by The EGE
I'm currently writing a more-or-less comprehensive history of MARC service on Wikipedia for public consumption. I've managed to figure out when some stations were opened and closed, and other significant events, but others I have no dates for or am outright missing. I'd appreciate help filling in the gaps. Here's what I have now:
November 1949: B&O service between Frederick and Point of Rocks discontinued
1958: B&O service between Baltimore and Philadelphia discontinued
January 2, 1969: PRR local service between Baltimore and Wilmington discontinued (end of service to Aberdeen, Perryville, Edgewood, Elkton?)
1968: PRR folds into Penn Central
April 29, 1968: First high-level platform opens at Baltimore (for Metroliner service)
May 1, 1971: Amtrak takes over intercity service. Amtrak-run service includes the West Virginian (later Potomac Turbo, then Potomac Special) and the Shenandoah on the B&O main + Metropolitan Branch, plus intercity and local trains on the PRR main. B&O operates Baltimore (Camden) - Washington and Brunswick-Washington service unsubsidized (did Martinsburg and Harpers Ferry have any non-Amtrak service?); Penn Central operates Baltimore (Penn) - Washington service without subsidy.
May 7, 1973: The Potomac Special is cut back to the Martinsburg-Washington Blue Ridge
June 15, 1973: B&O becomes subsidiary of Chessie System
March 1, 1974: MDOT begins 50% subsidy of B&O commuter service
1975: MDOT signs operating agreement with B&O under which the state subsidizes all losses and provides rolling stock
1976: Maryland State Railroad Administration formed
April 1, 1976: Conrail takes over Penn Central commuter service
1976 (?): State Railroad Administration is formed
Late 1970s (?): WVDOT funds Brunswick-Martinsburg shuttles, which are soon combined with Brunswick-Martinsburg runs
April 1, 1977: Conrail threatens to end commuter service; MDOT soon begins subsidy
1978: MDOT leases new Arrow cars from NJDOT
April 30, 1978: Amtrak begins operating the Chesapeake from Philadelphia to Washington using Arrow cars. Stops at Elkton, Perryville, Aberdeen, and Edgewood for the first time since the 1960s.
July 26, 1978: BWI station approved by Amtrak board
June 29, 1979: Washington-Baltimore fares increased by 7%
July 29, 1979: Chesapeake adds stop at Edmonson Avenue
October 26, 1980: BWI Airport station opens (did commuter service immediately stop? It did by 1983.)
Early 1980s (?): Lanham station closed; service moves to Capital Beltway
June 26, 1981: Jericho Park station on Penn Line closed for grade crossing elimination
July 1, 1981: MDOT increases fares by 30%
December 1981: MSRA buys 22 ex-PRR coaches for use on B&O lines
1981: Shenendoah replaced with Capitol Limited
1982: Congress relieves Conrail of commuter service
January 1, 1983: Conrail sheds commuter rail operations. MARC pays Amtrak to operate ex-PRR Baltimore-Washington service. B&O continues to operate the other two lines.
August (?) 1983: MDOT increases frequencies on one Baltimore-Washington service (which one?) from two round trips to five
1983 (?) Capital Beltway closed; service moves to New Carrolton
1983 (?) Edmonson Avenue closed; service moves to West Baltimore
October 24, 1983: Chesapeake service, mostly redundant to MDOT-funded service, is ended
1983-84: MDOT adopts MARC as the brand for commuter service. Both B&O and Amtrak services use MARC-branded timetables and uniforms.
1985: MARC buys first all-new single level cars
1986: Blue Ridge merged into Brunswick Line serving for unified customer experience. Amtrak continues to fund the service until 1992.
1987 (?): Arrows replaced by AEM-7s on Penn Line
April 30, 1987: B&O merged into CSX; CSX continues to operate Camden Line and Brunswick Line
1987: WVDOT buys or leases WV stations from CSX; funds WV service for three years
July 6, 1987: Metropolitan Grove station opens.
1988 (?): Seabrook station upgraded with high-level platforms
February 27, 1989 (?): Bowie station closed; Bowie State station opens at old Jericho Park location. Penn Line service increased from 7 to 13 round trips.
May 1989: Penn Line increased from 13 to 15 round trips
July 31, 1989: Savage (MD32) station opened
May 1, 1991: Penn Line extended to Martin State Airport, Edgewood, Aberdeen, Perryville.
May 1993: Greenbelt station added on Camden Line
January 31, 1994: Laurel Race Track station opened, Berwyn station closed due to low ridership, midday service added on Camden and Brunswick lines
December 12, 1994: Muirkirk (South Laurel) station opened
February 16, 1996: Silver Spring collision
July ?, 1996: Dorsey station opened
???: High-level platforms opened at Odenton
2000: Silver Spring stop moved from old B&O station to Metro station
2001: MARC buys first bilevel cars
December 17, 2001: Frederick Branch reopened with stations at Frederick and Monocacy
September 2007: Long-range plan released. Includes additional tracks, Bayview station (+Upton and Madison Square stops in far future), and Newark/Elkton extension of Penn Line; Bayview extension and triple tracking of Camden Line; triple tracking, Outer Montco station, and Frederick Branch platform at PoR on Brunswick Line; and run-through service to Alexandria
February 2009: $2 surcharge added to fund West Virginia service
Spring 2009: Ticket selling employees replaced with quik-trak machines at most locations
2010-2012: Contract controversy on Camden and Brunswick lines
July 1, 2013: Bombardier takes over service on Camden and Brunswick lines
2013: Update to 2007 long range plan released
August 12, 2013: High-level platforms opened at Halethorpe station
December 7, 2013: Weekend service added on Penn Line
November 1949: B&O service between Frederick and Point of Rocks discontinued
1958: B&O service between Baltimore and Philadelphia discontinued
January 2, 1969: PRR local service between Baltimore and Wilmington discontinued (end of service to Aberdeen, Perryville, Edgewood, Elkton?)
