The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad is a short train trip from Cumberland, MD to Frostburg, MD -- about 32 miles. On weekends the Mountain Thunder, steam engine number 734, pulls the train. My dad being a train buff, Sarah heard about this excursion and promptly procured tickets for us. It was gray, rainy, cloudy, day but the rain cleared as we approached Cumberland and there were just a few sprinkles during our train trip.

For our sold out trip, there were 13 cars and the steam engine had help from a diesel engine in the rear. But they still said the 2 ton Mountain Thunder burned 3 tons of coal hauling the 13 cars up to Frostburg. If the train is shorter, they turn the engine around on an electric turntable. But the Frostburg siding is less than 13 cars long so that wouldn't work for our trip.