[2] [3] The Cumberland Subdivision was opened in 1842 as part of the B&O's main line.

[4] In 1914 the Baltimore and Ohio RR opened the Magnolia Cutoff, a more direct route through mountain ridges, running 14 miles (23 km) between Hansrote, West Virginia and Paw Paw, West Virginia.

The project included construction of four tunnels, two bridges, and many deep rock cuts.

[5] The B&O continued to use the original route along the Potomac River, called the "Lowline," until 1961.

The Cumberland Subdivision supports freight and passenger traffic, with frequent runs of intermodal, autoracks, coal unit trains, mixed freights, oil trains, and Amtrak's Capitol Limited in both directions.