The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad announced that Chesapeake & Ohio 2-6-6-2 1309 would return to service this spring for the first time in over a year. The locomotive is expected to begin leading weekend excursions on May 3. 

WMSR spent over $3.5 million to restore the steam locomotive, one of the largest operating steam locomotives in the country, in 2020. However, in late 2023, the railroad discovered issues with its pistons — problems that had not been addressed during the previous restoration. As a result, the locomotive had to be taken out of service. Since then, shop crews have been working to return the locomotive to operation. Wesley Heinz, executive director of the railroad, said that three steam mechanics from Maine — Brian Fanslau of Maine Locomotive & Machine Works, Leverett Fernald from Downeast Scenic Railroad, and Jason Lamontagne of the Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway Museum — were all critical in getting the repairs done, as well as D&G Machine of Westbrook, Maine. Heinz himself has a tight connection to the Pine Tree State having previously served as the executive director of the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Co. & Museum in Portland. 

Locomotive 1309 was built by Baldwin in 1949, retired in 1956, and displayed at the B&O Railroad Museum in 1972. The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad purchased the locomotive from the museum in 2014, and restoration began that summer at their shops in Ridgeley, W.Va. For more information and to donate, visit wmsr.com/donate. —Justin Franz