ISO 120MPH on MARC

I have been riding MARC sporadically for years beween Baltimore and Washington, I was never able to actually clock a Penn Line train going 120 mph by timing the mileposts. I recently decided to make an effort to time some of those 30-second miles.

There are two problems. All the MARC northbound station platforms are along the easternmost track (Track 1), which is restricted to 90 mph for all trains. Southbound the platforms are along the westernmost of the three tracks, which is good for 120 mph. But the mileposts, which are on the west side, are too close for me to spot at high speeds riding a southbound train.

So I set out to ride a northbound express. Trains that run express to Baltimore beyond Odenton can crossover at Grove (?) interlocking and run 120 mph on the center track. Trains that run express to BWI can run 120 mph on the center track from New Carrollton until crossing over at Grove for the rest of the trip.

My first try was a bust. The new 5:10 express (from Seabrook to Baltimore) did cross over to the center track at Grove, but was diesel-powered and never got much above 90 mph. That's 40 seconds between mileposts. After arriving in Baltimore, the 4-car train consist immediately deadheaded back to Union Station. I assume it was recrewed with CSX personnel and made a trip on the Brunswick line.

Another day I had much better luck with the 5:20 express to BWI, then lcoal to Baltimore. We had 6 bilevels and an AEM-7, and were up to 110 mph before flying through the platform at New Carrollton with the horn blaring. After that we passed a milepost every thirty seconds mile after mile, before slowing down to about 90 to take the high speed crossover at Grove.

120 mph. Not bad for a lowly commuter train!

Pete Schmidt

polybalt wrote:I have been riding MARC sporadically for years beween Baltimore and Washington, I was never able to actually clock a Penn Line train going 120 mph by timing the mileposts. I recently decided to make an effort to time some of those 30-second miles.

There are two problems. All the MARC northbound station platforms are along the easternmost track (Track 1), which is restricted to 90 mph for all trains. Southbound the platforms are along the westernmost of the three tracks, which is good for 120 mph. But the mileposts, which are on the west side, are too close for me to spot at high speeds riding a southbound train.

So I set out to ride a northbound express. Trains that run express to Baltimore beyond Odenton can crossover at Grove (?) interlocking and run 120 mph on the center track. Trains that run express to BWI can run 120 mph on the center track from New Carrollton until crossing over at Grove for the rest of the trip.

My first try was a bust. The new 5:10 express (from Seabrook to Baltimore) did cross over to the center track at Grove, but was diesel-powered and never got much above 90 mph. That's 40 seconds between mileposts. After arriving in Baltimore, the 4-car train consist immediately deadheaded back to Union Station. I assume it was recrewed with CSX personnel and made a trip on the Brunswick line.

Another day I had much better luck with the 5:20 express to BWI, then lcoal to Baltimore. We had 6 bilevels and an AEM-7, and were up to 110 mph before flying through the platform at New Carrollton with the horn blaring. After that we passed a milepost every thirty seconds mile after mile, before slowing down to about 90 to take the high speed crossover at Grove.

120 mph. Not bad for a lowly commuter train!

Pete Schmidt

120 through New Carrolton sounds unbelievable.

Fastest commuter trains in America

120mph through New Carrollton station? I think not. The posted speed
between MP125 and Landover is 110mph for a MARC train with bilevels with an electric locomotive. And unless I missed something, MARC bilevels
are currently restricted to 110mph as per the bulletin order.

gprimr1 wrote:Fastest commuter trains in America :)

And yet, MARC still doesn't even have weekend service.

I think not. The posted speed
between MP125 and Landover is 110mph for a MARC train with bilevels with an electric locomotive. And unless I missed something, MARC bilevels
are currently restricted to 110mph as per the bulletin order.

I may not have been clear in my original post. I meant to say that I timed the train at 110mph until after passing through New Carrollton and 120 mph thereafter. I am sure we were doing 30 second miles from Seabrook to just before Odenton. Is it possible the 110 mph restriction you mention for bi-levels is for pushing only? I know years ago there was a lower speed for pushing on MARC than with the engine leading for all electric locomotive consists.

