The Baltimore & Ohio Railway
Harpers Ferry -- Washington, DC
Introduction
Jack Toomey has written this excellent tour of the ex-Baltimore & Ohio's main line eastbound from Harpers Ferry. This is Jack's tour. There have been more than one on-line write-ups of this line, but every one I've seen has been east - west, so we wanted to give the numerous fans heading east towards DC an opportunity to tour from west to east.
Jack is looking over his work and making updates in June, 2012.
This is part of a B&O tour from Willard, Ohio, to Baltimore and Washington. A layout of the overall tour is here. While there is still a long, long way to go, an excellent start of over 150 miles completed has been made.
Contents And Navigation
Contributors
Jack Toomey. The vast majority of the text in this Tour, and the Supplemental and Back-up Data, is from Jack. This is Jack's tour.
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
Tony Hill, retired Webmaster -- the guy who started Frograil. Unless otherwise specifically noted, any use of the first person singular pronoun refers to Tony Hill.
Help
If you'd like to contribute to this, or any other tour, please contact me here, 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
Life Support. Even in the Potomac River valley areas of the tour, you're never far from a town or major highway, so life support should not be a concern.
Geography. For much of this segment of the B&O tour, you're paralleling the Potomac River. Even eastern Montgomery County, Maryland, can be pretty hilly in some places. When you get west of Point of Rocks, however, you're between ridges and valleys of the Appalachian Mountains, and rivers, railroads and roads tend to get squeezed together. That said, you'll not need a 4-wheel drive jeep to take the tour, but you will want to slow down and be careful.
The Railroad -- General. The Metropolitan Branch begins at Point of Rocks, MD, which was called Washington Junction until 1923, and ends at the Union Station in Washington, DC. It travels through open, yet inaccessible farmland in southwest Frederick County, climbs out of the Potomac Valley and over the Monocacy River into Montgomery County, then bisects Montgomery from northwest to southeast. It travels through rural countryside until about Germantown and then enters the congested middle and lower portion of Montgomery County and then winds its way through northeast Washington, DC.
The "Met", as it is called by some, was a necessity because the Old Main Line was a circular route through Baltimore that added time and distance to trains. Construction was started in 1866 and the first trains ran in 1873. The railroad was single tracked at the beginning and soon traffic jams were experienced especially on the bridges and grades. By 1906 the B&O had built magnificent viaducts over the Monocacy River, Little Monocacy, and Little Seneca Creek, that still stand today. By 1928 the entire branch was double tracked and the right of way was straightened. As described in the tour, there are still places where the old right of way can be observed. By the mid 1970's construction was started on the Washington area's Metro transit system and there are portions where Metro and the CSX share the right of way.
The Railroad -- Traffic. Between Harpers Ferry and Washington, traffic levels vary considerably. Disregarding MARC for the moment, the traffic between Harpers Ferry and Point of Rocks includes all freight from Cumberland. At Point of Rocks, the coal and grain trains destined for the Port of Baltimore (primarily) leave to travel down the Old Main Line. Between Point of Rocks and QN tower in Washington, there are approximately 40 scheduled freight and intermodal trains, and any number of coal and stone trains or other extras. Of course, some days can be very busy along this branch while other days might see a two hour gap between trains.
Besides freight, there are (on weekdays) nine MARC trains in the morning, ten in the afternoon, and Amtrak's Capitol Limited passes through twice a day.
Compass vs. railroad directions. This segment of the B&O tour is pretty much dead west to east. If, that is, you are a flying crow. For humans on the ground, the railroad tends to meander a bit. This tour is a west to east tour, and we give track directions based on that, irrespective of compass directions. Mile points will decrease as we travel towards Washington.
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.
WEBMASTER'S NOTE: I do not 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 in any other 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.
Site Listing
Webmaster's Note: This segment of the overall B&O tour will "officially" begin in Harpers Ferry. However, we have been given information on fanning locations for several miles of trackage west of Harpers Ferry, and for those coming from the Shenandoah Junction area and the west, we provide the following as an addendum to this tour segment. Like the Harpers Ferry to Washington segment, Jack Toomey wrote up the following locations for us.
Engle. From Shenandoah Junction, depart the area eastbound on Shenandoah Junction Road. It will make a few 90° turns, but will retain its name. It will eventually T at Flowing Springs Road. Take a left and go north to Duffields (site of a MARC commuter station), and once past the tracks, take a right onto Melvin Road. This will take you thru Skeetersville, beyond which the road twists and turns until it ends at WV-230. Cross the latter onto what is now called Kidwiler Road/CR-23-1. This likewise will take you thru the countryside, and will turn seriously south as either CR-3/1 or CR-31 (maps are in conflict). It will probably, however, still be called Kidwiler Road. This road will cross Elk Branch creek, and end at Engle Switch Road.
