The long-moribund set of two Canadian Pacific 4-6-2's, CP 1238 and 1286, and eight passenger cars owned for decades by the late itinerant excursion operator Jack Showalter has finally found a new home.

The Strasburg Rail Road, in partnership with the Maryland & Delaware RR and the Worcester County (Md.) Economic Development Association, has acquired the rail equipment from Sally Showalter, with the objective of opening a steam excursion operation on the MDDE's Berlin-Snow Hill line. The proposal had been under development and study for the past ten months. The terms of the deal were not disclosed. Plans are for the new operation, to be named the Berlin & Snow Hill Rail Road, to begin limited operations this summer, with inaugural trips to be handled by a MDDE diesel and two ex- Norfolk & Western open-window steam excursion cars leased from the town of Hurlock, Md.

The Showalter rail equipment has had a long and checkered history, including stints in such places as Hot Springs, Virginia, the Western Maryland Scenic RR in Cumberland, Md., and on mainline excursions out of Staunton, Va, under the Allegheny Central banner.

Not all the equipment will simply transfer to Maryland, however. Initial plans are to send Strasburg's former Canadian National 0-6-0 7312 to the Maryland line, along with two rebuilt wooden-sided coaches from the Strasburg's fleet and two other cars already on the Delmarva peninsula and a caboose, to initiate operation. Eventually, it is anticipated that one of the CP Pacifics would each end up at Strasburg and Berlin after restoration to service, while the other cars would be restored for a variety of duties, including dinner train service and overnight sleeping accommodations.

“It was simply a case of the right equipment at the right time,” said Strasburg vice president of motive power Kelly Anderson. “The equipment had long been offered as a single lot, and we weren't ever prepared to deal with the complete collection. But with an active partner seeking to use steam, we were able to come to an accommodation that made sense across the board.” Anderson indicated that 7312's assignment to Maryland might only be temporary. “There's another small steamer not far away we've been considering and is possibly available, and we're optimistic that its acquisition and restoration would allow us to return 7312 to Strasburg after its overhaul.” (Though not directly named, U.S. Navy 0-6-0T #3, used on the Wawa & Concordville, Wilmington & Western, and Queen Anne's RRs over the years, is nearby in Ocean Pines, Delaware. Other possibilities include former Canadian National 2-6-0's 91 in Middletown, Pa. and 92 at the Wilmington & Western in Marshallton, Del.)

Initial plans call for the passenger cars to be relocated from Verona to Staunton for initial servicing, then transferred by rail to another facility for initial mechanical and cosmetic refurbishing before being sent to Strasburg and Berlin. One important consideration: overhaul of air conditioning on several of the cars for service in inhospitable Delmarva summer heat and humidity.

Further details will be posted at the line's temporary website, www.strasburgrailroad.com/snowhillsteam/APRIL-FIRST.htm

This is one that could almost be real.

I thought those units were going to be used on the High-Speed Heritage Rail project with service from Cape Charles to Pocomoke City?

Oh, how I wish this one were real!!

So do I.... I would be moving my business to the eastern shore PDQ..... I would love to have the chance to fire and work on the girls one more time.

Tim W.

How many of us wish this wasn't a joke...

If only to get my beloved #3 out of retirement.........(sigh).