The Baltimore & Ohio Railway
CSX -- The Old Main Line
Introduction
Before there were cars and airplanes, there were trains. But even before any other common carrier railroad in the young United States of America, there was the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. This self-guiding tour takes you, West to East, from Point of Rocks to Relay (southwest of Baltimore), and pays particular attention to some of the historic and architectural points along the way. However, this is not merely a by-gone piece of railroading trivia: This is an important route for (primarily) unit trains of coal, auto racks and grain from the west to the Port of Baltimore.
This tour is one segment in an effort to create a Williard, Ohio, to Baltimore and Washington, B&O Railroad Tour. The tour's homepage is here. This segment is 57.7 miles long.
Contents And Navigation
Historical Background:
CSX's Old Main Line Subdivision (abbreviated throughout this document as the OML) is the oldest commercial railroad route in the United States. It was constructed by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad from about 1828 to 1831 to provide the Port of Baltimore with traffic from the expanding Midwest -- traffic that was being siphoned off by the new Erie Canal in New York. Amazingly, the Old Main Line established so long ago has remained in active railroad use right through to the present day.
For the railroad archaeologist, this route contains a treasure trove of artifacts, including such relics as some original trackage built of stone (!). There are many beautiful arched stone bridges to be found, if you know where to look. If you want to see the very early days of railroading for yourself, there's no better place than the Old Main.
When the Old Main was originally surveyed and designed, the capabilities and potentials of steam locomotives were still largely unknown. In fact, for the first year or so of operation, the B&O employed horses to pull the trains. Locomotives were coming, but were expected to be too weak to pull loads up an incline. Thus, the Old Main was designed with a very gradual grade of no more than 0.7%. The exception was in the vicinity of Mount Airy which sits atop Parrs Ridge, the rise that acts as a divide between the Patapsco and Potomac River valleys.
The engineers' worries about the grade caused them to compromise on the straightness of the route. At the time, no one suspected locomotives would ever grow long enough, or move fast enough, for sharp curves to become a problem. Thus, the original main line clung to the banks of the meandering Patapsco River; the result was wheel-screeching curves of 18 degrees in places. Over the years, many of these curves have been eased via relocation efforts, including a massive one between 1902 and 1906 that witnessed the construction of several tunnels and bridges. Even so, the curves that remain limit the type and speed of present day rail traffic.
Traffic volume on the Old Main gradually declined with time, thanks largely to the 1873 construction of the straighter Metropolitan Subdivision from Point of Rocks to Washington, DC. High speed trains were put on that new route, where they connected in Washington to the Capital Subdivision for the trip to Baltimore. A couple of decades later, trolley lines between Baltimore and Ellicott City further reduced the demand for the Old Main.
Then, in 1972, floods from Tropical Storm Agnes destroyed most of the track, and the route came very close to being abandoned. But, in the Old Main, the Chessie System (the new owners after the merger with the B&O) saw value as a route for slower and heavier trains. This is the primary role it retains today for CSX: Hosting coal drags and auto racks which coast downhill from Mt. Airy to Baltimore. Indeed, with the amount of commuter rail traffic growing rapidly into both Washington and Baltimore, the "relief valve" that the OML represents will be significantly more important in the 21st Century than it was during the 1970's and 80's.
There are only 2 or 3 scheduled trains per day on the Old Main now, plus a few extras. Keep this in mind while on foot in the area, and don't be lulled into complacency by the lack of trains.
Other Tours
For information concerning the other Frograil tours which have been put together, go to the Tour Guide.
Contributors To This Tour
Steve Okonski has surveyed the entire route, and has written this tour. As you read the text of the tour itself, unless otherwise specifically indicated, any first person singular pronoun used refers to Steve, not to your not-at-all-humble Webmaster. This is his tour, not mine. Steve has also created a virtual photo tour of the line, which can be found at http://www.trainweb.org/oldmainline. His photo pages are an outstanding complement to this text-only description of the Old Main Line.
Train Gifs. All train gifs used within this tour are from the Ed Bindler's train gifs site, which is here.
Peter Furnee, CSX logo at the top of the page.
Tony Hill, retired webmaster -- the guy who started Frograil.
Help
If you'd like to contribute to this, or any other tour, please contact me at webmaster@frograil.com, and let me know what you'd like to do. We'll work together: You supply the data/info, and I'll do the HTML stuff and upload it. You'll get a chance to review the fruits of your efforts before the general public sees the finished product, so you can let me have your corrections, additions and changes.