Look for a signal bridge that spans the tracks. There is a small gravel pull off spot there. The signal bridge spans the tracks and announces the approach of westbounds which come out of a nice curve. This signal is called "Engle".
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Engle -- Peachers Mill. Go southeast on Engle Switch Road, cross Elk Branch, and then head cross country away from the tracks. At a T with Old Furnace Road, take a right and go south. You'll soon come to the tracks, and there will be an elevated gravel pull off spot that is shaded and affords a good look at westbounds coming at you in a reverse curve. There are eastbound signals right in front of you. The signal here is named "Peachers Mill."
Harpers Ferry -- Joyline Railroad and Toy Train Museum. About 100 yards east of the Peachers Mill area, take a right onto Bakerton Road. Be careful in the one lane underpass -- the locals lean on their horn when barreling through. On Bakerton Road there is a miniature train operation that is perfect for children. It has been in operation since 1970 and traverses a scenic farm. This is such a significant tourist attraction that the DeLorme Atlas for West Virginia includes it as an "Attraction."
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The Tour
Harpers Ferry -- Station Area. Well, the first thing we have to do is get you here to start the tour:
For those of you coming from the west and the Joyline Railroad and Toy Train Museum, continue south on Bakerton Road, turn left onto US-340, go one mile, and turn left into the Harpers Ferry park.
From I-70 in the Frederick, Maryland, area, take US-15 south, and then veer to the west on US-340 into Harpers Ferry.
There are many places to photograph trains in Harpers Ferry, and some of the most widely seen shots are those taken from the station platform. Note that as of the summer of 2006 the station was under renovation and there was a chain link fence around the station. Photos of westbounds coming out of the tunnel are especially popular when taken in the afternoon.
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Harpers Ferry -- Maryland Heights. People from all over the world come to Harpers Ferry to stroll the streets of a town that has been restored to its Civil War appearance. It was here that John Brown led a small group of abolitionists to seize the federal arsenal in hopes of seizing arms to free slaves in the south. Fighting during the Civil War was intense in this area, and forces from both sides occupied the hillsides on all sides of this town. As you gaze at the rivers and the two bridges take note of the pilings of bridges that were swept away by floods during the last century and a half. The confluence of the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers offers an opportunity to admire the amazing force of nature, and provides a picturesque backdrop for photography.
But for railfans, there are few places that can rival the opportunities to watch and photograph trains that Harpers Ferry offers. The railroad, officially called the Cumberland Subdivision of the CSX Railroad here, enters Harpers Ferry from the west on a curve, passes the station, crosses the Potomac on a long bridge, and then enters the historic Harpers Ferry tunnel. For the adventurous and healthy, there are two places that provide spectacular views and chances for unique photos.
The first is on Maryland Heights which overlooks the town on the Maryland side of the river. To reach this point, park in the town of Harpers Ferry, walk across the river on the fenced-in footbridge, turn left at the end of the bridge and look for the trail that leads to the top of the mountain. This hike is not for young children or those who tire easily. Do not try the hike in flip-flops or other light, casual footwear. Eventually you will get to the top of the mountain and look down on the two railroad bridges that span the Potomac and the town of Harpers Ferry. This is a morning location, as in the afternoon the sun will be in your face.
You can also reach this location by parking on the Maryland side of the river in a small parking lot.
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Harpers Ferry -- Catholic Church. The Catholic Church is visible from all over town, as it seems far overhead of everything else. There is a long, steep set of steps that lead to the church and cemetery area, and from this location around the church you can see the bridges clearly. This is an afternoon location and best in the winter.
Sandy Hook. Leave Harpers Ferry, cross back into Maryland via US-340, take a right onto Keep Tryst Road, turn right on Sandy Hook Road and follow this winding road into Sandy Hook. You can drive through Sandy Hook, about a half mile, and pass under the Harpers Ferry tunnel and park in one of the small gravel lots. It is also possible to walk into Sandy Hook via the pedestrian bridge over the river from Harpers Ferry.
As the railroad exits the Harpers Ferry tunnel the tracks enter the small town of Sandy Hook. It is a town that has seen its better days and the railroad is above the level of main street. There are a few spots where local residents park right along the railroad, and it is possible to take photographs from these locations.
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Weverton. Go back out Sandy Hook Road to Keep Tryst Road, take a right, and continue on towards Weverton. You'll come to the bottom of a hill, and the railroad and a parking area will be on your right.
