Cumberland, Maryland-A Great Railroad Community

Whenever I visit Cumberland, Maryland, I enjoy taking a moment and watching today's CSX and Amtrak trains pass by on the historic Baltimore & Ohio mainline.  Cumberland truly is a great railroad community.  I often see trains heading towards Pittsburgh and Chicago and/or Cincinnati and St. Louis to the west and towards Baltimore, Washington DC and Philadelphia to the east. 
I always enjoy stopping by the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad to take a step into railroad history.
The Appalachians provide a scenic backdrop for this great tourist railroad.
I head to the Amtrak depot downtown as I prepare to board the Capitol Limited.  In a few short hours, we will arrive in Washington, DC.  Today's journey takes us along the scenic waters of the Potomac River through Harpers Ferry, West Virginia.  
Cumberland, known as the Queen City, grew up around the railroad.  The Baltimore & Ohio and Western Maryland railroads, both part of today's CSX, truly developed the region and much of our nation.

Chessie System:The Railroad Kitten

Chessie System remains a favorite of railroad enthusiasts everywhere.  Chessie System connected the Eastern Seaboard with Appalachia, the Ohio River, the Great Lakes and the Midwest.  Chessie System was known for its brightly painted yellow, orange and blue locomotives.

When I did train shows many years ago, time and time again, fans of all ages would point to the Chessie engines and say, "I want the train with the kitten on it."  Chessie System was comprised of railroads that many of us are familiar with, the Baltimore & Ohio, the Chesapeake & Ohio and the Western Maryland.

Chessie System is today part of CSX Transportation.  Chessie lives in many of our hearts.  Whenever I see an old box car or caboose with the Chessie kitten, I truly remember this great railroad that moved us all as it it moved our freight.


 To see more of my Chessie System drawings, visit my Chessie System page at AndyFletcherTrains.com
http://www.andyfletchertrains.com/chessie-system.html