1968: PRR folds into Penn Central
April 29, 1968: First high-level platform opens at Baltimore (for Metroliner service)
May 1, 1971: Amtrak takes over intercity service. Amtrak-run service includes the West Virginian (later Potomac Turbo, then Potomac Special) and the Shenandoah on the B&O main + Metropolitan Branch, plus intercity and local trains on the PRR main. B&O operates Baltimore (Camden) - Washington and Brunswick-Washington service unsubsidized (did Martinsburg and Harpers Ferry have any non-Amtrak service?); Penn Central operates Baltimore (Penn) - Washington service without subsidy.
May 7, 1973: The Potomac Special is cut back to the Martinsburg-Washington Blue Ridge
June 15, 1973: B&O becomes subsidiary of Chessie System
March 1, 1974: MDOT begins 50% subsidy of B&O commuter service
1975: MDOT signs operating agreement with B&O under which the state subsidizes all losses and provides rolling stock
1976: Maryland State Railroad Administration formed
April 1, 1976: Conrail takes over Penn Central commuter service
1976 (?): State Railroad Administration is formed
Late 1970s (?): WVDOT funds Brunswick-Martinsburg shuttles, which are soon combined with Brunswick-Martinsburg runs
April 1, 1977: Conrail threatens to end commuter service; MDOT soon begins subsidy
1978: MDOT leases new Arrow cars from NJDOT
April 30, 1978: Amtrak begins operating the Chesapeake from Philadelphia to Washington using Arrow cars. Stops at Elkton, Perryville, Aberdeen, and Edgewood for the first time since the 1960s.
July 26, 1978: BWI station approved by Amtrak board
June 29, 1979: Washington-Baltimore fares increased by 7%
July 29, 1979: Chesapeake adds stop at Edmonson Avenue
October 26, 1980: BWI Airport station opens (did commuter service immediately stop? It did by 1983.)
Early 1980s (?): Lanham station closed; service moves to Capital Beltway
June 26, 1981: Jericho Park station on Penn Line closed for grade crossing elimination
July 1, 1981: MDOT increases fares by 30%
December 1981: MSRA buys 22 ex-PRR coaches for use on B&O lines
1981: Shenendoah replaced with Capitol Limited
1982: Congress relieves Conrail of commuter service
January 1, 1983: Conrail sheds commuter rail operations. MARC pays Amtrak to operate ex-PRR Baltimore-Washington service. B&O continues to operate the other two lines.
August (?) 1983: MDOT increases frequencies on one Baltimore-Washington service (which one?) from two round trips to five
1983 (?) Capital Beltway closed; service moves to New Carrolton
1983 (?) Edmonson Avenue closed; service moves to West Baltimore
October 24, 1983: Chesapeake service, mostly redundant to MDOT-funded service, is ended
1983-84: MDOT adopts MARC as the brand for commuter service. Both B&O and Amtrak services use MARC-branded timetables and uniforms.
1985: MARC buys first all-new single level cars
1986: Blue Ridge merged into Brunswick Line serving for unified customer experience. Amtrak continues to fund the service until 1992.
1987 (?): Arrows replaced by AEM-7s on Penn Line
April 30, 1987: B&O merged into CSX; CSX continues to operate Camden Line and Brunswick Line
1987: WVDOT buys or leases WV stations from CSX; funds WV service for three years
July 6, 1987: Metropolitan Grove station opens.
1988 (?): Seabrook station upgraded with high-level platforms
February 27, 1989 (?): Bowie station closed; Bowie State station opens at old Jericho Park location. Penn Line service increased from 7 to 13 round trips.
May 1989: Penn Line increased from 13 to 15 round trips
July 31, 1989: Savage (MD32) station opened
May 1, 1991: Penn Line extended to Martin State Airport, Edgewood, Aberdeen, Perryville.
May 1993: Greenbelt station added on Camden Line
January 31, 1994: Laurel Race Track station opened, Berwyn station closed due to low ridership, midday service added on Camden and Brunswick lines
December 12, 1994: Muirkirk (South Laurel) station opened
February 16, 1996: Silver Spring collision
July ?, 1996: Dorsey station opened
???: High-level platforms opened at Odenton
2000: Silver Spring stop moved from old B&O station to Metro station
2001: MARC buys first bilevel cars
December 17, 2001: Frederick Branch reopened with stations at Frederick and Monocacy
September 2007: Long-range plan released. Includes additional tracks, Bayview station (+Upton and Madison Square stops in far future), and Newark/Elkton extension of Penn Line; Bayview extension and triple tracking of Camden Line; triple tracking, Outer Montco station, and Frederick Branch platform at PoR on Brunswick Line; and run-through service to Alexandria
February 2009: $2 surcharge added to fund West Virginia service
Spring 2009: Ticket selling employees replaced with quik-trak machines at most locations
2010-2012: Contract controversy on Camden and Brunswick lines
July 1, 2013: Bombardier takes over service on Camden and Brunswick lines
2013: Update to 2007 long range plan released
August 12, 2013: High-level platforms opened at Halethorpe station
December 7, 2013: Weekend service added on Penn Line
Last edited by The EGE on Fri Jul 29, 2016 11:28 am, edited 1 time in total.