This location is technically the end of the Cumberland subdivision from the west, and the beginning of the Metropolitan Subdivision to the east. There used to be a little town here, but now the main attractions are the C&O canal towpath and the railroad. The B&O used to have a branch line to Hagerstown that connected here, but when US-340 was improved the tracks were torn up. It is, however, possible to see the old right of way on the other side of US-340 for those interested in railroad architecture. There are four tracks that come out of Brunswick and narrow into two tracks underneath a signal bridge that spans the tracks. It is a good place to photograph westbounds as they pass under the signal bridge and come at you on a curve.
Don't be surprised to see a few cars parked at the dead end of Keep Tryst Road. These are kayakers, bird-watchers, hikers, or bicyclists who cross the tracks at the pedestrian walkway and disappear onto the canal towpath. Park your car, bring a chair, set up on the river side of the tracks, and it won't be long before you see a train.
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Brunswick. From Weverton you can see U.S. 340 above you. Go up the hill on Keep Tryst Road and turn right onto U.S. 340. Go about a mile and you will see a ramp to the right. There are signs for Brunswick. After a very short while, take MD-478 along the tracks into Knoxville. Turn right at the first intersection and go three miles into Brunswick. At the first traffic light, Maple Avenue, turn right and you will see the yards and station.
This town was once a major player on the B&O railroad, and into the 1980s there were large classification yards and repair shops here. Now it is basically a parking lot for spare locomotives and MARC trains. From the time it was founded until 1910 this place was called Berlin, but so much of the B&O's mail was mistakenly being sent to another town with the same name on Maryland's Eastern Shore that the company simply changed the name to Brunswick. During World War II operations ran twenty four hours a day and it was said that the entire town, which is built on a hill, was covered in a haze of coal smoke.
Today, train watchers congregate in the commuter parking lot which is full on weekdays. Weekends are more conducive for photography, although it is possible to drive up dirt roads leading to the canal to photograph eastbounds. Westbounds can be seen from the old station platform. Occasionally there will be a time sensitive train that will come blowing through but for the most part this is a crew changing place, and there are often loaded coal trains parked waiting for crews. One overlooked area is a small memorial to the crew of the MARC train that was killed in 1996 in the collision with the Amtrak train in Silver Spring. It is located just behind the passenger station. This is a town with many facilities, so eating and comfort are not problems in Brunswick.
WB Tower was decommissioned in 2011. It still stands and can be used as a nice photo prop for westbound trains. There is an effort in the works to move it to city property. (Updated by Jack Toomey, June 14, 2012)
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Lander. From Brunswick Yard, go east on MD-478/Potomac Street, all the way thru downtown Brunswick. There really aren't any good places for train watching thru here. Take a left onto Park Avenue, which will bend almost 90° to the east, and then another 90° to the north, at which time it will become 9th Avenue. When it crosses Souder Road/Cummings Road, it will head generally eastward (although it starts out quite northerly) as MD-464/Point of Rocks Road.
Go about three miles on MD-464 and turn right onto Lander Road. This latter is a loop that will take you to the area of the railroad and you should look for the CSX equipment box, and its adjacent parking area. [Webmaster's Note: Somewhere between the eastern edge of Brunswick yard and Lander, the mile points change abruptly, from the low 70's to the mid 40's.]
This is a quaint little spot about seven railroad miles from Brunswick which affords nice photographic opportunities. There is an asphalt crossing here that is guarded only by bells that announce the arrival of trains. The crossing is used exclusively by cyclists, fishermen, and hikers who frequent the Potomac River and the C&O canal towpath. Westbounds come out of a sloping curve with a nice backdrop of an old home and a hill, and are best shot in the afternoonfrom the Potomac River side of the tracks.
This is definitely not a place for children, since there is nothing at all to do besides await trains. There are no facilities of any kind within miles of this place; however, the last time Jack was there, he noticed there was a porta-john here near the old lockhouse at the canal.
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Point of Rocks. Continue the way you came on Lander Road, and it will end back at MD-464. Take a right, and then another right when you get to US-15. Just before crossing the Potomac River, take a left onto MD-28/Clay Street, and go down a small hill into the village. The impressive structure of the station will hit you right between the eyes. This is a place that is special to any eastern railfan.
This is actually where the Metropolitan branch began. After the Civil War, merchants, politicians, and common people realized that there was an urgent need for a direct route to Washington instead of looping around the Old Main Line to Baltimore and then south to Washington. Construction began in 1866 at Barnesville and the first trains began running in 1873. The Metropolitan Branch was built through the still-rural farmland of southwest Frederick County, bisects Montgomery County from northwest to southeast, and then snakes through northeast Washington to its original terminus at QN Tower near Washington's Union Station.
People from all over come to see and photograph the historic Point of Rocks station. Although some would make you believe that it is over a hundred years old, it actually burned in 1930 and was re-constructed in its original form. The station platform splits the Metropolitan and Old Main Line subdivisions. Standing on the station platform will afford photos of trains coming directly at you and then suddenly switching tracks. There is also a large commuter parking lot that is packed full on weekdays and empty on weekends.