Supplemental And Back-Up Data
The Railroad -- Geography. Most folks zipping thru Maryland on I-95, or those down enjoying the Eastern Shore's beaches tend to think of Maryland as having a gentle, relatively flat landscape. It is not. Others realize that there are significant mountains in the far western part of the state, but still don't realize how convoluted the center of the state is. The center of the state is the region this tour traverses. You are in the Piedmont of the Appalachian mountains, and everything is up, down, and around. Other than the relatively narrow Monocacy River's flood plain, the builders back over 175 years ago were asked to build a railroad with rather primitive tools and engineering capabilities.
There are no towering mountains, but there are almost no straight, flat places anywhere. The builders either had to follow the contours of the land or create relatively flat, straight stretches of track. All things considered, they accomplished quite an amazing feat, and their successors have improved upon their earliest work during many decades.
The Railroad -- Traffic. This is a railroad that sees heavy freight traffic, but few trains. This seemingly contradictory sentence can be explained by the types of trains it sees, mostly coal and grain for the Port of Baltimore. It will also, frequently, see manifest Cumberland - Baltimore trains which have been routed off the Metropolitan Subdivision. At times, trains routed off the Met Sub can be numerous, especially when there is a derailment, maintenance work, or other disruption. You may see a train every 6 hours, or every 2 hours. There are 5 sidings exceeding 9,200', and another at 8,253', so there can be some fairly significant traffic put over the line if necessary.
Don't get the idea that you'll be touring a museum, as there are several trains a day, and you need to be alert at all times.
Life Support. While you're kind of out in the sticks, seemingly, for much of the tour, in reality you're never far from I-70 or some other major highway. Also, as you get further and further east, you get ever deeper into the megalopolis of the the eastern seaboard. Life support should not be a problem anywhere along this tour.
Abbreviations:
OML Old Main Line. The original B&O route between Baltimore and Point of Rocks. This is the route we will tour.
ROW Right-of-way. The specific route of an existing or previous railroad.
Mapwork: Much of the tour is not easy if you have no detailed map for back country roads. It is recommended that you get a DeLorme Atlas & Gazetteer, study it before your trip, and copy pertinent pages for your field work. You can find information here about Railfan Maps that are available.
Much of the Old Main runs through Patapsco State Park, and consequently, there is little development in the immediate vicinity of the tracks. Access is therefore via the country roads that cross the tracks every few miles, followed by some hiking. Walking an active line is never recommended, but you will have to walk parallel to the tracks to see all of the hidden treasures the Old Main has to offer. If you do all the walks described, there is no way you could complete this entire tour in one day, or even a few days. But, if you omit the walks, you'll bypass most of the attractions, and the tour will seem rather sparse. I recommend picking and choosing the walks that seem most interesting, or doing them periodically over the course of many days.
WEBMASTER'S NOTE: Neither Steve nor I recommend, or even condone, walking along the tracks, as this means trespassing or exposing yourself to danger. You will have to be creative, in some instances, to avoid trespassing while getting to the detailed locations included herein, but you will either have to be creative or not visit those sites. At no point in this tour guide, or any other tour which is part of Frograil, is it recommended that you trespass or expose yourself to danger. If you are a fool and have a leg cut off, or worse, don't come crying to me: You have been warned. Trains are big, powerful, and often surprisingly quiet. Don't end up being a statistic.
Point of Rocks to Relay -- Railfan sites:
The Tour
Point of Rocks. Follow I-70 to exit 52, and take U.S. 15/340 West and South into Point of Rocks. Before crossing the Potomac River, follow the signs to the MARC commuter rail station. There you will find the Old Main Line tracks adjacent to the beautiful, E. F. Baldwin-designed former B&O train station. As you stand with your back to the west, the OLM goes past the station to the north, and the Metropolitan Sub is to the south. The station dates to 1875, but large portions had to be rebuilt in 1931 after a fire. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places.
The mile points here are BAC 64.7, and BA 42.8, with the former the Old Main Line mark, and the latter the Metropolitan Subdivision heading down to Washington. The mile points on the OML will decrease as we move to the east on this tour.
This is an excellent place for train watching as there is commuter parking, grassy areas to sit and wait, and just about as much rail traffic as you can find in the region, since this is the place the CSX Old Main and the Metropolitan Subdivisions meet. You will see MARC, Amtrak trains (such as the Capitol Limited -- Chicago, IL - Washington, DC), and various freights rumble on the OML.
Check out the station page on Facebook and "Like" it to help the Point of Rocks Train Station Awareness Committee to illustrate to both our U.S. Senators and possibly CSX Transportation, how many people (in the form of "likes") know about and appreciate the significance of the E. Francis Baldwin station.
