Georges Creek Railway

For other uses, see Georges Creek.

Georges Creek Railway
Overview
HeadquartersLuke, Maryland
Reporting markGCK
LocaleWestern Maryland
Dates of operationJuly 10, 2006 (July 10, 2006)–2019
Technical
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Length14 miles (23 km)

The Georges Creek Railway (reporting mark GCK) was a shortline railroad in Western Maryland that performed contract switching, and it owns 14 miles (23 km) of trackage between Westernport and Carlos. The railroad was headquartered at 119 Pratt Street in Luke in the former Luke Post Office.[1] Gerald Altizer and Pat Stakem are the primary partners in the company.[2]

Operating since December 2007[3] on CSX Transportation and plant trackage,[2] the firm did contract switching services for the Verso (formerly NewPage) Paper Mill in Luke.[4]

An article in the Baltimore Business Journal dated April 30, 2019, announced the closing of the paper mill in Luke by June 30, which affected the employment of the GCK's Alco T-6.[5] Beginning in January 2024, the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad (WMSR) signed a long-term loan to revitalize and eventually operate GCK as the Georges Creek Division for regular excursion and occasional freight operations.

  1. ^ "Contact Info". Georges Creek Railway. Archived from the original on February 8, 2017. Retrieved March 3, 2016.
  2. ^ a b Sawyers, Michael A. (August 4, 2006). "Trains in Georges Creek". Cumberland Times-News. Cumberland, MD.
  3. ^ "Georges Creek Railway". Archived from the original on February 20, 2014. Retrieved June 14, 2009.
  4. ^ Terrance, Terry (August 31, 2014). "Georges Creek 101". RR Picture Archives.
  5. ^ Sharrow, Ryan (April 30, 2019). "Western Maryland paper mill to close, impacting 675 workers". Baltimore Business Journal.