Potomac Wharf Branch
Encyclopedia
The Potomac Wharf Branch was a historic railroad located in Maryland
. It was built by the Maryland Mining Company
between 1846 and 1850, as an extension to the Eckhart Branch Railroad. The Potomac Wharf Branch crossed Wills Creek
on a bridge (no longer present) just east of the present Route 40
road bridge near Cumberland
. Rail tracks
from this line may still be seen near some billboards, and a gas station in that area.
The area near the creek end of present-day Wills Creek Avenue is known as City Junction, and had a water tank and a tower. The Potomac Wharf Branch was crossed by the Georges Creek & Cumberland Railroad (GC&C). Rail was removed from the section west of the Valley Street crossing as late as 1990. In 1994, rail was removed from this area to maintain the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad
, the former GC&C line to Frostburg
.
The Potomac Wharf Branch Railroad was an early intermodal
experiment to provide easy access for western Maryland coal
to the markets of the eastern seaboard
. Although its useful life was short, it provided a needed short-term outlet for the export of the region’s "black gold."
(C&P). The C&P was acquired by the Western Maryland Railway
(WM) in 1944.
C. E. Detmold dangling into the creek. This image indicates the branch and the facility were in use at least to this date. The original Potomac Wharf Branch bridge was a 203 feet (61.9 m) deck plate girder
structure, with two support pillars in the creek. Built in 1849, and rebuilt after the Detmold accident, it survived until the flood
of 1936.
boats, and later to boats at the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal
, before the canal's wharf
facility was completed. There was a series of canal wharves built at Cumberland. The Mount Savage Railroad
reportedly built one in 1850. The 1923 Interstate Commerce Commission
valuation docket for the C&P Railroad gives the construction date for the concrete wharf as 1917. The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
(B&O) provided access for the C&P to reach the canal wharf, charging a tonnage tariff for this access. The later wharves were built south of the Western Maryland Railway station
, along the canal basin.
Initially, canal boats could enter the Potomac River through the guard locks, and proceed upriver for some distance. The dam
in the Potomac below the guard locks ensured that the Potomac was deeper at its junction with Wills Creek than it is today. The guard locks and the dam were removed as part of the Wills Creek flood control
project, built by the Army Corps of Engineers for Cumberland in the 1950s.
bridge passes over the B&O "West End" line. From City Junction, where the Wharf Branch crossed Wills Creek, the line proceeded eastward to meet the B&O tracks at the southern end of the B&O viaduct
. The Potomac Wharf Branch was built on more of an upward slope than the GC&C, to meet the B&O tracks at viaduct level. It crossed Valley Street, and the south end of today’s road bridge, at street level. The B&O roadbed is about 20 feet (6.1 m) higher than the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad line. East of Valley Street, some track and ties
were still in place as late as 1994. Looking back from the B&O line, the junction of the Wharf Branch is easily seen.
structure during the period 1849 to 1851. The Wharf Branch line and the B&O main passed through the "Deep Cut." The cut
(passage) provides the "West End" of the B&O with access to the Potomac River Valley, towards Keyser
, and Grafton
. The viaduct passes over city streets, Wills Creek, and the WM tracks (ex-GC&C, now used by the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad). The viaduct is double-tracked
, as is the "Deep Cut." The southern end of the cut is wide enough for triple track, and the bridges are designed for three tracks. They currently carry two CSX
West End tracks. The C&P line merged into the B&O westernmost tracks, then crossed over to the easternmost track.
The wharf siding was about 1000 feet (304.8 m) long, extending from the current Kelly Boulevard around to Wills Creek. The details of the facility and the method for loading coal from the rail cars to the canal boats are not known. However, it was probably not as convenient as dumping directly into the boats, as was done with the later Canal Wharf facility. The Potomac Wharf Branch was listed on the C&P valuation sheets in 1918, although it is doubtful it was in use for transporting coal at that time.