Adamstown -- Adamstown Cutoff. Depart Point of Rocks station and ride east on MD-28. After about 1.7 miles, turn left onto Pleasant View Road. This road parallels the B&O's Adamstown Cutoff route, built in 1902 but abandoned about 25 years later after its curves proved more of a problem for coal trains than the original steep route east from Point of Rocks. After about 1 mile from MD-28, Pleasant View Road curves and dips down to Tuscarora Creek. At the road bridge, look left (upstream) to find one of the few surviving relics of the Adamstown Cutoff: A large, sturdy stone arch, disused railroad bridge that is now part of a private driveway.
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Adamstown. Continue north from the disused bridge for about a mile to meet Doubs Road near a grade crossing. Visibility is not especially good here, but if you need to get trackside, this will do. Continue east on Doubs Road, and look to your left across the field back to the tracks. You'll find a small circa 1830 stone arch bridge. The Adamstown Cutoff route had merged with the OML just east of this bridge.
Eastalco. Bypass the hamlet of Adamstown by continuing east on Doubs Road; it ends at New Design Road, where you should turn left and head north. In 1.7 miles you'll reach another grade crossing and OML milepost 59. Look left, and you'll see the siding that serves the Eastalco Aluminum plant where CSX hauls in raw materials, and hauls away finished products. As of this writing, train activity is low because the plant is shuttered while negotiating for a lower-cost supply of electricity.
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Buckeystown. Continue less than a half mile further north to Manor Woods Road and turn right. You'll soon cross the tracks again. There is decent visibility here if you are aiming to photo a train, but there is nothing else notable. Most of the OML's interesting artifacts are further east. Continue east about 1 mile to MD-85, Buckeystown Pike, and turn left.
Lime Kiln. Northbound on MD-85 after about 1.5 miles you'll find a grade crossing at Lime Kiln. This is mile point BAC ~56.4, but is not a good photo spot because the road is busy, so continue another 0.3 miles north and turn right onto English Muffin Way. The smell of baking bread is in the air, courtesy of the Thomas' English Muffin plant. The grade crossing is 0.2 miles in, and offers street parking as well as a good view of the OML tracks plus sidings to various businesses. This makes a better photo location than the previous crossing mentioned.
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Frederick Junction. Head back to MD-85 and turn right (north) and continue almost 3 miles. The traffic gets much busier because you are driving under I-270 and past the Key Mall and approaching the city of Frederick. Shortly before you reach I-70, loop right onto MD-355, Urbana Pike, south. In about 2 miles you will cross over the OML tracks via a bridge. That is your clue to watch for a tiny, unmarked road on the left shortly after the bridge. Turn left onto this road which leads you down to the Frederick Junction wye, where you can park on dirt. This is a good photo spot looking the west, and of trains on the wye.
The wye connects with track that provides downtown Frederick with MARC commuter service. In the past the B&O's Frederick Junction station had been located within the wye, but no traces of it remain. If you walk east, you'll quickly come upon the Monocacy River bridge, the site and subject of many Civil War battles. The same bridge can also be viewed from a walking path that is accessed from the Monocacy National Battlefield Visitors Center. To get to the center, drive south on MD-355 to cross the river, and about 0.2 miles further to the center's entrance on your left.
The junction is at mile point BAC 54.2
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Reels Mill. From the visitor center, continue south on MD-85 0.3 miles to Ball Road and turn left. Follow Ball Road east about 1 mile to Reeds Mill Road and turn left. In about 0.3 miles you'll come to a grade crossing with room to park. Just west of the crossing is the disused Reels Mill Yard where a coaling tower had been located. The yard was abandoned in the 1920's after its facilities proved to be insufficient to host helper engines to push trains up to Parrs Ridge, some 13 miles east. There is a decent view to the west for photos.
Ijamsville. Head back south on Reels Mill Road back to Ball Road and turn left. Follow Ball Road east about 2.5 miles to Ilamsville Road and turn left. You'll get close to the easternmost of 3 nearby grade crossings (Mussetter Road), but bear left before it and parallel the tracks west. There's another grade crossing (the middle of the 3), but bear left again onto Reichs Ford Road. In about 0.5 miles you'll cross a narrow bridge over Bush Creek, and then meet the OML at the westermost of the 3 grade crossings. There is room to park and sightlines east are good for photos. About 0.5 miles west is the railroad's Hartman Tunnel, but there is no easy way to access it, and the Frederick County Police Firing range is in the vicinity.
This crossing is at approximately mile point BAC 49.3.
