Completion of the Great Circle Line Rail Road, with its double-tracked right-of-way, enabled a variety of industries to flourish in the valley of Snug Harbor. The ensuing economic prosperity facilitated financing of a branch line to service Chillyvilly, a resort town tucked among the forested foothills of the scenic Charmin Highlands.

It took another six years of effort to extend this all-weather transportation route over the Brawny Mountains. Engineering marvels, such as Fink Truss Bridge and Tera Alta Trestle, required the mastery of sophisticated construction techniques, before steam locomotives could reliably crest — via a series of curves, cuts, and tunnels comprising 3.6% Cranberry Grade — the remote heights of Frostberg Summit.

Serious railfans prefer to gather near a turnout and related crossovers (easily accessible by automobile) where the Points North secondary diverges from the main line. Color position light signals, two of which are mounted on an overhead bridge, protect the east end of this interlocking plant controlling Turmix Junction. On the other hand, an alternative viewing area atop a nearby bluff (…and especially popular during inclement weather) is The Egg Nog Stand, with its flashing rooftop sign serving as a bright beacon of temptation.

Virtually all railway activity parades past these landmarks on a daily basis, including trains comprised entirely of old-fashioned “7-plank wagons,” still outfitted with primitive hand brakes and drop link couplers. This heritage fleet of rolling stock, originally built for the gravity railroads that once served local rock-candy mines and collieries, is only accepted for interchange whenever there is high demand to move tonnage. And the rarest catch of all for keen eyes? Spotting the railroad’s first locomotive (circa 1829), a “grasshopper beam” engine — affectionately named Stourbridge Lion — once again performing shunting duties, albeit on a light-duty basis considering its age.

Years of operating experience have demonstrated that short wheel bases cope best with tortuous track geometry. Hence, the entire roster of modern motive power is standardized around the compact profile of industrial tank locomotives, sporting 0-4-0, 0-6-0, or 0-8-0 wheel classifications. In a similar fashion, all freight and passenger carriages are mounted on frames with four wheels. This even applies to the railroad’s well patronized express, internationally know as the “Mid-Night Flyer.” And, recent gossip suggests the Mechanical department is contemplating the acquisition of an articulated 0-4-4-0, which should boost operating efficiencies, whenever heavy mineral trains must be hauled over the summit.

Melodies played by the bells of Silent Night Church (a scale model of the original St. Nikolaus Church, located in Austria, where the Christmas carol Silent Night was first performed in 1818), echo across the valley every half hour. Enthusiastic day hikers, willing to tackle a strenuous climb, know they will be rewarded with splendid views overlooking Chillyvilly, as they crest their final lap along the trail leading toward the sanctuary.

A major employer for the region is the Candy Factory, where free product samples are always handed out to visitors, at the conclusion of any factory tour. Supplying its production lines with necessary ingredients on a timely basis during the holiday season requires the railroad to deliver sugar and flavoring on very strict schedules. The brightly lit yard allows manufacturing activity to safely proceed around the clock, uninhibited by the short daylight hours of wintertime.