Race the WMSRR train to Frostburg on the Great Allegheny Passage during the 3M Challenge

LAST DAY TO REGISTER, Sept. 15

The WMSRR will be running several trains on the original date Sept 13, and due to safety concerns, the event will be held on Saturday 20 instead. Think you have what it takes to cycle faster than a speeding train? Cyclists are invited to challenge the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad’s (WMSR) 1309 steam engine as it climbs Mt. Savage in this face-off between muscle, machine, and mountain. Mountain Maryland Trails will host the 3M Challenge on Saturday, September 20, 2025.

A timed challenge between cyclists and the train, the 3M Challenge will follow a 15.3 mile stretch of the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP Trail) alongside the WMSR railroad tracks from Cumberland, MD, to Frostburg, MD. Teams of up to six riders per team or individuals can enter the challenge, and funds raised will support maintenance and development projects in the Maryland portion of the Great Allegheny Passage as well as new trail development opportunities.

Riders will depart from the Western Maryland Railway Station every 5 minutes, starting at 9 AM. The train will depart from the station at 11:30 AM and will be timed. Teams are challenged to have a better climb time than the train. Teams and individuals who beat the train’s time will receive a prize, and all participants will receive a souvenir gift. An awards ceremony will immediately follow the train’s arrival in Frostburg. Drinks and food will be provided to all riders and guests.

For more information and to register individually or as a team for the challenge, visit https://www.bikereg.com/3m-bike-challenge Deadline to register is September 15!.

Mountain Maryland Trails is a nonprofit volunteer organization working in partnership with Allegany County Government in the maintenance, development, and promotion of the Maryland portion of the Great Allegheny Passage, and trails in, and around Allegany County, MD. The zero-mile marker for the Great Allegheny Passage starts in Cumberland, MD, and extends through the Allegheny Mountains to Pittsburgh, PA, providing 150 miles of beautiful off-road trail enjoyed by locals and visitors from all over the world. To learn more about Mountain Maryland Trails, visit www.mountainmdtrails.org.