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New Market. The next railroad stop is several miles east, so on the way I suggest you divert to New Market, known for its quaint, old-town atmosphere and antiques. Reverse your path along Reichs Ford Road, going back over the tracks and narrow bridge, east to Ijamsville Road. Do not cross the middle of the 3 grade crossings, instead turn right onto Ijamsville Road. There's a grade crossing ahead, but instead turn right onto Ijamsville Road. Soon you'll reach the easternmost of the 3 grade crossings (at the disused tall trackside brick building that had been a general store), and this is the place to turn left (north) onto Mussetter Road. Continue about 2.5 miles north, passing over I-70, and turn right onto MD-144. Follow MD-144 east 1.5 miles into the town of New Market. There are some pleasant small shops and food places to peruse, something your wife/girlfriend will appreciate if you've been dragging her along.
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Monrovia. Depart New Market east on MD-144 to MD-75 and turn right. Decades ago, MD-75 was bisected by I-70, making for a somewhat confusing set of intersections. Watch the signs and stay on MD-75 south, passing over I-70, then winding right and left. In about 2 miles you'll reach Monrovia, one of the few places you can drive your car under the OML. Right after crossing under the tracks, there is a business parking area on the left. Monrovia is not a good spot to view trains, but there are some artifacts.
Monrovia marks, at mile point BAC 46.1, the western point of the B&O's Mt. Airy Cutoff, a 10-mile long realignment of the OML constructed in 1902 to reduce the grade over Parrs Ridge. About 200 feet south of the OML bridge under which you drove, in the brush you can find relics of the original 1830 alignment. There are some rusting rails and a stone culvert.
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Bush Creek. From Monrovia, retrace your path north on MD-75 to I-70 and head east on I-70. Measure 0.5 miles from where the ramp merges with the interstate, before the I-70 truck weigh station, and look right (south). During non-leaf season you'll be able to see the OML's stone arch bridge over Bush Creek; this is the largest single-arch stone bridge along the OML. It was built in 1902 as part of the Mt. Airy Cutoff. Where is the original circa 1830 alignment? You are driving upon it: It's now under I-70's pavement at this location.
There are also several smaller stone arch OML bridges to be seen from I-70. After another mile, look right to find the one for Lynn Burke Road. About 0.5 miles further, shortly before you pass under the Bartolows Road bridge, look right again (during non-leaf season) to glimpse a fading trackside sign that reads "First 1000 track miles continuously welded rail Aug. 1961 to Nov. 1965 Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company." The sign predates I-70 and was meant to be visible from MD-144 which parallels I-70 along on the north side. The Bartolows Road bridge is the best place on the OML for overhead train photos: all the other overpasses are busy Interstate or State highways; the only convenient parking is on the road's shoulder. Another 1.5 miles further east look right again to find the OML's bridge over Bill Moxley Road; it is the newest OML bridge, dating to 1973 when the railroad alignment changed slightly to make room for I-70.
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Mount Airy -- Cold Storage. After another 1.5 miles you'll reach Parrs Ridge and Mount Airy. Use I-70 exit 68, Ridge Road/MD-27 and at the end of the ramp turn left to head north. Mt. Airy is chock full of railroad history, and to see everything the town has to offer would take more than a day. We'll hit the highlights. At the first traffic light north of I-70, turn left; this road curves around and becomes Main Street. Follow Main Street north for 1.2 miles until you reach a brick building standing by itself, now occupied by Mt. Airy Pharmacy. There is convenient parking. This building had been the B&O station until passenger service ended around 1950. The station had been on the Mt. Airy Loop, an 1838-constructed bypass around the bottleneck of the B&O's original inclined planes route over Parrs Ridge. Some of the Loop's track survives, and in fact, remains in use.
Across Main Street from the pharmacy and behind the trees is what is left of Mt. Airy Cold Storage. It is completely gone (just a concrete slab) and there are no more tracks there either.
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Mount Airy -- Mill Bottom Road. Depart the Cold Storage, and go back to Prospect Road and turn left. In about 0.4 miles, turn left onto Rising Ridge Road. Follow it downhill, over a grade crossing with the Loop, to where it ends at MD-144, Ridgeville Boulevard. Turn right onto MD-144, and proceed 0.4 miles to another Loop grade crossing, and where you can turn left onto Mill Bottom Road. Mill Bottom Road quickly crosses the OML, and offers a place to park. This is an OK place for train photos.
Mt. Airy Tunnel's west portal is about a half mile east of this spot. Mill Bottom Road crosses a small stream; look just upstream in the brush to find a rectangular pit, a mystery structure that may be part of the B&O's original circa 1830 inclined plane system. The base of plane 3 had been at this spot. The inclined planes were built before it was known if locomotives would be able to haul trains up the ridge.
