Railroads across America

Taking photos from a speeding RV is somewhat problematic. Patti did a great job of capturing a few of the trains we saw on our sprint to the west. The first one might be in Cumberland???

The sprint west

Our sprint to the west will take only four days. On the morning of the third day we crossed the mighty Missisip and we finished up southwest of Omaha in Nebraska. High winds in the afternoon every day made driving a white knuckle experience. The map is filling up nicely. When we return all the blocks visible in the photo in the northwestern USA  and Canada will be filled. Not bad for only five years.

Old Steamers Hauling the Freight

Steam is on the wane on the old A&S. The new locos of the C&P don't require coal or much water. Its good to see the old ladies strutt'n their stuff!! Catch em while you can.

Merger is the Thing!

Time passes and like most small railroads, the A&S couldn't survive in the post war economy without help.
That help arrived in the form of a merger between two of the largest American railroads, the Northern Pacific and the Baltimore and Ohio. There was one catch however. The ICC wouldn't approve the merger while the B&O still held a substantial interest in the Western Maryland railroad. The solution was for the B&O to swap their holdings in the WM with the WM's holdings in the A&S. Voila! A deal was cemented. So... the A&S is swept up the the first transcontinental railroad system - the newly born Chesapeake and Pacific Railroad or the C&P to its owners. (not to be  confused with the DC phone company:)

Let the trains begin!

First train over the canyon. What a wonderful sight for sore eyes!

C'est Tout

Bridge kits $200, Hydrocal $17, Trees $5 Bridge track $20, CA $10, misc stain, Styrofoam, ground foam, $1.98. Finally finished, priceless:)

Bridge with track, near final

It's getting there, some final scenery then its done:)