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.
A dirt road leads down the railroad right of way and it is permissible to park there to watch and photograph trains. To see the tunnel, that was built in 1902, drive across the tracks and into a large parking lot next to the Potomac River. Then walk west on a trail through the woods until you come upon the tunnel. There is a trail that leads up an embankment to the tracks but everything at the top of embankment is railroad property. (Updated by Jack Toomey, June 14, 2012)
The only commerce at Point of Rocks is a gas station with a convenience store. (Updated by Jack Toomey, June 14, 2012)
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Dickerson -- Mouth of Monacacy Road. Continue out of Point of Rocks east on MD-28. You'll cross the Old Main going up to Baltimore, and generally go easterly and southeasterly towards Washington. Eventually, you'll leave Frederick County and enter Montgomery County. Look for Mouth of Monacacy Road on the right, and don't fail to make a quick trip down Mouth of Monocacy Road to see the railroad curving and climbing up from the Potomac Valley as it crosses the Monocacy River on a bridge. There is far more here to see, at least from a historic/architectural perspective.
There are photo opportunities from a one lane bridge on Mouth of Monocacy Road; go about a mile until you see the bridge. In the winter months westbounds can be easily photographed crossing the Monocacy River Bridge, but the scene is limited during summer months by foliage. Small gravel pull off spots are on both sides of the bridge. This is also the location of the Pepco coal fired power plant siding. This siding receives at least one coal train a day and two "trash trains" since the plant also burns the county's trash. Drive further down Mouth of Monocacy Road; take a right at the fork, and walk up to the shore of the Monocacy River. You can see the railroad bridge from waters edge.
If you take a left at the fork you have the opportunity to see and inspect the historic Monocacy Aqueduct that carried canal boats over the river during the heyday of the C&O canal.
The Pepco siding is a few hundred yards down Mouth of Monocacy Road from the bridge. For those interested in B&O history, look east from the one lane bridge. There is deep curving cut here. In 1942, just east of this bridge, a stalled passenger train was rammed from behind by another passenger train, killing fourteen passengers.
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Dickerson. Go back up Mouth of Monocacy Road to MD-28, which has now become Dickerson Road. Take a right and continue on into the hamlet of Dickerson. This is the most western MARC station in Montgomery County. There are no operations conducted in the station although the station is occasionally unlocked in the morning during the colder months. The station, which was built in 1891 and set afire at least twice, has been refurbished but is painted a hideous shade of pink.
There is a small parking lot that serves MARC commuters but is rarely full. Sightlines for photography are limited with westbounds appearing suddenly from behind an industrial building. An at-grade crossing has long ago been closed so westbounds rarely blow here. Eastbounds are more easily seen because they are ascending a steep grade from the Potomac Valley and there is a slight curve that makes shots from the station platform interesting.
Properties on the south side of the track, except for the waiting platform, are all private residences and are off-limits.
There are no facilities here although there is a full-service country market on MD-28 that is open from early morning to evening.
Dickerson -- Monocacy Viaduct. For you architects, engineers and railroad structure freaks, here is the real draw here: Yes, there is a Little Monocacy River, which is no more than a creek but has a huge gorge that engineer Loree had to figure a way of getting over, and he built the magnificent triple arched "Monocacy Viaduct" to do so. The Monocacy and Little Monocacy rivers are completely different bodies of water.
So the directions to the Monocacy Viaduct should be; from the Dickerson station leave the station parking lot on Mt. Ephraim Road, go about a mile, take the first right which is Mouth of Monocacy Road, go another mile and you will go under one of the arches of the Viaduct. Photography is a real possibility here in the winter.
Barnesville. Continue east on MD-28, which is Dickerson Road in this area. Bear left at a blinking light and continue on MD-28, which is now Darnestown Road in this area. Continue on to MD-109/Beallsville Road (there is a traffic light at the intersection), and take a left. Go four miles and you'll see the railroad on an overpass. There are parking lots on both sides of the tracks.
Barnesville station is on MD-109 and is located at the top of a long eastbound grade ascending from the Potomac Valley. It is about two railroad miles from Dickerson. Trains can be heard long before they are seen. Signals can be seen on both ends of a large commuter parking lot that is rarely full on weekdays. There is an interesting train station that was actually a gas metering station that was scheduled for demolition, but citizen groups arranged for the station to be moved from Rockville in 1977. There are no operations in the station, but it is sometimes unlocked on winter mornings for the many commuters who use the MARC service.