Basically, trains would stop at either side of the ridge, then be hauled by horse (possibly later by steam winches) up the 5% grade. This proved too time consuming, and once locomotives were powerful enough, the less steep, but winding Mt. Airy Loop was constructed around the north side of what would become the town. Mount Airy grew to fill the inside of this loop. Finally, even this solution proved troublesome, and around 1902 the B&O built the Mt. Airy Cutoff with its half-mile long tunnel under the ridge.
If you explore this area, beware the tick population here is unusually high, and the ticks carry Lyme Disease.
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Mount Airy -- East. Back in your car, from Mill Bottom Road turn right onto MD-144, heading east. Before you get to Main Street, up on the hill on the left is Jiffy Cone, which makes some great ice cream cones and shakes. After the ice cream, cross Main Street and continue east on Ridgeville Boulevard. The next main intersection is Ridge Road, and instead of turning right which would lead you back to the I-70 interchange, proceed across. It will look like you are going into a shopping area. Pass the shopping areas (there's a Burger King on the left) and continue along the road as it weaves around for about 0.4 miles where it ends in a cul-de-sac. You can park on either the Conestoga Court or Westwind Drive side streets.
Walk back up Ridgeville Boulevard a short distance; on the left (southwest) you'll observe what seems to be a driveway that veers off from Ridgeville Boulevard at an angle. This was actually part of the original National Pike, Frederick Road, the main road west from Baltimore. Note the old design: Macadam center bordered by strips of concrete.
Walk down this to the OML tracks, and what must certainly have been a very busy grade crossing in its day. To the left (decent view for train photos) are the remains of the US-40 bridge over the tracks. US-40 replaced Frederick Road, and has itself since been replaced by I-70. The east portal of the Mount Airy tunnel is about a half mile hike to the right.
Note the small stream between this disused road and the cul-de-sac. In the brush you can find the crumbling remains of the B&O's original Twin Arch bridge. The bridge dates to 1830 and carried the railroad over the stream and the National Road. Only the small arch over the stream survives.
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Mount Airy -- Twin Arch Bridge. There is a newer Twin Arch bridge to be seen. Drive back along Ridgeville Boulevard past the Burger King, and turn right onto Ridge Road (away from the I-70 interchange...we'll be taking local roads from here). In about a mile, turn right onto Twin Arch Road, and follow it downhill. At the bottom, you'll find a dual arch stone bridge. One arch allows the road to pass underneath (single lane), and the other arch handles the South Branch of the Patapsco River, here hardly more than a stream. It's a pretty bridge, and was built around 1902 as part of the tunnel route.
By the time you drive under the bridge, you've passed the base of what had been the easternmost of the B&O's four original inclined planes. There's nothing left to see, but if you are curious, the driveway on the right that now leads up to a junkyard served as Plane 1 from 1830 to 1838.
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Watersville. Proceed under the Twin Arch bridge; the road rises to meet I-70, then bends left to parallel it on the north side. In about a mile, turn left onto Watersville Road. After a mile, you'll see the road dip to parallel the Old Main. After about another mile, you'll come to an intersection with Watersville Road (yes, the names are confusing). You'll be able to see the grade crossing from the intersection. Turn left and cross the tracks.
Immediately after the tracks is a dirt road on the right that appears to be CSX's service road. Well, it's actually a driveway to a small business almost a mile away. There are no "No Trespassing" signs, so if you don't mind your car getting dusty/muddy, you can follow the road, all the while driving just a few feet from the tracks on your right. The road ends at the business. You can continue further a short distance on foot to a 1900-era steel bridge.
Note the bridge has room for double track. The Old Main was double tracked through around 1950. This steel bridge marks the eastern point of the Mount Airy Cutoff. Prior to the construction of the Cutoff in 1902, the tracks stayed on the river's north bank. Artifacts of that original route do remain if you want to go looking.
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New Port. Head back out along the dirt road, then turn right (don't go left over the tracks). Drive about a mile, and turn right on Flag Marsh Road. Drive about 3 or 4 miles and turn right onto New Port Road (you'll be within view of another grade crossing). Cross over the tracks, and then over the Patapsco River. On the left across the river as you continue, you'll see two boring, plain box concrete and steel bridges for the railroad. All the interesting bridges are further east. There is no good place to park here for photos.
Woodbine. Pass through this small town, and cross Woodbine Road (MD-94), heading downstream. New Port Road becomes the scenic Morgan Woodbine Road. After about a mile, it ends at a T intersection. This is Morgan Station Road, turn left (north). It's less than a mile to the tracks. There is room to park here, and the view east for photos is good. The grade crossing is one of the few places you can still see evidence of the Old Main's double track days: An extra pair of rails remain stuck in the asphalt.