. The connection has been removed from the B&O line, but the location is still visible. The line was used into the 1940s as an industrial siding for the Cumberland Contracting Company, and the City of Cumberland's warehouse
at Valley Street.
Before crossing Wills Creek to City Junction, a spur
of the Wharf Branch serviced the Wellington Glass Plant. The plant had been acquired from the National Glass Company in 1909, and the buildings burned in that year.
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. It was built by the Maryland Mining Company
Maryland Mining Company
The Maryland Mining Company is a historic coal mining, iron producer and railroad company that operated in Allegany County, Maryland.The company was based in Eckhart Mines, Maryland; the location in Braddock Run was among the first bituminous coal mines developed in the Georges Creek...
between 1846 and 1850, as an extension to the Eckhart Branch Railroad. The Potomac Wharf Branch crossed Wills Creek
Wills Creek (North Branch Potomac River)
Wills Creek is a tributary of the North Branch Potomac River in Pennsylvania and Maryland in the United States.Wills Creek drops off the Allegheny Mountains of southeastern Somerset County, Pennsylvania, and enters the North Branch Potomac River at Cumberland, Maryland.-History:thumb|220px|Fort...
on a bridge (no longer present) just east of the present Route 40
U.S. Route 40 in Maryland
U.S. Route 40 in the U.S. state of Maryland runs from western Maryland to Cecil County in the state's northeastern corner. With a total length of over , it is the longest numbered highway in Maryland. Almost half of the road overlaps with Interstate 68 or Interstate 70, while the old alignment...
road bridge near Cumberland
Cumberland, Maryland
Cumberland is a city in the far western, Appalachian portion of Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Allegany County, and the primary city of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the 2010 census, the city had a population of 20,859, and the metropolitan area had a...
. Rail tracks
Rail tracks
The track on a railway or railroad, also known as the permanent way, is the structure consisting of the rails, fasteners, sleepers and ballast , plus the underlying subgrade...
from this line may still be seen near some billboards, and a gas station in that area.
The area near the creek end of present-day Wills Creek Avenue is known as City Junction, and had a water tank and a tower. The Potomac Wharf Branch was crossed by the Georges Creek & Cumberland Railroad (GC&C). Rail was removed from the section west of the Valley Street crossing as late as 1990. In 1994, rail was removed from this area to maintain the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad
Western Maryland Scenic Railroad
The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad is a heritage railroad based in Cumberland, Maryland. It operates over ex-Western Maryland Railway trackage to Frostburg, Maryland and back using both steam and diesel locomotives....
, the former GC&C line to Frostburg
Frostburg, Maryland
Frostburg is a city in Allegany County, Maryland, United States located at the head of the Georges Creek Valley. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 7,873 at the 2000 census...
.
The Potomac Wharf Branch Railroad was an early intermodal
Intermodal freight transport
Intermodal freight transport involves the transportation of freight in an intermodal container or vehicle, using multiple modes of transportation , without any handling of the freight itself when changing modes. The method reduces cargo handling, and so improves security, reduces damages and...
experiment to provide easy access for western Maryland coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
to the markets of the eastern seaboard
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
. Although its useful life was short, it provided a needed short-term outlet for the export of the region’s "black gold."
Ownership
The Maryland Mining Company sold its railroad property to the Cumberland Coal and Iron Company (CC&I) in 1852. CC&I was acquired by the Consolidation Coal Company in 1870. Consolidation Coal also owned the Cumberland and Pennsylvania RailroadCumberland and Pennsylvania Railroad
The Cumberland and Pennsylvania Railroad was an American railroad which operated in Western Maryland. Primarily a coal hauler, it was owned by the Consolidation Coal Company, and was absorbed into the Western Maryland Railway in 1944....
(C&P). The C&P was acquired by the Western Maryland Railway
Western Maryland Railway
The Western Maryland Railway was an American Class I railroad which operated in Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. It was primarily a coal hauling and freight railroad, with a small passenger train operation. The WM became part of the Chessie System in 1973 and ceased operating its lines...
