Hey All
I live in MD and love to go Fishing in the Patapsco river, and I noticed that there are RR tracks that run on the banks of the river from Sykesville To Ellicott City. Does anyone know if this route is still in use by CSX or MMID? I know that the Thomas Viaduct is still in use. Can anyone enlighten me?
The tracks along the Patapsco River are CSX’s Old Main Line Subdivision that runs from St. Denis where it joins with the Baltimore Terminal Sub and the Capital Sub to Point of Rocks where it joins the Metropolitan Sub. The Old Main line is used for coal and empty trains from Baltimore Terminal as well as any other traffic that is not destined to terminals on the Metropolitan or Capital Subs. It is a heavy duty single track operation.
The Old Main Line is active. Especially with Coal coming through Brunswick from the west for Baltimore. I have walked sections of that old main line and can tell you that it is up to date and as active as any railroad I have seen around the USA.
Im not certain of trackage past Mt Airy Tunnel but it should go right into Ellicott and thence to Baltimore downtown.
Relay House is in the area and that trackage goes to Alexandria with all traffic bound south. (Or most all of it anyhow) What’s left goes to Moncacy and on to Harpers Ferry and towards Cumberland and beyond.
There are so many railroads jammed into that part of Maryland I can hardly keep track of them all. Within a stones throw are PRR, WM, MMID, NS, CSX etc etc etc etc…keep in mind I think in late steam terms.
Hey thanks, for the info!