Race a locomotive on the Great Allegheny Passage
The 3M Man vs Machine vs Mountain inaugural event was brought to our attention by our friend, avid cyclist, and cycling ambassador Larry Brock. Teams of cyclists are invited to race the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad's diesel locomotive, with funds raised used to support lighting of the Great Allegheny Passage’s Borden Tunnel!
In the spirit of historic advances and competition between ever evolving modes of transportation, the 3M Challenge will feature a race between two of Mountain Maryland’s oldest mechanized modes of transportation, the WMSR 501 Diesel Engine and the legs of cyclist.
The event will highlight the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP), Western Maryland Scenic Railroad (WMSR), towns of Cumberland, MD and Frostburg, MD, scenic beauty of Allegany County, and healthy outdoor lifestyle. The Great Allegany Passage between Cumberland and Frostburg is the only location in the country with 14 miles of side-by-side bike trail and scenic train.
Mountain Maryland Trails is part of the Great Allegheny Passage. The zero-mile marker starts in Cumberland, MD and extends through the Allegheny mountains to Pittsburgh, PA. The Maryland section of the Great Allegheny Passage is a beautiful trail in Allegany County maintained by Allegany County Government and governed by a Board of Directors. The trail is enjoyed by tourist from all over the world as well as by the locals.
Event details and schedule
The 3M Challenge will be a timed ride from the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad (WMSR) Station in Cumberland, MD to the western end of the train platform at the Frostburg, MD Depot.
• Teams of up to 6 riders will depart Cumberland every 10 minutes, beginning at 8:00AM, from the water spout at WMSR.
• The last rider finishing the race will determine the team’s time.
• The WMSR 501 Diesel Engine will leave at its 11:30 scheduled run and will be timed.
Team Information
• A team can have 1 to 6 riders.
• Each team must donate a minimum of $250 to MMT.
• Teams will choose their start time based on the amount of money they raise. The team with the most money raised will have first choice of start time.
The Challenge
• The challenge is to have a better climb time than the WMSR 501 Diesel Engine.
• The team that beats the climb time of the diesel train will receive a prize.
• The individuals that beat the climb time of the diesel train will receive a prize.
• All participants will receive a participation gift.
Every event like this has a purpose!
• Raise awareness and funds for Mountain Maryland Trails (MMT) to support maintenance, development, and promotion of the Maryland portion of the Great Allegheny Passage.
• Raise awareness for the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad (WMSR)
• Spotlight the hospitality of the trail towns of Cumberland and Frostburg.
