Twin Mountain & Potomac
The Twin Mountain & Potomac (TM&P - two mules and a pony) was a short-lived West Virginia shortline. It was a 36" gauge line, stretching from an interchange east of the New Creek bridge at Keyser, WV south some 26 miles to Twin Mountain. It was built to service the apple orchards in the area of Patterson Creek Mountain. These orchards were operated by Will & Allen Russel, and E.A. Letherman. Although the primary cargo was freight, the TM&P also handled passenger traffic, particularily church meeting specials. A circus special train was the source of a ballad about the railroad. Mixed freight was often run, with a TM&P box car and a passenger car behind one of the engines. The railroad operated from 1912-1919, and was scrapped by the B&O.
True to its name, the TM&P was built with mule power. The dinky engine was used to push a crane for construction of a trestle in 1911. Some of the right of way followed Headsville Road.
Known TM&P engineers include Harry T. Cathell, George Pyler, and Brackett Tharp. Charles Duckworth served as conductor. Jack Wilson was the Station Agent at Burlington. Gliven N. Smith was a TM&P fireman, and Angelo Cillio was the track foreman.
The TM&P rostered three engines: a small 0-4-0 "dinky" engine, and two Baldwin 4-6-0’s. The Baldwins, builder’s numbers 37326 and 37327, were delivered to the Twin Mountain Orchard Co. They featured 15" by 22" cylinders, and 45 inch drivers. These were TM&P locomotives 1 and 2. The disposition of locomotive 1 is unknown. Locomotive 2 was sold in April of 1921 to the West Virginia Timber Co. It was then sold on Oct. 8, 1926 to the ET&WNC (Tweetsie), and became their No. 8. The motive power and rolling stock of the TM&P went to a railroad in Orange, Va., after the shutdown. From there most went to the Natrick Lumber Company.
There was a station at Burlington, WV, which now serves as a library. Some information and artifacts of the TM&P are present there. The TM&P had a turntable and engine shed in east Keyser. These survived until recently, but have since been demolished, and filled in. The railroad had shops at Reservoir.
The TM&P was not long in terms of miles or years, but it left a lasting impression upon the lives of the nearby residents. The railroad did inspire a song by an unknown author.
The TM&P Railroad
(use tune of Casey Jones)
Come all you rounders and listen to me,
And I’ll tell you the story of the TM&P.
Big George Pyles was the engineer’s name,
At Caldwell’s crossing where he ditched the train.
Chorus-
Cathell T., he rambled through the mountains;
Cathell T., a mighty man was he.
Cathell T., he rambled through the mountains;
Now he’s going to break the record on the TM&P.
The caller called Cathell at half past two,
He went around and called the rest of the crew.
Now listen to me, and I’ll mention their names,
He called Dick Mobley and Jim Ike Bane.
Chorus-
Gentry Brothers circus came to town,
All the country people were Keyser bound.
Out to the circus, the sights to see,
So they ran a small excursion on the TM&P.
Chorus-
Everything went well for a month or so,
And up to Westernport the crew must go.
They got the whiskey and it had the age,
And it started the trouble on the narrow gauge.
Chorus-
The train left Russelldale twenty minutes late,
With two loads of passengers and three loads of freight.
Came into Burlington as hard as they could tear,
And the steam from the engine put them up in the air.
Chorus-
Now Cathell ran the engine till the wheels got hot;
Then turned to his fireman and said, "we’ll take another shot."
Cathell got loaded, but he stuck to his post,
And he scared those farmers out of six months’ growth.
Sources:
1. Arnold, Newt, "The T. M. &P. - Two Mules and a Pony," April 16, 1964, Keyser (WV) News-Tribune, reprinted in the Automatic Block, Nov-Dec 1984 (newsletter of the Western Maryland Chapter, NRHS, Inc. Cumberland, MD)
2. Roberts, Charles S., West End, Cumberland to Grafton 1848-1991, 1991, Barnard, Roberts & Co., Baltimore, Md. p. 20