Photography is head-on all the time. In the winter the sun disappears behind a forest making eastbound photography from the station lot difficult after 2pm or so. Westbounds are lit up all year round in the afternoon from the south side of the tracks. There are no facilities or services here.
Several MARC trains stop here in the morning and afternoon, and the Capitol Limited passes twice, once around noon and then in the late afternoon. Caution! Amtrak races through here at about 70 mph and is on top of you before you know it. Watch children closely here! Weekends are especially popular and several photographers and railfans frequent this location.
For historians: The 1873 right of way can still be detected in the winter. On the north side of the tracks there is a large commuter lot. Down the hill from the lot and to the west there is an abandoned utility road. This is the 1873 right of way.
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Sellman. Those of you doing research will notice a point named "Sellman" just east of the crossing. Unfortunately, Sellman has ceased to exist. There is a gravel road that leads to a long closed, at-grade crossing. Eastbounds can be seen at least a mile away and nice telephoto shots which can include the signals can be taken from here. Sellman is the location of one of the many Barnesville train stations that have been torn down.
You will also, if you're doing your research, note a crossing via Peachtree Road to the east of Sellman. There is a small two lane bridge that crosses the tracks in adeep cut. It is actually the very top ofParrs Ridge and the track twists and turns under thebridge. There is limited visibility in either direction,and in all of Jack's years he has never considered taking a photo from this bridge because you would only get the locomotives. This is NAG/NARL.
Bucklodge. Go back up MD-109 to MD-28. Turn left on MD-28 and go about five miles to MD-117/Bucklodge Road. Turn left on MD-117 and go another five miles to the railroad underpass. There is a good road that CSX trucks use to get to the switch, but it's obviously railroad property.
This had not been a popular railfanning spot because of lack of access. However, a new road, apparently that will someday have new houses, has been built just north of the railroad. If you can get to track level while avoiding trespassing, there is excellent viewing for photography of eastbounds in the morning and westbounds in the afternoon. There is an interlocking switch here and one of the last remaining sidings on the Met. It is used for bad order cars and repair equipment. One interesting thing that can be seen at Bucklodge is the route of the 1873 right of way. On either side of Bucklodge Road there appears to be a utility road leading through the woods. That is the old right of way and can be clearly photographed in the winter.
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Boyds. This is a MARC station northwest of Washington, DC, at about MP 29 on the Metropolitan Subdivision. The station area is a small packed gravel parking lot, a tiny waiting platform, and a transit-style shelter. It's all in the middle of a nice curve for loco and trailing cars shots in either direction (those wherein the cars "disappear" because the engine is right in front of you, but "reappear" well to the rear, as the remains of the train enter the curve). The middle of the curve is roughly east-west, so the location is good for both morning and afternoon light. A default detector 4.6 miles to the east announces approaching westbound trains, and westbound freights will be working up a 0.5% grade.
This used to be a little railroad town with a few warehouses and a siding for farmers to deliver crops and the like. Now there is only a small parking lot that is rarely used by MARC commuters, and there is plenty of room to park on any day. From the south side of the tracks there is a backdrop of the old warehouses. East- and westbounds can be clearly seen, but they race through here so be cautious. There is a pedestrian underpass that leads to a small general store on the south side of the tracks. In the morning, eastbounds are lit up very well and the reverse is true in the afternoon. Several MARC trains stop here.
If you are starting the tour here, you can take either exit 18 or 10 from I-270 to get to the station, but exit 18 will take you thru far less traffic and traffic lights. It's also a lovely drive thru the rolling countryside and by Little Seneca Lake. The drive goes thru part of the Black Hill Regional Park. So, from exit 18, Clarksburg Road, head south about 4 miles, to a T at a stop sign roughly under the CSX overpass. Take a right onto Clopper Road for about 100 feet, and then another right into the station parking area. There is no charge for parking, and weekday space is usually available. There is no MARC service weekends, so the lot will be pretty much empty.
For those continuing towards Washington on the B&O Harpers Ferry - DC tour, turn right out of the parking lot of the Boyds station and continue south on Clopper Road. Those who are going to visit the Waring Viaduct, look for the recreation center which is about a mile south on Clopper Road. For others, continue south on Clopper Road about three miles from Boyds to MD-118. Turn left at Md-118 and go about a mile, turn right onto Bowman Mill Road into the MARC parking lots and you will see the station.
CSX and MARC are fighting capacity problems on the Subdivision, so expect to see lots of MARC action weekday mornings and afternoon rush hours, and plenty of CSX in between. Be alert: This is an excellent piece of railroad, and the trains move fast and often very quietly on both tracks.
[Webmaster's Note: Janusz Mrozek took advantage of a day out with his toddler to add to Jack's input to this railfan location.]
