B&O Hagerstown Branch.....need info

[chessie3802]

I live here in hagerstown and the track that runs through city park i know is the former B&O Hagerstown Branch....the building across the st from my fire station was the site of the old B&O station. I have Chessie timetables 1 in 1975 showing the track still going to weaverton, the other is 1981.....showing the track ripped up past roxbury. I like to see pics of the trains headin towards Weaverton....and if its possible the exact date when they took the track up.

[hutton_switch]

I live here in hagerstown and the track that runs through city park i know is the former B&O Hagerstown Branch....the building across the st from my fire station was the site of the old B&O station. I have Chessie timetables 1 in 1975 showing the track still going to weaverton, the other is 1981.....showing the track ripped up past roxbury. I like to see pics of the trains headin towards Weaverton....and if its possible the exact date when they took the track up.

I don't know the exact date, but if you sign up over at the B&O Yahoo list at http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/B ... e_and_Ohio you will find a large number of B&O fans, one of which might be able to give you the exact date. Additionally, you will find there the widest knowledge base on the B&O anywhere.

[wm1200]

Herb Harwood's "Impossible Challenge" books have the answers:
3/17/1975, B&O aked for ICC permission to abandon.
2/1976 OOS between Weverton and Roxbury
6/19/1978 ICC Approval, official takeover by WM on 11/15/1978
1979, all inactive trackage removed, I recall the RR Xings on all the main highways it crossed were repaved quickly.
It's hard to tell now the existence of the Security branch since the Eastern Blvd. project wiped out the middle portion, and most of the southern end is under a decade of growth.
It appears a rail trail is not going to happen, but IMO, that was probably for the better, given the obstacles and the cost.
There are a few photos out there, the most famous is probably a steam shot at Trego depot (razed last year) that was in 50 Best of the B&O by John Kelly.

[mmi16]

Remanents of the Security Branch still exist in Hagerstown with the milepost prefix BAW. It is all within the Hagerstown Yard Limits.