NEWGATE/B90

Newgate/B90




Newgate was the first location west out of Hagerstown Yard. There were no local industries here at Newgate in WM days. However, there are now 3 today under CSX operation. The first is located just around the curve west of the I-81 bridge out of Hagerstown Yard. The first is a feed mill of some sort as the second industry is also. The second industry is located just east of the Zeiger Rd. crossing. Staples is served here also. The track into Staples leads off of the main right under the I-70 overpass. Not many trains run through the area today. There is only one scheduled train, D721. Other trains run as needed. Train D721 will usually leave Hagerstown around noon and head west with its train in tow. It will drop its train just west of the switch at the first industry or industry it needs to switch. After switching one or more of the industries it will recouple to its train and head west to Cheery Run where it will run on B&O tracks to Cumberland. the train will usually return the next day designated as train D720.


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A WM train lead by F7 r/n 63 and a GP7 drift down Williamsport Hill crossing Zeiger Road as its heads west in 1970. Much later, I've cault CSX 8594 on the first day for train D721. Train D721 was started as the local between Hagerstown and Cumberland.

Eastbound CSX train D720, the east bound version of 721 climbs Williamsport Hill with sand applied to help the slipping wheels.

CSX local D721 slowly drifts down Williamsport Hill at Newgate or a rainy overcast January 5, 2019 at 0916 am. D721 left Hagerstown after an earlier Q016 had already ran east from Big Pool.

An old WM sign along the tracks is now a reminder of a siding along the double track here at Newgate. This sign and others like it dotted the railroad and displayed the car capacity of various set-off tracks where they were posted. In the second phto the mainline is in the foreground as CSX train D721 is on the track leading to the Staples Distribution Center. The locomotives would then return to its train it had dropped at the Zeiger Rd. crossing or continue back to the yard at Hagerstown.

CSX coal train lead by 707 heads wets up the hill passing the B90. Interstate 70 overpass is in the distance. Soon the pushers will come into view as they push hard against the loaded hoppers as seen in the second photo almost at the west end of the Hagerstown Yard.

CSX train V810-26 climbs Williamsport Hill through Newgate passing the B90 milepost. Later in Spring, D721 has dropped its train west of the switch to switch a lcoal industry. After finished here, D721 will move its train further east and drop it once again to switch the Blue Seal feed mill and perhaps the Staples Distribution Center along Zeiger Rd.

Typical pushers in WM days on Williamsport Hill were locomotives like these consisting of GP7 and 9's, Alco RS 3's and later all four of the WM's FA2's. After the FA's were gone all types of locomotives were assigned to helper service. Later, helpers ended as all eastbounds out of Cumberland bound for Hagerstown were given enough head end power to climb the hill. However, lately CSX has begun to use helpers occasionally as, I've caught two trains on the hill with helpers. These helpers were called from Brunswick and Martinsburg and were added to the rear of the train at Cherry Run.


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