Western Maryland Scenic Railroad
The Hotel Where the Steam Train Comes to You
The Frostburg Flyer's 90-minute layover happens at the depot beside The Tunnel Hotel — locomotive, turntable, and whistle, all watchable from the property.
- Flyer arrives at the depot
- 12:45 PM
- Flyer departs for Cumberland
- 2:15 PM
- Steam locomotive, weekend runs
- No. 1309
- Season, Thursday–Sunday
- May–Oct
The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad runs excursion trains out of Cumberland, Maryland, up the mountain to Frostburg — and Frostburg is where the show happens. The Frostburg Flyer departs Cumberland at 11:30 AM, climbs the grade, and lays over 90 minutes at the Frostburg depot before heading back down: into the depot at 12:45 PM, out again at 2:15 PM.
The Tunnel Hotel stands directly beside that depot. The building went up in 1888 to serve this railroad, and it never stopped being a railroad building — which means booking a room here puts the arrival, the turntable work, and the departure whistle in your front yard. You don't need a train ticket to enjoy any of it; the spectacle is simply part of the neighborhood.
The Flyer runs Thursday through Sunday, May through October, per WMSR's published schedule — steam locomotive No. 1309 leads the weekend runs, with diesel power on weekdays. Timetables can shift, so confirm current dates with WMSR before planning a trip around a specific engine. Everything below covers the layover itself, the ways to ride the rails yourself, and what a night at the depot costs.
The Tunnel Hotel · 20 Depot St, Frostburg, MD — 300 yards from the GAP trail. Open full map
The Layover, Minute by Minute
The train leaves Cumberland at 11:30 AM and works its way up the mountain grade. At 12:45 PM it rolls into the Frostburg depot below the hotel, and for the next 90 minutes the depot district is the best free show in western Maryland: passengers spill out, the crew works the locomotive, and the turntable — a few steps from the hotel — does what turntables do.
At 2:15 PM the Flyer steams out for Cumberland. If you're timing a visit around it, the Thrasher Carriage Museum next door and the Trail Inn Cafe inside the hotel fill the gap neatly on either side of the layover.
Steam on Weekends, Diesel on Weekdays
Locomotive No. 1309 — the steam engine people drive hours to photograph — leads the weekend runs. Thursday and Friday trains run behind diesel power. If steam is the point of your trip, book a Saturday or Sunday, and verify the current WMSR timetable before you lock in dates: excursion schedules move.
The season runs May through October, Thursday through Sunday. Outside those months the depot goes quiet, though the railbikes, the trail, and the town remain.
Ride the Rails Yourself
Watching is optional — this corridor is unusually rideable. The Bike Train puts you and your bicycle aboard the WMSR from Cumberland up to Frostburg for $45 with your own bike or $49 with a rental, turning the 16-mile climb into a train ride with a downhill return on the Great Allegheny Passage, which passes 300 yards from the hotel.
Tracks & Yaks, the railbike outfitter at 19 Depot St next door, runs the Queen City Combo: railbike down the mountain in the morning, then ride the Frostburg Flyer back up — rails both ways, four hours, $169 per tandem railbike. The afternoon version boards at 13 Canal St in Cumberland, takes the train up, and railbikes back down over 5.5 hours at the same price.
An Inn Built for This Railroad
The Tunnel Hotel is not a chain property that happens to be near a tourist train — it's an 1888 railroad inn at 20 Depot Street, formerly the Trail Inn at Frostburg, now run by Adam and Julie Forshee. The depot and turntable are adjacent, the Thrasher Carriage Museum is next door, and downtown Frostburg's shops, restaurants, and breweries climb the hill above.
Train-day logistics are simple: check-in is contactless 24 hours a day, with your door code delivered by SMS, and checkout at 11:00 AM means you can be packed and on the porch well before the 12:45 PM arrival on your last morning.
Rooms, Rates, and Booking
Queen rooms start at $79.79 a night. The Depot Deluxe — a queen with a pull-out sofa, sleeping four — runs $91.19, the Railrider Retreat Suite is $125.39, and the six-sleeper Big Savage Bunk Room goes for $169.86. The Trail Inn Cafe downstairs handles coffee, hot breakfast, trail sandwiches, and local beer, all chargeable to your room.
Book direct at /book — no online booking fees, payments handled by Stripe. Cancel 72 or more hours out for a full refund, reschedule with 48 hours' notice, and if the operator cancels for weather you get a full refund or credit. Questions travel fastest by phone: 240-943-2048.
Tracks & Yaks, right next door
All experiences
Queen City Combo — AM (Frostburg)
Railbike down the mountain in the morning, then ride the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad's Frostburg Flyer back up. Rails both ways.
from $169
Details →Bike Train (Cumberland → Frostburg)
Load your bike on the train up to Frostburg, then ride the GAP back down. Bring your own bike or add a GAP rental.
from $45
Details →
Queen City Combo — PM (Cumberland)
Ride the train up the mountain, then railbike your way back down in the afternoon light. Check in at 13 Canal St, Cumberland.
from $169
Details →Planning answers, no fluff
Is there a hotel near the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad?
Yes — The Tunnel Hotel, an 1888 railroad inn at 20 Depot Street in Frostburg, stands directly beside the depot where the WMSR's Frostburg Flyer lays over. The train arrives at 12:45 PM and departs at 2:15 PM on days it runs, and rooms start at $79.79 a night.
What time does the Frostburg Flyer arrive in Frostburg?
The Flyer departs Cumberland at 11:30 AM, arrives at the Frostburg depot at 12:45 PM, and lays over 90 minutes before departing at 2:15 PM. It runs Thursday through Sunday, May through October, per WMSR's published schedule — confirm current dates before you travel.
When does steam locomotive 1309 run?
No. 1309 leads the weekend runs — Saturdays and Sundays — while Thursday and Friday trains run behind diesel power, within a May-through-October season. Timetables can shift, so verify the current WMSR schedule if steam is the point of your trip.
Do I need a train ticket to watch the turnaround in Frostburg?
No. The arrival, the turntable work, and the 2:15 PM departure all happen at the depot beside The Tunnel Hotel, in public view. Guests watch from the property; the Thrasher Carriage Museum next door fills the rest of the layover.
Can I take my bike on the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad?
Yes — the Bike Train carries you and your bicycle from Cumberland up to Frostburg for $45 with your own bike or $49 with a rental. Most riders then descend the 16 trail miles back to Cumberland on the Great Allegheny Passage, which passes 300 yards from the hotel.
Plan your ride