Germantown -- Waring Viaduct. The stone aqueduct over Seneca Creek is an attraction for those interested in railroad structures. It was built at the same time that the Monocacy Aqueduct was constructed. To see it, continue east bound on Clopper Road for about 5 miles — to the intersection with Waring Station Road. Turn left and continue to the bridge over the Metropolitan Branch line (about 0.5 miles). Beyond the bridge is street parking. Just past the bridge is an access road which will take you down to the actual Viaduct. If you take your hike in the winter you might stumble across the piers of the 1873 trestle that was torn down when the railroad was straightened in the early 1900s. (Updated April, 2013, thanks to John C. Abbott).
Germantown. Head southeast on Clopper Road. At MD-118/Germantown Road, take a left to head back up to the tracks. Note that Jack points out that MD-118 is now a 6-lane major commuter highway, and you can no longer see the tracks. Do your map work ahead of time. Once across the tracks, take a right onto Bowman Mill Drive, and then another right into the MARC parking lot.
Germantown has been swallowed up by development, but the E. F. Baldwin-designed 1891 station survives as well as the old bank building which can make photography interesting with the correct angle. There is a pedestrian bridge just west of the station that railfans sometimes use. Westbounds appear out of a curve with fairly good sight lines while eastbounds are less photogenic from the station platform. There are two huge commuter parking lots that are always full on weekdays but parking can be found nearby. Weekends are no problem since there is no MARC service. At the last visit there were two porta-johns but there are no other facilities here. The town of Germantown is a half mile north and it offers a wide variety of facilities.
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Metropolitan Grove. A newer place to watch and photograph trains is the Metropolitan Grove Road MARC station. It has a large parking lot that is rarely full and there are platforms on either side of the track. There are even benches and shelters to sit in while you wait for a train. Eastbound trains come on a straightaway of several hundred yards with a nice curve in the background. The morning sun should light up the front of the train. Westbounds come at you on a slight reverse curve but it is possible to walk down to the Metropolitan Grove Road grade crossing and get a good shot of a very long straightaway through north Gaithersburg. The signals immediately west of this location are Seneca Fill and Clopper. There is also a detector immediately to the west.
You will be coming south on Clopper Road on the way to Gaithersburg. You will see signs for the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration. Turn left onto Metropolitan Grove Road, go about a hundred yards and turn left, go another fifty yards and you will see signs for both the MARC parking lot and for MVA overflow parking. Turn right into this lot and you will find a very nice place to watch trains. If you pass the MVA you have gone too far. There are no facilities here but there is a food truck that parks in front of the main MVA parking lot and the vendor sells just about everything you would need.
Gaithersburg. This town is located twenty-one railroad miles from Washington's Union Station.
Go back down to Clopper Road, take a left, and continue cross country towards the Nation's Capital. Clopper will cross MD-124 and become MD-117/West Diamond Avenue. You'll pass I-270, MD-355, and eventually come to Summit Avenue. Take a left on Summit to head up to the area of the MARC/ex-B&O station.
Gaithersburg has evolved from a sleepy little village into one of the largest cities in Maryland. Places for railfanning and photography are numerous. You'll find a unique train station and freight house that were built in 1884. Along the north side of the tracks there are restaurant parking lots, but some have railings and you have to lean over to take a photo. It is better to set up on the station platform or on a sort of boardwalk that connects a restaurant with the freight house and station. The City of Gaithersburg has put together a little park here with a steam engine, caboose, and a Western Maryland Railway car.
Westbounds come off a curve with an old mill in the background and can be easily seen from both sides of the tracks. Eastbounds come straight at you and are backlit during the afternoon from the station platform.
There is a five story parking garage across from the Gaithersburg train station. Photography is fine from the upper floors. Eastbounds are good in the morning and visa versa for westbounds. The only problem with eastbounds is a telephone pole line on the north side that intrudes on shots. In the afternoon photos of westbounds are great. You can get most of the town in the background as the train travels in front of the station and then to the west.
For some reason radio reception is not very good even from the top level of the garage. You might hear an eastbound call "Clopper" and a detector at 22.6. A westbound will call "Derwood" before arriving at Gaithersburg but sometimes train horns are your best warning.
There is all kinds of commerce in Gaithersburg all within walking distance. (Info updated by Jack Toomey, June 14, 2012)
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Washington Grove. Cross the tracks on Summit Avenue, and take a right onto East Diamond Avenue. Diamond will eventually become Railroad Avenue in Washington Grove. Take a right on Oakmont to the tracks. Hershey's Restaurant, at 17030 Oakmont Avenue, sits next to the tracks, and trains are visible from a couple of tables -- ask the wait staff for a table that has a view of the tracks. Besides the CSX Metropolitan Subdivision, you're apt to see MARC during early evening, and the Amtrak Capital Limited may scoot by, also.