Woodbine Tunnel is about a half mile west of here.
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Hood's Mill. Continue north of Morgan Station Road until it ends at Hood's Mill Road and turn right. After about 2 miles you'll come to Old Washington Road/MD-97; cross it and follow the winding, narrowing road to the single-lane grade crossing near the old mill. Note the warning protection here is a single bell mounted on a concrete post. There is room to park for a photo, and sightlines west are decent.
Sykesville -- Tunnel. Continue past the old mill. Hood's Mill Road loops back to MD-97, where you should turn left (south). One mile south take the first main road left, Old Frederick Road. Soon it splits, and you should bear left onto Forsythe Road. In about 2 miles, turn left (north) onto Gaither Road. It's about a mile to the Patapsco, where you'll rejoin the Old Main.
Eventually, you'll cross the river and the tracks; about a half mile east of here is Sykesville Tunnel, one of the shortest tunnels on the OML. The tunnel is bookended by two plain iron bridges that cross the river. The abandoned ROW stays on the left (north) side of the river. If you walk it, you'll find an extensive stone retaining wall, a small stone culvert, as well as a cut through the hillside for the former track. This was a costly area to straighten.
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Sykesville -- Station. Drive back across the tracks and river on Gaither Road, and when you return to Forsythe -- turn left. After a mile, Forsythe ends; turn left, again. Soon you'll cross the Patapsco River once more, as well as the tracks. Here you'll find the beautiful, Baldwin designed Sykesville railroad station, now converted into a restaurant. The food is of decent quality and reasonably priced, and during the warm months you can sit on the back porch (formerly the platform) and watch trains pass by (if you get lucky with the schedule). On the west side of the station there are sidings that often host a variety of MOW and other equipment, so be sure to walk around to check.
This is mile point BAC 29.0.
[Webmaster's Note: The station was designed, as Steve indicates, by E. F. Baldwin. The station was built in 1884, and was in the architectural Queen Anne Style. The building was restored between 1987 and 1990, and the name of the restaurant is Baldwin's, which is a nice touch. (410) 795-1041. Data from Maryland's Historic Rail Stations, a most worthwhile pamphlet of the Maryland Historical Trust, and the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development.]
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Marriottsville. The section east from Sykesville to Marriottsville is fairly inaccessible. Hiding within is the now disused small town of Henryton. Henryton was home to a sanitarium, and now the old buildings stand like ghosts. Furthermore, there is an oddly large police presence at Henryton, so you don't want to mess around there. I suggest you drive south from Sykesville Station, crossing the Patapsco river again, and merge with Sykesville Road/MD-32.
Proceed about 3 miles and turn left onto Old Frederick Road/MD-99. Proceed 3 miles east and turn left onto Marriottsville Road. Go north for about 3 miles until you come to the tiny town of Marriottsville and the Old Main, which is now on the south bank of the Patapsco.
Take advantage of the room to park and follow the horse trails left (west) about a half mile to the Henryton Tunnel. This tunnel, the first constructed by the B&O, was bored through the hill around 1850. To my knowledge, it's the second oldest railroad tunnel in the world that remains in active railroading use. The oldest seems to be the Taft Tunnel in Lisbon, Connecticut, built by the Norwich-Worcester Railroad in 1837.
Just before the tunnel, the tracks cross the river via a plain steel and concrete bridge; there used to be a Bollman bridge at this spot. (There are differences of opinion about this bridge: One source says it was the very first such bridge, while another source says the original bridge was on the Washington Branch, in the Savage, Maryland, area.) If you look upstream, you can still find a few stones where the ROW used to cross the river over 150 years ago, probably via an arched bridge.
It is not recommended that walk through this (or any other) tunnel, as this is needlessly endangering yourself, and is blatant trespassing on railroad property. Also, it is not recommended to walk around the old ROW, because Henryton and its large police presence are right on the other side. As you walk back to your car, note CSX's "On Track" monitor located on the east side of the grade crossing.
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Woodstock. Drive south from Marriottsville, back to Old Frederick Road and turn left. In about a mile, turn left (north) onto Woodstock Road. It's about a mile back to the river and Old Main. Park on the left (west) side of the road for some decent photo opportunities.
With some hiking thru Patapsco State Park parallelling the tracks, you'll get to find some original stone arched bridges dating from the 1830s. In fact, you'll find three of them if you walk most of the way to Marriottsville. There's another stone arched bridge (over Davis Branch) to be found if you walk east instead. This latter one is shored up with iron bars. These are both mile plus long walks, so don't plan to do them back to back unless you are an experienced hiker.