The Marc bilevels(series 3) are restricted to 125 mph from washington to Phyladelpia, all other routes max is 90 mph.

gprimr1 wrote:Fastest commuter trains in America

Too bad NJT's new Comet VIs and ALP-46s aren't any match for MARC's Kawasaki bilevels and HHP-8s.

polybalt wrote:The new 5:10 express (from Seabrook to Baltimore) did cross over to the center track at Grove, but was diesel-powered and never got much above 90 mph. That's 40 seconds between mileposts. After arriving in Baltimore, the 4-car train consist immediately deadheaded back to Union Station. I assume it was recrewed with CSX personnel and made a trip on the Brunswick line.

Another day I had much better luck with the 5:20 express to BWI, then lcoal to Baltimore. We had 6 bilevels and an AEM-7, and were up to 110 mph before flying through the platform at New Carrollton with the horn blaring. After that we passed a milepost every thirty seconds mile after mile, before slowing down to about 90 to take the high speed crossover at Grove.

120 mph. Not bad for a lowly commuter train!

Pete Schmidt

The 450 equipment isn't used on the Brunswick or Camden Lines, since none of the outbound trains on either these lines are 4 cars after 5:10pm (plus it wouldn't get back from Balt. in time to run the last train for either line). It probably heads back to Balt. after it returns to DC, then runs the new late night service.

One thing I really find annoying about that new service, is that its dep. time is the same time as my usual train out of DC (893 to Frederick), which means that one of us has to hold for the other to leave the station first. For the first few days when 450 went into service, it used to hold for us, but for the past few months 893 has been delayed 3-7min by 450. About a year or two ago there used to be a 5:10pm Regional train that would be able to depart the same time as 893 and not cause any delays since it departed from the lower level.

That time you took the 5:20 to BWI must have been a good while ago, since that is definitely MARC's busiest train (hence the need for 450) and usually has at the very least 7 bilevels (usually 8-9) and a HHP-8.

That time you took the 5:20 to BWI must have been a good while ago, since that is definitely MARC's busiest train (hence the need for 450) and usually has at the very least 7 bilevels (usually 8-9) and a HHP-8.

Ride the 4:15 and 4:24. Those trains get packed like sardines. A couple of weeks ago, they had two singles on the front end and I had to stand in the vestibule all the way to Baltimore.

MARC bilevels
are currently restricted to 110mph as per the bulletin order

They are.

There are deadhead moves on the Penn line, why they aren't open to the public as express trains is beyond me.

gprimr1 wrote:There are deadhead moves on the Penn line, why they aren't open to the public as express trains is beyond me.

I didn't know there were deadheads on the Penn line. I thought all of the reverse-flow trains carried passengers. The only MARC deadhead I know of is the MARC 871 reverse back to DC on the Brunswick line.

How many deadheads are there on the Penn?

amtrakhogger wrote:And unless I missed something, MARC bilevels
are currently restricted to 110mph as per the bulletin order.

Since when are the bilevels limited to 110? How long will this be in effect?

Many Penn line trains I see have 6 or 7 bilevels and 1 single level car (either the cab car or the "Quiet Car"). What's the limit on the MARC single levels?

wow MARC just flyes!

onn the Penn Line that is

I know, at least before the schedule change, one of the short Camden consists deadheads back to Baltimore from Penn station Baltimore. I was shooting MARC trains for a broshure for my internship and I was sitting at Halethorpe and an empty unscheduled MARC blows by.

The marc bilevels are restricted to 110mph. And the diesels the 39's are 90mph and the 40's are 100mph. Personally the marc trains suck to have to work them and thats why i stay on a was to nyp regular. Oh track 1 is max 110mph although a couple of 90-95 curve restrictions, plus the 60mph from mp 125 to mp 121