June 8, 2024: Cumberland

 

Recently, my girlfriend Melissa and I were looking for a weekend destination that we could get to in a few hours' drive from the D.C. area. Knowing my passion for riding the rails, she mentioned that a work colleague of hers had recently taken the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad in Cumberland with her child. Suffice to say, it was time to make a date with the Frostburg Flyer. 

The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad operates excursion trains between Cumberland and Frostburg during the year, usually a few days a week. The trains run through the Allegheny Mountains around several sharp curves and offer some gorgeous views of the mountains and the Cumberland Narrows. Even though it's only a 16-mile trip each direction, the train goes at a pretty slow speed most of the way, so it takes about an hour and a half by train to go from Cumberland to Frostburg.

From the D.C. region it's about a two-hour drive to Cumberland. Some may elect to take Amtrak's Capitol Limited, which leaves D.C. around 4 p.m. and gets to Cumberland around 7:30 p.m. And then there's also the C&O canal trail, which folks can walk or bike from D.C. to Cumberland. That third option takes a bit longer, as you might imagine!

Melissa and I pulled into the parking lot of the old historic Cumberland depot where the trains leave from just before 10:30 a.m. 

Believe it or not, there are actually electric charging stations in the parking lot. As we began to walk toward the depot, I heard the whistle of an approaching train. A couple minutes later, the Frostburg Flyer pulled into the station. 

It was a long train with a combination of coach cars, open air cars and slightly more old fashioned lounge cars. 

The cheapest ticket on the Flyer (about $50) is either in regular coach, or the open air car. Since coach is air conditioned, it's a safer bet. Snacks are also available for purchase onboard, and there is a dining car with full meal service too at a higher cost. 

Today's train was pulled by a diesel locomotive. This railway has a few diesel locomotives used to pull the train, as well as a steam locomotive. Unfortunately the steam engine is currently out of commission, as it must undergo maintenance. 

The inside of the station has a little gift shop if you're looking to kill a little time. About 20 minutes before departure we boarded. The coach cars have nice wide blue leather seats that are comfortable enough for the hour and a half ride to Frostburg. You have the option to sit looking forward or backward. 

At 11:30 a.m. we departed the Cumberland station and slowly chugged our way out of this charming, quaint mountain town of about 20,000. As we left town we crossed over Wills Creek, which is a tributary that empties into the North Branch Potomac River. Cumberland sits at the point where this confluence occurs, across the border from West Virginia. 

After the first few minutes of the trip, the train parallels Wills Creek and state route 36 as we make our way through the Cumberland Narrows. And soon the terrain becomes more mountainous. 

I probably sound like a broken record when I tell you that riding a train always brings me a sense of serenity and comfort. And that's particularly the case when there's such great scenery. With a steep grade of more than 2% at times, the train must go slow. This gives you the ability to take everything in and enjoy the moment. 

We arrived at the historic Frostburg station just about on time at 1 p.m. To get into town, you must walk up a large hill (there's also a shuttle that takes passengers from the station into town). We walked up the hill and got a great view of the depot.

The train stops in Frostburg for an hour and a half before returning to Cumberland. This gave us a chance to get lunch. We went to the Mountain City Coffeehouse and Creamery -- a very cute cafe nestled in an old Gothic-style looking building. Apparently the cafe was established in 1882 and was rebuilt in 1938.

I'd definitely recommend this cafe for anyone taking the train from Cumberland to Frostburg. It's a quick, efficient place to have lunch. And the food and coffee was very tasty. It looked like a few other people from our train had the same idea. 

Our conductor on the train mentioned that passengers having a meal in Frostburg that need to make it back to the train before the 2:30 p.m. departure can ask for "expedited service," and the wait staff will be happy to accommodate them. Additionally, he mentioned that one of the museums in Frostburg offers free admission to passengers taking the train if you show your ticket. Since there wasn't a ton of time, we just headed back to the depot after lunch. 

The return trip was equally enjoyable, and we arrived back in Cumberland just before 4 p.m. As we pulled into the station, I saw this old school timetable that caught my attention. 

The Frostburg Flyer is an ideal train I think if you're looking to experience the scenery during daylight hours. This same train is also offered at night as a dinner train, and there are also beer and ice cream trains. I believe the ice cream train is only a 30-minute ride, so that's one downside to me. 

Cumberland is an aesthetically pleasing little town, and if you come for the train ride I'd recommend staying overnight. We went to a local theater in the evening, which was very nice. There are also some bars and breweries around that looked cool. Would definitely suggest this as a destination for folks looking to get out of D.C. for a weekend, even if they're not necessarily into trains.