Re: NNG CSX refuses Steam #734 10 mile move.

The WM Scenic 2-8-0 is serviced in the former WM "Knobmount Yard" and makes a run of about 5 miles round trip daily to reach a wye at the south end of the yard and I believe all this is on trackage still owned by and leased from CSX as they took over B&O and former WM. Much track around the old shops in the yard are used for car storage and passenger train make-up and engine servicing, and I think all that is still CSX. I would expect that this move was requested as a special train of a diesel towing the live steam engine at a private train rate of fare paid for by the State of WV, but still no go!

Possibly there is more politics to the story:
There is a plan to rebuild the C&O Canal in the center of Cumberland, MD with the removal of the bridge of the WMS track connecting the Cumberland station and this service yard which would sever the operating line from the service tracks needed for the steam engine.
One proposal is to build a new steam engine service site east of Cumberland next to the present CSX operating yard but this would require the daily train to move over the CSX main line to reach the former WM depot used by the tourist trains. CSX is opposed to that plan so if the National Park Service plan to rebuild the canal goes forward, the tourist railroad has no storage yard and place to service their smoking locomotive. The Knobmount yard is in West Virginia whose residents complain about getting all the smoke and the state of Maryland gets the benefit of the real train. So it is a sticky issue and someone else here might know a lot more of these details. The WMS is a wonderful steam train ride with miles of steep grade, especially the last miles into Frostburg where the engine is turned on a turntable for the public to watch. Return is all down grade with great scenery.

The folks that paid the fare to ride the South Branch Valley railroad behind steam and the entire festival are injured by the change in approvals.