The Western Maryland RR played a big part in the lives of Thurmont residents over the years. As kids, we spent a lot of time climbing over rail cars that were parked on the sidings and exploring every inch of the rail. In the late 1960's we would be treated to the sight of long trains loaded with military equipment headed to and from Letterkenny Army Depot at Chambersburg. The equipment was sent to Letterkenny for repairs and upgrades and the returning equipment looked brand new. The fighting in Vietnam was the source for much of the damaged equipment that passed through town. Here are two photos of a derailment in Thurmont at the Carroll Street Crossing that occurred on Jan. 25, 1968. I do not remember this accident and cleanup. A couple of the flat railcars are marked US Army and look to have been coming down the mountain when they left the track. The WMRR Station was gone by the time this happened and luckily for the residents of the house on the corner of Carroll and Boundary the cars came off on the North side of the track. These photos are from the W. R. Hicks collection, he may have taken these himself.

This view is looking East on the WMRR line at the location of the old WMRR Station. It looks like several of the U. S. Army flat cars came off the track and piled up.