From AP via WNEP Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (!):

Scenic railroad's fate to be decided in 90 days

DAVID DISHNEAU
Associated Press

CUMBERLAND, Md. - Officials in Allegany County said Thursday they will decide by early June whether this will be the last year for the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad.

State funding cuts and rising costs could force a choice between the tourist train, pulled by a 1916 steam locomotive, and timely completion of a 21-mile hiking-and-biking trail favored by the state. But some local leaders said the county can't afford to lose any of its attractions, including Cumberland's Canal Place development, which is anchored by the scenic railroad train station.

"We need all three," Cumberland Mayor Lee Fiedler said. He acknowledged that the Allegheny Highlands Trail of Maryland, part of a planned pathway from Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C., will bring visitors.

"But what's going to help draw people to this area, to Allegany County, and not somewhere else, is that you have these other ventures going on," Fiedler said.

James J. Stakem, president of the Board of County Commissioners, agreed to organize a committee that will spend 90 days studying the railroad's finances and operation. If saving it is feasible, a five-year plan would follow. "If it doesn't look good, we'll have to make a decision," Fiedler said.

The state-subsidized railroad has been making 32-mile, round-trip runs between Cumberland and Frostburg every spring, summer and fall since 1989. Ticket sales for special events, such as popular mystery trains, have helped offset declining ridership, which totaled 32,198 last season, County Administrator Vance C. Ishler said. The railroad, owned by a nonprofit group, also gets funds from the county and the cities of Cumberland and Frostburg.

At the end of this season, the state will eliminate its regular track-maintenance subsidy after cutting the amount to $112,000 from last year's $225,000. Even more damaging, Ishler said, was the Ehrlich administration's decision last month not to pay for any of the $5.2 million to $8 million worth of capital improvements in the railroad's long-term plans.

Besides those costs, construction of the publicly funded Allegheny Highlands Trail alongside the tracks will cost about $2 million more if the train is running because of the need for safety features, Ishler said. That would push trail construction costs to $4 million, a figure that Richard M. Harris, manager of the county's office of project services, called "a tough nut to crack."

State Transportation Secretary Robert L. Flanagan told The (Baltimore) Sun last week that the trail, which is expected to bring at least 100,000 people a year through the region, "is the clear winner."

Railroad supporter Charles Amos, a renowned painter of steam locomotives, said the train should be saved because it provides a rare experience. "It's a definite draw that hasn't yet reached its full potential," he said.

But Nick Clulee, an Allegheny Highlands Trail board member, said completing the trail is his priority. "We'd like to see the trail built as quickly as possible, not necessarily at the expense of the railroad," he said.

To me, this is the key. If your Transportation Secretary doesn't want it, and is obviously backing the trail, then your shot down before you even get started.

Trust me --- I live in the State of Michigan, auto central, which very soon will be bereft of any Amtrak service at all if our legislators have their way, and its becoming increasingly difficult for even long-lived tourist entities like Huckleberry Railroad to survive. Only difference here seems to be that the support is going for a bike trail instead of highway repair/ expansion.

Don't get me wrong --- I wrote an impassioned letter, as did many of you. Interestingly, I received email confirms back with three different names having read it, after sending it to one email address. Funny to me, probably stat-pro-quo in Maryland politics.

Look -- I don't mean to be the downer here. But I think that maybe, just maybe, setting up some sort of date this summer that all of us (and our families) can get together (Erik, you with me?) and ride to Frostburg one last time, so that all of us can enjoy what we have while we have it, makes sense.

Maybe an RYPN get together at Cumberland this summer?

T.J.

I'm in. My 3y.o. son has been watching an old WMSRR tape almost since he was born, and can spot a photo of 734 a mile away. I absolutely will be taking him for his first and possibly last ride this season.

Oh, about the replies--if you wrote to the Allegany County Board of Commissioners e-mail address I recommended, you probably heard back from the three county commissioners as individuals: James J. Stakem, Robert M. Hutcheson, and Barbara Roque.

I have about 5 weekends committed this summer. Unless the date falls on one of them, I'll be there also.

Went back and double checked --- those were the names. Thanks, Erik. At least we know that saw it --- maybe even read it.

See you this summer --- who wants to call out some dates?

TJ

There is a recap of the meting over on Trainorders.

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/r ... msg-881025

See you this summer --- who wants to call out some dates?

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July 27, 28, 39???

Jim

July 39?

OK - typo -

July 29 ?

OK, I'm in for July 39th.

No, wait, that's a Monday.

Can't make it.

JAC

I'm planning a visit to the WMSR on the last weekend in May (May 28th and 29th). Would anyone else want to meet in May? Let me know.......