I am looking for differt places to railfan in Maryland. I take most of my pics at St Denis, and want to try some other views and angles as well. Any locations would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your help.
I go to St. Denis also, it’s a nice place to hang out,and take pictures.
When the traffic is slow there I sometimes go to the MARC Halethorpe Station on Amtraks Northeast Corridor.
Lansdowne is a decent place to take photos at,the cabooses there are just about gone(sold) Just off Lansdowne Rd. bridge is a good spot looking down at the signals there.
Carl T.
Cumberland, MD/Keystone Sub is one of the best places in the Mid-Atlantic to go. There are anywhere from 50 to 150 movements a day, and there are tons of good photo locations. Plus as a bonus the WMSR runs out of Cumberland, and there are really cool cabooses and passenger cars parked on display at Hyndman.
I’ve been to the Baltimore area many times, but haven’t had much chance to railfan, other than the B&O Museum and the Baltimore Streetcar Museum. I haven’t been back in about 10 years.
I did have some luck one Sunday in Hanover, PA back when the M&Pa and Chessie System operated there. It’s on Hwy. 30 just north of the state line. The old WM line through Reisterstown and Hampstead was good for some action also. I also got some shots of trains on the Thomas Viaduct, but they didn’t turn out any good.
I wish I could go back and see if these lines are still active.
Used to be a spot near the Bush River, but I understand that has been closed off.
Along the OML from Baltimore to Harpers Ferry can be found a spot or two. Not too many.
My all time favorite railfan spot is Harpers Ferry where there is a Amtrack Station with a tiny subway for a small platform near the bridges. The westbounders running for the hill make ground shake but so worth it for camera angles. The eastbounders are generally easier to watch.
Regarding the camera angles, what did I know back then with a itty bitty 110 disposible that can barely see anything beyond 10 feet.
I’d rate Harpers Ferry my favorite too, I love watching the eastbounds. The view from the Hill Top Hotel is great.
Good railfanning locations on the Northeast Corridor are in Perryville on the East Bank of the Susquehanna River from the grounds of the VA Medical Center or from Havre de Grace on the West Bank of the Susquehanna River from the McElhenny Park or the boat launch ramp next to the Amtrak tracks; during the week there can be 2-3 trains per hour, mostly passenger trains.
Another location on the Northeast Corridor is from MD Route 197 Bridge over the Amtrak tracks in the Huntington area of Bowie. Note you will need a car to visit all of the sites.
Some good locations on the CSX Metropolitan Sub are Gaithersburg, the Monocacy River Viaduct that carries the C&O Canal over the Monocacy River west of Dickerson, MD in the C&O Canal National Park, and Point of Rocks. A car is needed to reach all of these railfanning sites except Gaithersburg. Point of Rocks has a historic station, and it is the junction between the Metropolitan Sub and the “Old Main Line”; the metropolitan Sub is the busier of the two lines, and it is a stop for MARC commuter trains.The traffic on the “Old Main Line” is all freight while the traffic on the CSX Metropolitan Sub is mostly freight. Note: If you visit Point of Rocks during the week you may have to park on MD Route 28 instead of in the station’s parking lot because it is often filled.
“Bailey’s Wye” at Warner Street and Ostend St, just south of M&T Bank Stadium has always been a good spot. West end of Bayview yard (Pulaski & Erdman) is a great spot from 0930 to 1130 (usually a railfan or 2 there as well on the Durrett-Sheppard lot). As mentioned before, Perryville Station, particularly Friday nights after 9. Dorsey Station for good sun angles anytime. Point of Rocks station (the western version of Relay).
When I lived in MD I used to go to the commuter station in Odenton, MD to watch the Amtrak and commuter trains blast around the curve on both ends of the station at over 100 mph. This was a very exhilarating experience to watch and I am sure it still is. I can highly recommend this spot.
There was one place I used to deliver to. One train ripped the door off my mack clean off including the bolts on the cab frame. That was my lesson in making sure that door is SHUT and that Im not on that side of the truck when the ground starts to shake. The tracks were that close. I took to using a 20 foot lanyard to my belt to keep from being pulled under.
Thanks everyone of these great locations. [:)]
Isn’t Thomas Viaduct near St. Denis? How does one reach the viaduct from the direction of Washington, DC?
I like Point of Rocks, particularly on the weekends when one can park in the station lot.
JOdom - Take 95N to Elk Ridge/Washington Blvd. The Thomas Viaduct is on the Howard/Baltimore County border. Patapsco State Park entrance will take you back to the Viaduct at ground view. Better yet, go towards St Denis, cross over the B&O, and where the main road wants you to turn right, turn left and go down the hill. Park near the CSX right of way, walk past the Relay Hotel, and head towards the oblisk. That’s where most of your classic shots are taken.
Many thanks, fifedog.
An earlier poster spoke about going to Odenton, MD to watch Amtrak. When we lived in Odenton I enjoyed seeing the E60’s thunder by dragging almost endless Amtrak trains. Those E60’s didn’t have diesel engines to make noise, but they didnt’ need diesels - dragging a 15 or 20-car train at what seemed like 80 mph was noisy enough!
My favorites are Point of Rocks
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=17392
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=88774
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=88775
and Maryland Heights overlooking Harper’s Ferry
This is for Fifedog and Jodom. If I am not mistakenyou may have to get on to CSX property to get to the obliesk and the site of the former Relay Hotel.
Yes you do have to cross the Old Main Line to get to the monument,and Station site.
Carl T.
Not me. I scale the 40 foot thicket and bramble covered hillside so that I don’t have to cross the tracks…[angel] Doesn’t everyone…?[:O]
Just a heads up but it is illegal to take pictures from the VA Hospital. Even though you are not taking pictures of the hospital, photos from anywhere on the property fall under the following:
38 CFR 1.218 (23) Unauthorized photography on premises, $50.
I know a few of their officers and Id rather save someone from having to go to court in Baltimore for a US District court citation.
Thanks for the heads up about the photography from the grounds of the Perryville VA Medical Center; fortunately, or unfortunately, this is good to know.
It has been three years since I last photographed trains from grounds of the VA Medical Center, and up to then I never had any problems. Further, many ralfans have photographed trains from the grounds of the Perryville VA Medical Center in the past without problems, but things have changed since then. While I have not heard of any railfans being cited for unauthorized photography from the VA Medical Center’s grounds it is well to be careful.