(WM) in 1944.
Bridge collapse
A classic wreck scene photo, circa 1860, shows the Wharf Branch bridge collapsed into Wills Creek, with the locomotiveLocomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
C. E. Detmold dangling into the creek. This image indicates the branch and the facility were in use at least to this date. The original Potomac Wharf Branch bridge was a 203 feet (61.9 m) deck plate girder
Plate girder bridge
A plate girder bridge is a bridge supported by two or more plate girders. The plate girders are typically I-beams made up from separate structural steel plates , which are welded or, in older bridges, bolted or riveted together to form the vertical web and horizontal flanges of the beam...
structure, with two support pillars in the creek. Built in 1849, and rebuilt after the Detmold accident, it survived until the flood
Flood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
of 1936.
Wharves
The Potomac Wharf Branch carried coal to flat-bottom Potomac RiverPotomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
boats, and later to boats at the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal
The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, abbreviated as the C&O Canal, and occasionally referred to as the "Grand Old Ditch," operated from 1831 until 1924 parallel to the Potomac River in Maryland from Cumberland, Maryland to Washington, D.C. The total length of the canal is about . The elevation change of...
, before the canal's wharf
Wharf
A wharf or quay is a structure on the shore of a harbor where ships may dock to load and unload cargo or passengers.Such a structure includes one or more berths , and may also include piers, warehouses, or other facilities necessary for handling the ships.A wharf commonly comprises a fixed...
facility was completed. There was a series of canal wharves built at Cumberland. The Mount Savage Railroad
Mount Savage Railroad
The Mount Savage Railroad was a railroad operated by the Mount Savage Coal and Iron Company of Mount Savage, Maryland between 1845 and 1854. The 14.9 miles rail line ran from Frostburg to Cumberland, Maryland.-History:...
reportedly built one in 1850. The 1923 Interstate Commerce Commission
Interstate Commerce Commission
The Interstate Commerce Commission was a regulatory body in the United States created by the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887. The agency's original purpose was to regulate railroads to ensure fair rates, to eliminate rate discrimination, and to regulate other aspects of common carriers, including...
valuation docket for the C&P Railroad gives the construction date for the concrete wharf as 1917. The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which...
(B&O) provided access for the C&P to reach the canal wharf, charging a tonnage tariff for this access. The later wharves were built south of the Western Maryland Railway station
Western Maryland Railway Station (Cumberland, Maryland)
Western Maryland Railway Station is a historic railway station in Cumberland, Allegany County, Maryland. It was built in 1913 as a stop for the Western Maryland Railway , and is a large commercial-style building that expresses the architectural functionalism of the turn of the 20th century...
, along the canal basin.
Initially, canal boats could enter the Potomac River through the guard locks, and proceed upriver for some distance. The dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
in the Potomac below the guard locks ensured that the Potomac was deeper at its junction with Wills Creek than it is today. The guard locks and the dam were removed as part of the Wills Creek flood control
Flood control
In communications, flood control is a feature of many communication protocols designed to prevent overwhelming of a destination receiver. Such controls can be implemented either in software or in hardware, and will often request that the message be resent after the receiver has finished...
project, built by the Army Corps of Engineers for Cumberland in the 1950s.
Route
The length of the Potomac Wharf branch was about 0.9 miles (1.4 km). The river terminus was the position where the present Interstate 68Interstate 68
Interstate 68 is a Interstate highway in the U.S. states of West Virginia and Maryland, connecting in Morgantown to in Hancock. is also Corridor E of the Appalachian Development Highway System. From 1965 until the freeway's construction was completed in 1991, it was designated as...
bridge passes over the B&O "West End" line. From City Junction, where the Wharf Branch crossed Wills Creek, the line proceeded eastward to meet the B&O tracks at the southern end of the B&O viaduct
Viaduct
A viaduct is a bridge composed of several small spans. The term viaduct is derived from the Latin via for road and ducere to lead something. However, the Ancient Romans did not use that term per se; it is a modern derivation from an analogy with aqueduct. Like the Roman aqueducts, many early...
