Ridgeley, WV 5/26/2012 - Where Alpha-Jets Used to Trod: Under pouring rain, the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad's GP-30 501 is returning from the wye track at Maryland Junction along what was once the Western Maryland Railway's mainline through the Cumberland area that used to boast four daily manifests each direction, three known as "Alpha-Jets" as a part of a multi-railroad through freight service. There was once another track to the left, known as the Number One Secondary track; the GP-30 is on the Number Two Secondary, and the track to the right was the "3rd Rail" yard lead on the west end of the Ridgeley Yard. Today, the lead still serves a few remaining yard tracks around the former car shop, which is now the WMSR's locomotive facility.
