The Cumberland & Susquehanna Railroad is a free-lance model railroad depicting a 3-ft. gauge coal hauler in south-central Pennsylvania. Deane's modeling and operations are inspired by the East Broad Top Railroad, a narrow gauge common carrier that connected the Broad Top semi-bituminous coal field with the Pennsylvania Railroad in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. At its eastern end, the railroad connects with the Western Maryland Railway's Lurgan Division at C&S Jct, south of Shippensburg, PA. Here, "Mogul" No. 4 departs C&S Jct. with a short mixed train, while a WM Russian decapod switches the coal cleaning plant track.
This web page will eventually include Deane's "corporate history" and system map. But for now, here are some images to wet your appetite. Deane writes: "The photos depict the Cumberland &Susquehanna in its current state. All roadbed is in place, and only the track for the coal mine branch and sidings needs to be laid."
This is the yard at C&S Jct., where the C&S connects with the Western Maryland Railway. There is some dual guage track to facilitate connections. The C&S occasionally transfers standard gauge cars onto narrow gauge trucks.
Roxbury is at the west end of the yard. A single-stall enginehouse allows for overnight layovers and light maintenance.
The C&S runs on an East-West line. Running west through the rolling farm country of the central Cumberland Valley, the narrow gauge line penetrates upper Path Valley near Dry Run and climbs the east flank of Tuscarora Mountain to reach coal mines there. From there, a tunnel and steep grades allow the line to link to the East Broad Top Railroad at Neelyton, the end of the EBT's Shade Gap branch. Here, C&S No. 6, a copy of one of the EBT's Baldwin-built heavy Mikes, meets a westbound empty coal train headed by leased EBT No. 14 at Locust Grove.
EBT No. 14 crosses the high bridge west of Locust Grove, on the way to Tuscarora yard.
Leased EBT No. 15 arrives with the daily way freight at Tuscarora yard. Shay No. 2 is used to work the steep grades on the branch to the coal mines on the slopes of Tuscarora Mountain.
This shot looks past the high bridge towards the C&S Jct. yard. This is a "nod-under" at about 62".
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