Davis Tunnel. Drive south from Woodstock, back to Old Frederick Road and turn left. In about 2 miles, watch for McKenzie Road (across from the Fire Station) and turn left (north). Keep going north into a new housing development along Thornbrook Road, and finally, Green Haven Court. Observe the big overhead power lines: they will guide you to the correct spot while the roads weave beneath them. When you are as far into the development as you can drive, park and walk north under the power lines. The hill is VERY steep here, but the hike down is worth the effort.
At the bottom, you'll find the Old Main crossing the Patapsco (yet again) via a long box steel bridge that I call Eureka Bridge, after an old mining company that used to operate near here. The bridge dates to around 1904 when the ROW was straightened (the Old Main used to stay on the south side of the river here). Walk up to the tracks near the bridge, and you'll see the Davis Tunnel to your left (west), plus the Dorsey Tunnel some distance to the right (east), both constructed around 1904. Head left for the Davis Tunnel. Just before it, note the small arched stone bridge that carries the tracks over Line Run; it was built the same time as the tunnel.
But, look downstream and you'll find an attractive, disused arched stone bridge of the former ROW, the one that circled around the hill prior to the tunnel. If you have a detective's instinct, between the two bridges you'll see evidence of yet another former, probably even older, stream crossing that consists of obviously man-made mounds of dirt and a few stone blocks. The hiking here is educational if you're into railroad engineering and history. You can easily trace the old ROW around the hill to the other side of the tunnel.
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Daniels -- Dorsey Tunnel. In the distance to the east is the remote Dorsey Tunnel. This is the most difficult of all tunnels to get close to, and it is suggested you admire it only from afar. While you could cross the long railroad bridge over the Patapsco on foot, DO NOT DO SO. There is no walkway (only spaced ties to step on), no extra room, and your line of sight is limited. If a train were to emerge from one of the tunnels on either side while you were on the bridge, you would be in deep trouble.
Daniels. Drive back out to Old Frederick Road and turn left (east). At US-29, the road changes name to Rogers Avenue. Proceed less than a mile past the US-29 intersection, and turn left onto Old Frederick Road. In about a half mile, watch for Daniels Road, and turn left onto it. Proceed down to the river and park. Be advised: Exploring everything at Daniels takes about a day.
The 19th century mill town at this site was largely destroyed by the floods in 1972. The crumbling remains of the mill can be seen on the other side of the tracks; it now houses a company that sells wood mulch. Note the church on the hill on the right; it's still active. The original alignment of the tracks screeched around the hill to stay on the south side of the river. In 1838, the B&O made the very first of many OML straightening efforts, and built a pair of bridges to cross the river. The stone abutment remains of the lower (east) bridge can be seen here. To find the upper bridge, you need to hike west a short distance along the south side of the river following what is now a driveway. If you hike further (warning: this is a muddy path), you'll eventually come to a spot where some of the B&O's original stone stringers have become exposed.
Yes, the B&O's original tracks were built of granite, topped by thin strips of what was expensive iron. The construction with stone was very tedious and expensive, and before the decade of the 1830s was out, the B&O had surrendered to using wood ties (much like the tracks of today).
Continuing the hike will bring you to the Dorsey Tunnel across the river, as well as an attractive, small arched stone bridge that looks as good as new. Despite the mud, this is one of the most interesting hikes, and is safe as well since the active railroad tracks are on the other (north) side of the river. Highly recommended if you enjoy railroad history.
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Ellicott City -- Union Dam. Drive back out Daniels Road, and Old Frederick Road to Rogers Avenue, and turn left to cross over I-70. Continue about a mile to the busy intersection with US-40, and turn left (east). As you descend and approach the river, take the short off ramp on the right into Patapsco Valley State Park's Hollofield area. Drive as far in as you can and park. From the parking lot, you should see a marked lookout area. From here there is a narrow, winding trail down the steep hill that deposits you at the east portal of Union Tunnel. You'll also see the remains of Union Dam in the river. There is nothing otherwise of note that I've discovered in this area.
Photo opportunities here are poor, unless you hike around the hill to the other side of the tunnel, where the sightlines are better.
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Ellicott City. Drive back out to US-40 and head west (you'll need to go under the road via the small tunnel) and proceed back the way you came. At the busy Rogers Avenue intersection, turn left. After the county courthouses, bear right onto Ellicott Mills Drive. Follow this downhill until it dead ends at Frederick Road / Main Street, and turn left. You'll descend into the historic mill town of Ellicott City, which is reawakening as an artists enclave.
