Question and discussion of my MDOT Internship App

A few years ago, before I left for college, a rotting old building about the size of a depot was torn down, and the track is graded like a station (not much balast, rails near the ground.)

I'd love to see a picture. I never reliezed how close I live to you. Did the Herbert secondary cross the river near Chalk Point? On this subject, what do you know about a very old train crossing near Jug Bay. All that's left is an old foundation for the bridge. My grandpa told me it was a train bridge.

Greg, nothing crossed the Patuxent-the line to the Chalk Point power plant in Aquasco wasn't built until the late 1960's/early 1970's, coinciding with the power plant's construction. Part of the line utilizes the roadbed of the Washington, Brandywine and Pt. Lookout that ran from Brandywine to Mechanicsville (later extended to Patuxent River Naval Air Station during World War II) that was torn up in the early 1970's. The trackage uses the old WB&PtL roadbed from Brandywine to Hughesville and is known as the Herbert Subdivision.

The line across Jug Bay is a remenant of the Chesapeake Beach Railroad. The definitive history of this line is titled "Otto Mears Goes East-The Chesapeake Beach Railway" authored by the late Ames Williams. There may still be copies of this volume available at the Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum (next to the Rod n' Reel Restaurant) in Chesapeake Beach. BTW-the Chesapeake Beach Railway Historical Society is a bargain at only $5 per year. The group does a hike every spring on portions of the old CBRy roadbed. I believe that portions of the old line are now a hiking trail leading into Chesapeake Beach.

For more information:

http://www.cbrm.org/

Taking a look at the Event Calendar, it appears that the annual hike is this coming Saturday, April 7th.

Aa3rt wrote:...nothing crossed the Patuxent...

A slight correction to my previous post-I meant to say, "nothing crossed the Patuxent that far south."

The Chesapeake Beach Railway DID cross the Patuxent between Mt. Calvert (in Prince George's County) and Pindell (in Calvert County).

gprimr1 wrote:

My big topics were >....... 3.) Reducing Baltimore's reliance on buses

I doubt very seriously that you'll see this happen any time soon. Like most big cities, Baltimore once had an extensive streetcar system, and, of course the old streetcar routes are the basis for the present MTA Baltimore Bus Routes. Baltimore lost out, back in the early 1970's, on having a DC Metrorail type rapid transit rail system because, unlike DC's system, the proposed Baltimore system was not approved "in total", and only the present Owings Mills-Johns Hopkins line was built. The original proposal was for a number of lines ( I think it would have been about a 70 plus mile system), very similar to DC's Metrorail system. There is an excellent Baltimore Rail Plan on the MTA web site, which involves an expansion of the present Light Rail Line to Columbia ( from BWI), and the addition of three or four completely new lines, but even this system, if it is ever built, probably wouldn't have much effect on Baltimore City's reliance on its bus routes.

I modified the topic of this threat to allow this discussion. I was getting concerned at how off topic it was. I think the Red Line (which I mentioned) would be a huge kick for Baltimore mass transit...Assuming they also go along with my idea to extend service to 2:30am.

I can almost imagine a different type of system for Baltimore. Instead of using the DC style system, what about a system of spurs coming off of the main light rail route (and spurs off the red line).

For example, build a spur into Towson to pull inner harbor travelers off the 8 and 3 bus routes and give them a faster option.

I have to ask Aa3rt, do you know anyone with the last name(s) Mckenzie, Coombs, Messer or Pumfery, possibly living in or near Pomfort MD?

gprimr1 wrote:

For example, build a spur into Towson to pull inner harbor travelers off the 8 and 3 bus routes and give them a faster option.

Interesting that you should mention the No. 8 route in connection with Baltimore rail "revitalization". The No. 8, in its original Towson-Catonsville configuration was the last streetcar route to run in Baltimore.

I'm a little partial because I live on Lake Ave, but I think that based on the number of buses running, a light rail might be more efficient.