Washington Grove is a place that rail photographers often use on weekends. There are gravel parking lots on both sides of the track. Westbounds from Washington come at you on a long straightaway while eastbounds come around a curve from Gaithersburg. This location is only a mile from Gaithersburg so any accommodations that are needed can be had there.
Thanks to Dan Hayes who has contributed some of this information, and calls Hershey's one of the "...good restaurants in the area."
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Rockville. From the Washington Grove/Hershey's Restaurant area, go southeast (towards DC), cross I-370, and take a right onto Shady Grove Road. At the major intersection with MD-355/Frederick Road, take a left to head into Rockville. Be aware that MD-355's name changes about every several miles, so just keep watch for MD-355 signs. In the downtown area, watch for Monroe Place on your right. Opposite that will be Church Street on your left. MD-355 is a major city street here, so be prepared. Turn left onto Church Street, and the tracks are straight ahead. Jack comments: "I have not seen many railfans here because of the congestion, lack of parking, and limited sightlines."
Trains can be photographed from the station platform and also a pedestrian bridge, although the bridge has annoying iron mesh.
The station serves Amtrak, CSX (Metropolitan Subdivision), MARC and Metro. Parking is available free during the weekends, but you'll miss the MARC action. During weekdays, you will usually find parking near the restored B&O station nearby.
This data was augmented by Dan Hayes. Thanks, Dan.
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Garrett Park. Go back down Church Street from the Rockville station, and turn left to continue towards Washington on MD-355/Rockville Pike. After quite a drive, you'll enter the Garrett Park Estates area, and should turn left on Strathmore Avenue. Go about a mile and take a subsequent left onto Kenilworth Avenue (there is a yellow blinker light). Go one block, and bear right onto Waverly Avenue, and follow Waverly to the tracks.
This is a most interesting little town -- and a nice place to watch the action on the Metropolitan Subdivision. An historic town, it is closely tied to the railroad. Back in 1898, the town was laid out as a bedroom community for DC commuters. In fact, the town was named for Robert W. Garrett, the president of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. Today, over 100 years later, this is still a bedroom community with an active base of DC commuters. It is also a gorgeous community with nice homes, attractive landscaping, and beautiful big, robust trees.
The commuter station consists of just a very small shelter on the south (west) side of the tracks, and a short commuter platform on either side of the tracks. For photo hounds, you'll probably want to shoot during the middle of the day, as there are tall trees on both sides of the tracks, so shadows are a problem until the sun is quite high. This is really a better place to enjoy being alive and watching some trains, rather than a photo location.
Next to the station's parking area is the post office and a large building which includes some shops and a nice little cafe. The cafe has both inside and outside dining, cold adult beverages, and an adequate, light menu. We enjoyed our lunch immensely, while a DC-bound intermodal pig train rocketed by going at least 60 mph, with well over 120 trailers. You'll see more than one train per hour here, including the morning and late afternoon MARC parades.
Just to the east of Garrett Park is the Rock Creek trestle which is a large stone arched bridge, and can be seen on the way to Kensington.
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Kensington. From the station at Garrett Park, go back south on Kenilworth to Strathmore and take a left. When you leave Garrett Park, the road will soon become Knowles Avenue. Continue about two miles to Connecticut Avenue. Turn left on Connecticut, and then an immediate right onto Howard Avenue, and the tracks will be on your left. The station is three blocks down Howard Avenue.
Originally named Knowles Station, Kensington is out the way of the hustle and bustle of the rest of lower Montgomery County. The 1891 E. F. Baldwin-designed station still stands and has been recently refurbished.
On the north side of the tracks there is a municipal parking lot. It is usually filled with cars on weekdays. Its a good place to park on the weekends but it does not provide a view of approaching eastbound trains. (Updated by Jack Toomey, June 14, 2012)
Eastbounds come down a long tangent and westbounds come out of a curve. although trains blow here they still travel rather quickly and you should be alert. If you have time to walk around, look about fifty yards west of the station for a barricade that does not seem to have a purpose. In 1927 there was an at-grade crossing here and a family of five was killed by a train and the crossing was closed as a result -- thus the barricade that remains. Howard Avenue, on the south side of the tracks, is filled with antique shops and there is a convenience store just around the corner.
The commuter parking lot will almost certainly be full during the week, so park a little ways away and walk back to the station area.
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Forest Glen. Go back up Howard Avenue to Connecticut Avenue. Turn right onto Connecticut Ave and go one block to Plyers Mill Road, turn right and go one block to Metropolitan Avenue. Turn right onto Metropolitan Ave and continue on. This road becomes Capital View Avenue but you won't know it. Continue on about three miles to the top of a hill and you will see the spires of the old castle. Turn right here into the Forest Glen crossing area.