. The Potomac Wharf Branch was built on more of an upward slope than the GC&C, to meet the B&O tracks at viaduct level. It crossed Valley Street, and the south end of today’s road bridge, at street level. The B&O roadbed is about 20 feet (6.1 m) higher than the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad line. East of Valley Street, some track and ties
Railroad tie
A railroad tie/railway tie , or railway sleeper is a rectangular item used to support the rails in railroad tracks...
were still in place as late as 1994. Looking back from the B&O line, the junction of the Wharf Branch is easily seen.
Cumberland viaduct
B&O’s Cumberland viaduct was built as a brick archArch bridge
An arch bridge is a bridge with abutments at each end shaped as a curved arch. Arch bridges work by transferring the weight of the bridge and its loads partially into a horizontal thrust restrained by the abutments at either side...
structure during the period 1849 to 1851. The Wharf Branch line and the B&O main passed through the "Deep Cut." The cut
Cut (earthmoving)
In civil engineering, a cut or cutting is where soil or rock material from a hill or mountain is cut out to make way for a canal, road or railway line....
(passage) provides the "West End" of the B&O with access to the Potomac River Valley, towards Keyser
Keyser, West Virginia
Keyser is a city in and the county seat of Mineral County, West Virginia, United States. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 5,303 at the 2000 census.- History :...
, and Grafton
Grafton, West Virginia
Grafton is a city in, and county seat of, Taylor County, West Virginia, USA. The population was 5,489 at the 2000 census. The only two national cemeteries in West Virginia are located in Grafton. Mother's Day was founded in Grafton on May 10, 1908; the city is the home to the International Mother's...
. The viaduct passes over city streets, Wills Creek, and the WM tracks (ex-GC&C, now used by the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad). The viaduct is double-tracked
Double track
A double track railway usually involves running one track in each direction, compared to a single track railway where trains in both directions share the same track.- Overview :...
, as is the "Deep Cut." The southern end of the cut is wide enough for triple track, and the bridges are designed for three tracks. They currently carry two CSX
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
West End tracks. The C&P line merged into the B&O westernmost tracks, then crossed over to the easternmost track.
The wharf siding was about 1000 feet (304.8 m) long, extending from the current Kelly Boulevard around to Wills Creek. The details of the facility and the method for loading coal from the rail cars to the canal boats are not known. However, it was probably not as convenient as dumping directly into the boats, as was done with the later Canal Wharf facility. The Potomac Wharf Branch was listed on the C&P valuation sheets in 1918, although it is doubtful it was in use for transporting coal at that time.
Businesses served
Some rail and ties remained between the viaduct and the Valley Street Bridge in 1994, and extend as far west as City Junction. That section of the line east of Valley Street is built on a raised section of land, with a reinforced retaining wallRetaining wall
Retaining walls are built in order to hold back earth which would otherwise move downwards. Their purpose is to stabilize slopes and provide useful areas at different elevations, e.g...
. The connection has been removed from the B&O line, but the location is still visible. The line was used into the 1940s as an industrial siding for the Cumberland Contracting Company, and the City of Cumberland's warehouse
Warehouse
A warehouse is a commercial building for storage of goods. Warehouses are used by manufacturers, importers, exporters, wholesalers, transport businesses, customs, etc. They are usually large plain buildings in industrial areas of cities and towns. They usually have loading docks to load and unload...
at Valley Street.
Before crossing Wills Creek to City Junction, a spur
Branch line
A branch line is a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route, usually a main line. A very short branch line may be called a spur line...
of the Wharf Branch serviced the Wellington Glass Plant. The plant had been acquired from the National Glass Company in 1909, and the buildings burned in that year.