West End, and the 17 Mile Grade
The West End of the B&O begins at Viaduct Junction, and proceeds along the Potomac River Valley to Keyser and Piedmont, WV. From there, it begins the climb up the famed 17 Mile Grade to Altamont, then down the Cranberry Grade to Grafton.
The 17 Mile Grade is located on the B&O West End, west of Piedmont, WV and the paper mill at Luke, Maryland. Built in 1851 by the legendary Benjamin Latrobe, it is still used as a benchmark of engine hauling and braking performance.
The 17 Mile Grade begins at the Bloomington, Md. bridge over the Potomac. This three arch structure, referred to as Bridge 79 by the B&O, was built in 1851. From here, the 2.28% grade snakes west up Backbone Mountain, keeping the Savage River on the right. Near the top, the line passes through the 399 foot long Hitchcock Tunnel, opened in 1865.
The 17 Mile Grade is located on the B&O West End, west of Piedmont, WV and the paper mill at Luke, Maryland. Built in 1851 by the legendary Benjamin Latrobe, it is still used as a benchmark of engine hauling and braking performance.
The half-way point of the 17 Mile Grade is Strecker, once a watering station for the steam engines. Altamont at 2,628 feet above sea level, is the highest point on the B&O system. At Tera Alta, elevation 2,557 feet, the 17 Mile Grade gives way to the 12 mile long Cranberry grade from Rowlesburg.