know what it'll be once she's back up and running

[@Annie-pz2gg]

How fantastic it is! Can I share this by reposting your channel on a nice platform named Ganjing World? For sure that I will not change anything. If you are fine with that, please let me know. Thank you

[@BlueCometProductions]

I would rather you not, sorry

[@railsofmilwaukee]

Amazing video! Where was the shot at 23:45 taken? I may be coming here this summer and would like to try to recreate this shot.

[@markcinque7011]

Nice,2:18

[@sifairvanazein2841]

NAIC and good

[@stephensalloum7763]

His Whistle Sounds like A Norfolk And Western Hooter Whistle

[@Beesrcute]

Because it is! It’s special because one of my family members own it.

[@trainjunkie866]

Let me guess 1309 can't fit on the turntable.

[@BlueCometProductions]

It can fit, however multiple factors leading up to and around the turntable have to be rebuilt in order for it to fit

[@rangkumupdate5496]

Hi, I want to ask, what is that object in front of the steam locomotive boiler? It looks like a tube, and what does it do?

[@RyanHatterer-Ryanns999]

Everything on the smoke box front is for the air brake system, two air pumps, filters and piping.

[@Dragonstorm62190]

Its whistle sounds almost the same as NF & W 1218.

[@Beesrcute]

You mean N&W? Cuz it is from N&W, It’s my dad’s whistle, he just gave it to my uncle that works there, so they used it on 1309.

[@EngineerDaylight]

29:02 is this plaquard in the cab?

[@bluecommentproductions8834]

WHERE ARE THE CANAL BOATS?!?!? I NEED CANAL CONTENT.

[@BlueCometProductions]

THEY ARE SHOVING HARD UP THE TRAIL ROW FASTER THE CRABS ARE IN SEASON

[@danieldoesdumbstuff]

Love the locomotive, hate the throttle handle position

[@keithm5224]

Two whistles?

[@rstthomas]

15- 20 MPH?

[@themanformerlyknownascomme777]

Mallets (especially compound mallets like 1309) don't go that fast, they traded speed for power (and steam engines already have alot of power)

[@rstthomas]

a pusher?

[@benediktmorak4409]

suppose the diesel helper was there to provide - dynamic braking- and electricity for all that air condition? and as you could see right at the end, home the train went under Diesel power. Suppose the Loco ahd done her duty?

[@LukeGraf]

does this engine have two whistles?

[@benediktmorak4409]

thought so as well... suppose it is the video makers - freedom - to splice in some extra sound?

[@jesseusgrantcanales]

@@benediktmorak4409 No it seems he is bouncing around in time, old video and new when they swapped whistles for a special reason. Proof is the diesel at the end, it is different at times, he spliced video for different shots but they are different times.

[@benediktmorak4409]

not that it really matters or bothers, but as you say, - freedom of video editing - indeed

[@Iplayfortnite]

Same whistle as 475???

[@elendtrainrally9017]

I hope you have sunglasses, it's a bright day in train land! The people are celebrating, and they're hungry. Better fire up the grill! Hip hip horray

[@jacobdolman3831]

Me too I hope you really like this video so cool I Like it so much

[@rstthomas]

excursion train?

[@BlueCometProductions]

Sir I think it’s your naptime

[@atlantis0v-104]

No NO NO NO NO WHY FOXY!

[@zacharycalgher3978]

Western Maryland Mallet 1309 should be changed from using coal to using oil just like Union Pacific Challenger 3985 because that way 1309 can run across country. BTW, 3985 beats 1309, just my opinion.

[@colapone1895]

I personally think its better they left her Coal fired, as she was

[@zacharycalgher3978]

@@colapone1895 you sure, because using coal will only let 1309 run to places where coal is needed most.

[@themanformerlyknownascomme777]

it's all about location. The Union Pacific more often then not got oil-burners when they could because they were operating in a region with alot of oil and not much coal, meanwhile Western Maryland is much closer to "coal country".

[@threepea1151]

There is no need to have a locomotive like this run across the country my god the railfan community is just extreme 💀

[@caydenworley5002]

Well she is the beast of the East, so it makes sense for her to run in coal. It’s why out east there’s a lot of coal burning loco. Meanwhile out more west with Union Pacfic, Southern Pacfic and other steamers that are running out west are burning oil since it’s more relatively available than coal. 1309 is basically between West Virginia and Pennsylvania, two states who have an abundance of coal.

[@SonaWyse-x4x]

Hettie Streets

[@organbuilder272]

Two different whistles on the same engine on the same day ??? Really???? SO - the rules say that only the engine in control of the train gives the signals. What are these boys doing playing games. Imagine a diesel engine driver trying to quill the air horns. This is not much of an experience really. A ride about 20 miles long at a speed of about 10 MPH (Owing to the condition of the ties and rail bed.) The engine can not turn around in Frostburg. This the diesel has to pull the trail backwards to return to the station in Cumberland. That RR station is, in fact, owned by the canal authority, not the WMSRR. The second floor is occupied by insurance companies, Only the first floor is rented by WMSRR. There is an interesting museum in the area showing the development of the canal which goes to the head of Chesapeak Bay and is fed by the Potomac River.

[@BlueCometProductions]

Do you need to seek medical attention?

[@organbuilder272]

HEY - That engine is stoker fed. It is NOT hand fired. AND even the firebox you depicted is NOT the real thing. It does not have the basin just inside the fire-door. Why do you fake things like this?

[@BlueCometProductions]

Cope

[@rudycarlson8245]

Dude, seriously relax! Even though she has a mechanical Stoker they still have to hand fire a little bit!

[@organbuilder272]

Not while I was in the right hand seat. No need for hand firing. AND - it has a basin just inside the fire door. some photos did not show that - Wrong engine. That is FACT.@@rudycarlson8245

[@firegrateproductions]

Spackle crab

[@BlueCometProductions]

Crackle Spab

[@rstthomas]

stop blowing the whistle all the time.

[@BlueCometProductions]

No

[@TheNoogaRailfan]

No

[@firegrateproductions]

No

[@SuperFoxyRailwayProduction6702]

No

[@ThePennsylvaniaRailfan]

No