HAGERSTOWN/B87.3

Hagerstown/B87.3




Hagerstown was the most busy place on the entire Western Maryland. Practically all WM trains passed by here. All west bounds from Baltimore and Lurgan as well as all east bounds off the West Sub kept the short stretch of main line busy between Hagerstown and the Lurgan and Hanover Subdivisions at Town. At Hagerstown there was also a connection with the Norfolk and Western Railway, Pennsylavania Railroad, and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad which had a branch into Hagerstown from Brunswick, MD. This branch of the B&O's was later removed when B&O assumed control of the WM through the Chessie System. This was perhaps the only time the WM was kept and the B&O abandoned during the Chessie takeover. Hagerstown was also the main locomotive shops for the Western Maryland during the diesel era. Locomotives received major repairs, overhauls, and general maintence. Locomotives were also washed and refueled here as well. This went on up until the early 1980's. After then all maintence was transferred to the B&O's Cumberland Locomotive Shops. Hagerstown was also the site of the large Jamison Yard. Jamison Yard was built to the west of the yard office. The yard had a hump also to sort cars onto tracks separate. The hump was the middle of the yard and the summit of the 1.08% grade of Williamsport Hill. The eastern slope of the yard was similar with a grade of 0.80%. Locomotives had a tough time pushing a large cut of cars over the hump. The yard was removed track by track as thru traffic dried up. Today Hagerstown is still perhaps the busiest portion of the old Western Maryland. Trains from Cherry Run still run up a small portion of the West sub. About half of the Lurgan Sub remains and usually sees one train a day. The Hanover Sub is still pretty much intact and operational. There is a connection with the Maryland Midland Railway at Highfield which operates the former WM East Sub. CSX exchanges cars with the MMID regularly. A day at Hagerstown can be a good photo opportunity if you arrive early and chase any train that is called to run out on any of the three subdivisions.


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WM F's 235, 410, and 238 roll by just west of the Yard Office in Hagerstown Yard. Notice the high hood fan on F7B 410. (Mason Cooper photos)

These diesels sit in idle waiting for a assignment. Conrail locomotive 755 is on the head end of a Lurgan bound coal train. The locomotive is hooked to the yard supplied air line until a crew comes to take in North up the Lurgan Subdivision.

The five brand new EMD GP40's are lined up for photos at Hagerstown Yard.

My father Mason Cooper has photographed a WM employee leaning on the fence by a set of WM SD40's across from the Hagerstown Yard Office. All WM cabooses while not in use were kept of the "cab" track to the left in the first photo. Today all CSX locomotives are kept on the cab track until needed. In the second photo CSX train D775 leaves eastbound with a short train past the yard office bound for the Hanover Sub. One on the Hanover Sub D775 will most likely switch the scrap yard on the old B&O at Security and then return to Hagerstown. CSX coal train U820 waits for D775 to clear before itself heading out and north over the Lurgan Sub to Conrail rails then north to Harrisburg, PA.

Two metal buildings and a brick building still stood across the tracks from the CSX yard office in Hagerstown. The buildings were used by the WM signal department. (March 17, 2013)

B&O GP40 4009 along with WM SD40's 7445 and 7449 head west passed the Hagerstown Yard Office while switching. (Mason Cooper photos)

More switch movements as SD40 7495 leads SD35 7434 and 7432 passed the yard office. (Mason Cooper photos)

WM's ageing RS3's 198 and 189 shove some piggy back flats and trailers into a yard track. The next two photos taken by Wayne Norman it appears train orders are being given up to the conductor on the caboose and ALCO as the pusher heads east on the trip to Rutherford, PA. (Mason Cooper photo and Wayne Norman photos)

In July 1972 WM 81 switches cars around at the Hagerstown Yard office. In December 1995 CSX GP40-2 6445 is doing the same task as the BL2. (WM 81 photo by Mason Cooper)

Ex. WM SD40 7445 now CSX 4618 heads a train waiting to go east out of Hagerstown. It appears to be a heavy freight train with enough headend power to climb the grade out of Hagerstown. WM/Chessie/CSX SD40 4618 was later rebuilt into a SD40-2 and it was painted in the CSX "bright future" paint scheme. (9/95)

A short WM train lead by GP9 27 heads west into the yard with WM caboose 1826 trailing. (Mason Cooper photos)

WM GP9 39 moves a WM Jordon Spreader into the yard as WM GP9 26 switches. (Mason Cooper photos)

WM 51 and 3580 at Hagerstown in 1971. (thanks to Cody Haer for photo)

WM F7 141 leads a trio of F's as they switch around at Hagerstown. (Mason Cooper photos)

More switch movements as SD40 7495 leads SD35 7434 and 7432 passed the yard office. (Mason Cooper photos)

The CSX local switcher for Security comes into Hagerstown after switching there on the East Sub.

Back up on the main line at Hagerstown, a CSX train is edging further and further east as it switches back and forth putting its train together. Soon he will call the dispatcher in Jacksonville, FL. and ask for a clear signal east.

A CSX train rounds the curve and passes under the signal bridge and enters the yard passing the B97 milepost to the left of the train. This train has come off the Hanover Sub after descending the mountain from Highfield. (6/98)

In 1971 a WM eastbound lead by F7 53 and SD40 7495 passes under the signal bridge on its way out of the yard. This train is bound for either Lurgan or Baltimore. In April 1998, CSX train D799 passes into the Hagerstown yard under the same signal bridge. The GP38-2 is returning from the East Sub where it was doing some local work in the mill at Security. (WM photo by unknown photographer)

CSX B702 heads by the former WM Hagerstown Station which now serves as the Hagerstown Police Headquarters on February 9, 2019 at 1220.


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