Western Maryland Railway Bridge, Spanning Maryland Route 51 at Spring Gap, Cumberland, Allegany County, MD

Significance: The Western Maryland Railway Bridge (Spring Gap Underpass) is significant as a component of the 34-mile section of the Western Maryland Railway, which was acquired by the United States for the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, has regional significance as a protected remnant of one of the last major phases of trans-Allegheny railroad expansion in the early 20th century. The engineering sophistication of this line is most dramatically indicated by the six Potomac River bridges and three tunnels crossing the Paw Paw Bends within a 12-mile segment of the route.
Survey number: HAER MD-115