10/09/2026
đźš‚ A Birthday, a Turntable, and a Beautiful Fall Day on the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad!
Thursday, October 8, 2026 | Cumberland to Frostburg, Maryland
What a wonderful day for a train ride through the mountains of Western Maryland!
Our journey aboard the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad began in Cumberland, with a scenic ride up to Frostburg, where passengers had an opportunity to explore the town before returning to Cumberland.
But today’s excursion included something extra special. It was Engineer Dave’s 70th birthday! 🎂
At Frostburg, Conductor Cooper led the passengers in a rousing rendition of “Happy Birthday” for Engineer Dave. And how did Dave respond? With a celebratory blast of the locomotive’s horn, of course!
Then came one of the most fascinating parts of the excursion: watching the locomotive turn around on Frostburg’s historic railroad turntable.
After uncoupling from the passenger cars, the diesel locomotive rolled onto the turntable. Conductor Cooper operated the lever, and the enormous turntable slowly rotated the locomotive a full 180 degrees!
With the engine now facing the opposite direction, it rolled off the turntable, traveled past the waiting passenger cars, and coupled onto the other end of the train for the return journey to Cumberland.
It’s remarkable to watch such a large piece of railroad equipment maneuver with such precision, using a turntable that recalls an earlier era of American railroading.
🎥 Our 2-minute, 8-second video captures the excursion ticket, the birthday celebration, and the fascinating turntable operation.
Happy 70th Birthday, Engineer Dave! And thanks to Conductor Cooper and the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad for a memorable October afternoon.
Another wonderful experience along the Cumberland Postcard Trail!