MARC Day Trip

[NHRR WTBY]

Rode MARC rail today from Washington Union Station to Baltimore Penn Station, then Light Rail to BWI and MARC back to DC. Two questions for those of you "in the know:"

1. Who built the single-level coaches used on the MARC Penn line?
2. About 3/4 mile south of West Baltimore station, the train passed over a small viaduct. Below was a single rail line, unelectrified, but appearing to be rather frequently used - rails were not rusted and the right of way was clear. It was a fairly wooded area. Anyone know what this line is and where it goes?

Thanks for the replies.

[Hudson Terminus]

Can't answer #2, but I believe that the single-level coaches were made by Sumitomo.

[njtmnrrbuff]

That's correct. I remember there used to be some old heritage cars but I'm not sure if they are in service today.

[benltrain]

Rode MARC rail today from Washington Union Station to Baltimore Penn Station, then Light Rail to BWI and MARC back to DC. Two questions for those of you "in the know:"

1. Who built the single-level coaches used on the MARC Penn line?
2. About 3/4 mile south of West Baltimore station, the train passed over a small viaduct. Below was a single rail line, unelectrified, but appearing to be rather frequently used - rails were not rusted and the right of way was clear. It was a fairly wooded area. Anyone know what this line is and where it goes?

Thanks for the replies.

i believe that is a frequently used freight branch off the camden line. this is just a guess from train simulator usage

[Patrick A.]

Rode MARC rail today from Washington Union Station to Baltimore Penn Station, then Light Rail to BWI and MARC back to DC. Two questions for those of you "in the know:"

1. Who built the single-level coaches used on the MARC Penn line?
2. About 3/4 mile south of West Baltimore station, the train passed over a small viaduct. Below was a single rail line, unelectrified, but appearing to be rather frequently used - rails were not rusted and the right of way was clear. It was a fairly wooded area. Anyone know what this line is and where it goes?

Thanks for the replies.

2. Is an industry siding used by CSX and NS. I think it connects to a steel or concrete company's factory.

[Love Train]

Rode MARC rail today from Washington Union Station to Baltimore Penn Station, then Light Rail to BWI and MARC back to DC. Two questions for those of you "in the know:"

1. Who built the single-level coaches used on the MARC Penn line?
2. About 3/4 mile south of West Baltimore station, the train passed over a small viaduct. Below was a single rail line, unelectrified, but appearing to be rather frequently used - rails were not rusted and the right of way was clear. It was a fairly wooded area. Anyone know what this line is and where it goes?

Thanks for the replies.

The MARC single level coaches (used on ALL lines, not just the Penn) are either made by Kawasaki or Kinkisharyo. I don't remember exactly which. The bi-levels are made by Kawasaki.

[The Metropolitan]

2. About 3/4 mile south of West Baltimore station, the train passed over a small viaduct. Below was a single rail line, unelectrified, but appearing to be rather frequently used - rails were not rusted and the right of way was clear. It was a fairly wooded area. Anyone know what this line is and where it goes?

Thanks for the replies.

The line below is the CSX Hanover Subdivision.

It originally served as a branch of the Western Maryland Railroad to serve docks at Port Covington (while the "mainline" ran right through Penn Station on PRR rails to the WM's Downtown station.) but today, the former "branch" is the only inner connection to the former Western Maryland, now connecting to another CSX branch (the Curtis Bay branch) south of Camden Station.

Outward, the line runs to Hanover, PA (near Gettysburg) and I think connects in some way to the NS. At Emory Grove (near the Baltimore suburb of Reisterstown) it connects with the Maryland Midland, that runs West along the orignal WM though Westminister and Thurmont, making a CSX connection somewhere near there as well.

[gprimr1]

Reading your description, I wonder if you saw the CSX Old Main Line Subdivision between Relay MD and Point of Rocks MD. This was the original mainline from Baltimore to Point of Rocks.

Do you remember if it was a single tracked track next to water?

[walt]

Reading your description, I wonder if you saw the CSX Old Main Line Subdivision between Relay MD and Point of Rocks MD. This was the original mainline from Baltimore to Point of Rocks.

Do you remember if it was a single tracked track next to water?

If he was riding the Penn Line ( the NEC) he wouldn't have been looking at the Old Main Line at Relay. You can see that line from the MARC Camden Line, but not from the Penn Line.