HOME | DD

Description
Date: September 24th, 2021

Location: Hagerstown, MD (City Park Train Hub)

Sitting on static display in the town of Hagerstown, MD is Western Maryland K-2 4-6-2 #202. Built in July 1912, this engine worked various passenger services running as far west as Chicago. Unlike the earlier K-1 classes, the K-2s were superheated.

In the years following World War II, new diesel locomotives had proved to be more proficient than steam power, and for many railroads, the days of steam motive power were pretty much writings on the wall. In 1947, #202 was converted to oil burning to comply with a smoke ordinance in Baltimore, and worked only between Cumberland and Baltimore for the rest of its career while diesels handled the longer distance trains.

202 completed its final run in 1952 and sat in the Hagerstown Shops until the Western Maryland donated it to the Children of Hagerstown where it would be displayed at City Park. It was purchased by a man named John Long in 1983, who had plans to restore it, but sadly he passed away before the project could be completed. With that, #202's ownership was transferred back to the City of Hagerstown.

The newly formed Western Maryland Scenic Railroad in the 1990s evaluated the locomotive to use on their shortline between Cumberland and Frostburg, but that didn't happen, partly due to 202's low tractive effort. Instead, they decided to use WM 2-8-0.

If you think the New York Central preserved too little, then get this. WM #202 is the only mainline WM steam engine to survive the scrapper's torch. The only other surviving WM steam locomotive is Shay #6. As for WM 734, it's actually not an original WM locomotive. I mean, there WAS a real 2-8-0 numbered 734 that operated on the WM in the steam era, but the WM 734 that we know today was actually owned by several Midwestern Railroads. When it arrived on the WMSR in 1991, it was remodeled after the original WM 734, though it still has several differences from the original.

Being the avid steam and eastern railroad (including the Western Maryland) enthusiast I am, I thought WM 202 was cool to see.

Description
Date: September 24th, 2021

Location: Hagerstown, MD (City Park Train Hub)

Sitting on static display in the town of Hagerstown, MD is Western Maryland K-2 4-6-2 #202. Built in July 1912, this engine worked various passenger services running as far west as Chicago. Unlike the earlier K-1 classes, the K-2s were superheated.

In the years following World War II, new diesel locomotives had proved to be more proficient than steam power, and for many railroads, the days of steam motive power were pretty much writings on the wall. In 1947, #202 was converted to oil burning to comply with a smoke ordinance in Baltimore, and worked only between Cumberland and Baltimore for the rest of its career while diesels handled the longer distance trains.

202 completed its final run in 1952 and sat in the Hagerstown Shops until the Western Maryland donated it to the Children of Hagerstown where it would be displayed at City Park. It was purchased by a man named John Long in 1983, who had plans to restore it, but sadly he passed away before the project could be completed. With that, #202's ownership was transferred back to the City of Hagerstown.

The newly formed Western Maryland Scenic Railroad in the 1990s evaluated the locomotive to use on their shortline between Cumberland and Frostburg, but that didn't happen, partly due to 202's low tractive effort. Instead, they decided to use WM 2-8-0.

If you think the New York Central preserved too little, then get this. WM #202 is the only mainline WM steam engine to survive the scrapper's torch. The only other surviving WM steam locomotive is Shay #6. As for WM 734, it's actually not an original WM locomotive. I mean, there WAS a real 2-8-0 numbered 734 that operated on the WM in the steam era, but the WM 734 that we know today was actually owned by several Midwestern Railroads. When it arrived on the WMSR in 1991, it was remodeled after the original WM 734, though it still has several differences from the original.

Being the avid steam and eastern railroad (including the Western Maryland) enthusiast I am, I thought WM 202 was cool to see.