Tommylicious:
You asked for it. Serious recent delays on the west end could change this significantly. If eastbound no. 30 is running on time, it should go something like this:
Join the Ohio River somewhere around Beaver Falls. The river will be on your right. Cross the Allegheny River and arrive Pittsburgh 5:05 a.m.
5:20 depart Pittsburgh. Run through the old industrial area in the Pittsburgh area, joining the Monongahela at McKeesport. For most of this distance, the river will be on your right. Join the Youghiogheny River a short distance past McKeesport. The Youghiogheny (usually called the "Yough" --- pronounced "Yock" --- by locals) will be on the right.
6:59 stop at Connellsville. The old B&O yard should be visible on your right as you leave town. Follow the Yough to Confluence, PA. There are two alternate routes out of Confluence. The train usually leaves the Yough valley for a few miles, then passes through a tunnel and joins the Casselman River. Best views usually on the right side for most of this distance to Meyersdale. Just before Meyersdale, you'll pass under a very impressive steel bridge known as the Salisbury Viaduct, that used to carry the Western Maryland Railway across the valley. It now carries a bike/hiking trail. After Meyersdale, the train goes up a little valley and crosses the Eastern Continental Divide just before Sand Patch Tunnel. Note the little concrete marker on the left side of the track which says "Summit of Alleghenies Altitude 2258 ft." (I think it's still there). After Sand Patch, the train drops down a steep grade along Wills Creek to Cumberland, MD. Speed severely restricted. Just before Cumberland, you'll pass through a narrow part of the valley called the Cumberland Narrows. This IS NOT the Cumberland Gap (that's down in Kentucky, I think. These places were all named after the Duke of Cumberland, who probably never saw them). Arrive Cumberland 9:19 a.m.
9:31 a.m., depart Cumberland. Pass the very large Cumberland RR Yard on the right, then cross the Potomac River and enter West Virginia. The Potomac will be on your left all the way to Cherry Run, and you may get glimpses of the C&O Canal on the far side of the river. About 20 miles east of Cumberland is Paw Paw, WV. This is the beginning of the Magnolia Cutoff, which includes four tunnels and two crossings of the Potomac. It will put you very briefly in Maryland between the two river crossings. Continue following the Potomac through Hancock (which can be seen on the Maryland side of the river), then leave the Potomac valley around Cherry Run. Coming into Martinsburg, the station is on the right, and remains of very old railroad shop buildings on the left. Arrive Martinsburg 11:00 a.m.
11:00 a.m. depart Martinsburg & pass through pleasant rural area of apple & peach orchards. As you approach Harpers Ferry, you'll want to be on the right side.
11:25 a.m. Harpers Ferry. Cross the Potomac for the last time and see where the Shenandoah joins on the right. For the next several miles, you'll follow the Potomac, with the canal between the tracks and the river. Pass the beautiful Point of Rocks station on the left, and leave the Potomac River. From here, rural farmland gradually gives way to suburban development and the views are less scenic. Stop at Rockville at 12:10 p.m.
1:10 p.m. Arrive Washington.
Claim your baggage & start planning your next trip.
Tom
P.S. Don't ask me to redo the westbound in this much detail. Just turn this thing upside down & read it that way.
