Western Maryland-Keystone Viaduct February 15, 1999
Looking West
Western Maryland crosses Flaugherty Creek, a highway and B&O (now CSXT) on this tressle-bridge between Sandpatch and Meyersdale, PA. Built for double tracking that never came.
A lot of steel
Railroads and steel mills have a symbiotic relationship, the Connellsville Sub was the steel mills friend
Looking East (into the sun)
Both railroads had a big ally in Flaugherty Creek. This small stream cuts through the ridge in the background (same ridge is called Meadow Mountain in Maryland, don't know what the the local name is, on maps its called Allegheny Mountain). Ten miles or so upstream, Flaugherty Creek starts almost on the Mason-Dixon line at the crest of the Eastern Continental Divide. The Western Maryland used to handle a lot of coal traffic from local surface mines. I don't know how much is shipped on CSXT locally, but while I was walking to the viaduct probably a dozen semi trailer loads of coal passed on the highway (ever wonder why PA roads have a lot of potholes?)
After exiting the west end of the viaduct, a substantial cut was entered, with some rail built retaining structures to hold back the rocks.
Sun was just right on this day in May 2001 to catch the remaining speedlettering that is fading fast. I read recently that WM lettered its bridges where they could be viewed by passing passenger trains of another railline or where major highways were crossed.
Bridge before the viaduct
Bridges of this size and smaller are numerous on the scenic plateau between Big Savage Mountain and Sandpatch as the WM crossed and recrossed Flaugherty Creek.
Western Maryland Scenic Railroad
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