At the second traffic light (you'll see the railroad bridge ahead of you), turn right and park (if there's no room, there are more parking lots elsewhere around the town). At this corner is a small B&O Railroad Museum. This small museum is housed in the original 1831 train station, the oldest in the USA. The town is interesting to explore, and there are several good restaurants.
Train photography here is not good because things are too crowded and the museum's fence reduces accessibility.
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Ilchester. Ilchester is the next town downstream from Ellicott City. This is one of the few spots you can see interesting things without having to hike, or even get out of your car.
From Ellicott City, proceed along Main Street under the railroad and over the Patapsco River to the Baltimore County side, where the road becomes Frederick Road/MD-144. In less than a mile, veer right onto River Road, which follows the north bank of the river. Depending on the season, you may be able to look across and see the OML on the south bank. Eventually you'll reach an industrial area, snuggled between River Road and the river.
A factory of some sort has been in operation here for about 200 years, and was only recently quieted by a fire. Continue and the road curves right, then over a bridge, back into Howard County, where it becomes Ilchester Road. Here the OML crosses overhead, and you can look left to see the tracks emerging from Ilchester Tunnel. This is the only OML tunnel you can observe simply by driving past. This tunnel dates to 1902, and, like the other OML tunnels, was built to remove a sharp curve. Instead, the tracks used to cross over the Patterson Viaduct, a short distance downstream from the tunnel.
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Ilchester -- Patterson Viaduct. The Ilchester area is busy on weekdays. On weekends, it is easier to find a spot to park. I suggest a disused driveway that's the first one on the right a short distance up Bonnie Branch Road, which is the first right after you cross under the tracks. Where Bonnie Branch Road intersects Ilchester Road, on the river side, is where you can find the remains of the Patterson Viaduct. The Patterson Viaduct was the first railroad bridge in the world (some accounts have the B&O's Carrollton Viaduct near Baltimore completed first). Unfortunately, a flood in 1866 destroyed two of the bridge's three (or four) stone arches, and only one remains today. If you climb down the hill toward the river, you'll find it.
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Orange Grove. The next stop on the tour is about a half mile downstream from Ilchester, but thanks to road closures due to Tropical Storm Agnes, you'll need to drive a long circuitous route to get there.
Follow Ilchester Road up the steep hill about a mile to Landing Road and turn left. Follow Landing Road about 2 miles to Montgomery Road, and turn left. Follow Montgomery Road about a mile (crossing over I-95) to US-1 and turn left. Follow US-1 north through Elkridge, and after you go under I-895 make the first left onto South Street You'll see signs for Patapsco Valley State Park, and should turn into the park entrance on the left. Depending on the time of day and season, you may need to pay a nominal fee to enter the park.
Shortly after the ranger station, you'll drive under the venerable Thomas Viaduct, built in 1835. The Thomas Viaduct carries the B&O Washington Branch, now CSX Capital Subdivision, over the Patapsco River to Washington. Continue on the park road and when you come to a T intersection, turn left to go over the river, then bear right (the road forces you to do so). Continue until the road ends (about 2 miles) and note the OML on the other side of the river. Through the trees you may even be able to see a couple of the stone arch bridges. The road ends near the Swinging Bridge, a foot bridge over the river. This is a popular and busy spot on the weekends when the weather is good.
Park, then walk across the bridge to the OML, where you'll find the ruins of Orange Grove factory, the largest flour mill east of the Mississippi until it burned down around 1920. There are also convenient park paths from here. If you walk left (upstream) you'll find one stone arched bridge rebuilt in 1868 (according to the date on the keystone), Bloede's Dam, the east portal of Ilchester Tunnel, and the east abutment of the Patterson Viaduct. There are more arched bridges downstream. This is a scenic area, and since you are in a state park, no one can complain about you walking near the railroad. If you can only do one walk/hike, this one is the one to do.
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Relay -- Thomas Viaduct. The Thomas Viaduct is not on the OML, but since you are here, it's worth a look. Head back out of the park to South Street, and turn left. Follow the road (it will go over the tracks near the St. Denis station via a bridge) and where it ends turn left onto Railroad Avenue. Proceed down the hill until you see the tracks and park. You can walk toward the river, where you'll find the obelisk that marks the Thomas Viaduct. This is where the Capital Subdivision and Old Main Line meet and point the way to Baltimore. It is also where the B&O's 1873 Viaduct Hotel was located (before it was torn down around 1950).
This ends the Old Main Line tour. If you'd like to continue, see the Capital Subdivision tour. Thanks for visiting!
For a wealth of additional railfan info in the Baltimore area, go here: http://www.trainweb.org/oldmainline. This is Steve's site, and is really loaded with goodies. Steve can be contacted at intersys@insystem.com .