This is a site that is frequently overlooked by railfans. The photography opportunities are excellent and there is even a backdrop of an old castle on the north side of the tracks. The castle was built in the 1920s and has now been subdivided into offices and a restaurant, but with the correct angle you can get it into your photo. Trains from both directions come out of curves but since Forest Glen has been designated as a "Quiet Zone" trains do not blow here any longer. (Updated by Jack Toomey, June 14, 2012) There is a nice parking lot on the south side of the tracks and shoulders to park on.
There is a gas station right across the street from this crossing but no other accommodations. If you can stand the roar of cars and trucks on I-495 which is directly below this location, it is a worthwhile place to stop.
Silver Spring -- Georgetown Junction. From Forest Glen, go south on Capital View Avenue which will soon become Seminary Road. At the first traffic light this will become Second Avenue. Go south on Second Avenue for about six blocks and turn right on Hanover Street, which ends at 4th Ave. Turn left to reach Talbot Avenue, at the wooden bridge, which was at one time a turntable bridge built at Martinsburg, and brought down, turned upside down, and made into a bridge.
Georgetown Junction cannot be observed except from the wooden bridge over the railroad on Talbot Avenue or a very busy six lane bridge on 16th Street. Georgetown Junction was once the place where the spur line to the Georgetown section of Washington, D.C. ran off the mainline. It is also the location of the Amtrak vs. MARC accident that happened in 1996 when eleven people were killed. A long time ago the B&O used this location for publicity shots.
Looking to the east from the bridge you can see eastbounds clearly and the interlocking that is located here. The Talbot Avenue bridge is a one lane narrow bridge and it is probably better to stand at either end and wait until you hear trains on your scanner. It has been reported that there "is no blowing of [train] horns" near Talbot Avenue, so stay very alert.
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Silver Spring -- Old Station. Retrace your journey back onto Second Avenue. Go south on Second Avenue to Colesville Road. Turn left on Colesville Road and go about two blocks to Georgia Avenue. Take a right and go about a half mile until you see the railroad overpass. The railroad station is just north of this overpass.
The station is located at the corner of Sligo and Georgia Avenue. This was the old B&O commuter station for DC-bound commuters. The station is temporarily closed, as it's undergoing structural and roof repairs. There is a tunnel under the tracks which is open during MARC operating hours.
The traffic is great: Besides the MARC and CSX traffic we've been enjoying, there are also a zillion Metro mass transit trains going thru here. One problem is that there are 4 tracks, with the 2 outer tracks the CSX/MARC mains, and the 2 inner tracks the Metro. There are major league fences separating everything. Yuck.
Jack's take is less than enthusiastic: During the heyday of the railroad, Silver Spring had a miniature yard with rolling stock and occasional passenger cars here. The 1945 B & O station is still standing but boarded up. There is a newer station for MARC passengers close to the old location. If you choose to take photographs here you will be competing with Metro trains which pass much more frequently. This area has seen a better day and there are very few places to park. Jack goes on to point out that further, major, changes are taking place in the area. The erstwhile yard and parking areas have been demolished and a new office construction (surprise, surprise) has been undertaken, so this entire area must be approached in a less than enthusiastic manner.
However, Joshua Moldover assures us that the station platforms are still in daily use by MARC commuters, so you should be able to get photos here. Try the north platform weekday afternoons and evenings, and the south for morning shots. The south side looks as if it would be a very tight photo angle.
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Washington, DC. [WEBMASTER'S NOTE: This material is included for information only. None of the railroad points described in this section are recommended as railfan locations. We specifically warn you NOT to fan in any of them. This is a dangerous part of the city. These locations are not in the Site Listing, as they are not railfan locations.]
QN Tower. At BA2.1, the Union Station Lead goes to the south. All MARC traffic from the west departs the Subdivision here, and vice versa. In actuality, the station lead and Eckington Yard lead are still physically together, but there is a technical separation, as well as an interlocking.
Eckington Yard. This is the CSX, ex-B&O freight yard for DC. It is still active, but is a shadow of its former years. Eckington took trains off the Metropolitan and Capital (from Baltimore) subdivisions, gathered and delivered local freight, and sent trains south to Potomac Yard south of the Potomac River in Virginia. Only 2-4 thru trains a day stop here now.
F Tower. There are conflicting claims about F tower and C tower. On one station list I have, C tower is the end of the Metro Sub. On another, it's F tower. Who cares? What happens at the northeast corner of Eckington Yard is that a connector swings southeast from the Metro Sub to back up northeast to the Capital Sub, forming a connection between the two subdivisions. I believe it is the eastern most tower that is technically the end of the Metropolitan Sub at BA 0.0.