Nostalgia & History > Bainbridge Naval Training Center (Port Deposit, Octorar

I am doing some historical research on the infrastructure that serves some of the abandoned US military bases and was looking for some information on the rail line(s) that used to serve the Bainbridge Naval Training Center in Maryland. It would appear that there was a line that ran from the facility north to Colora, MD where it met with the Octoraro Branch. However, that's about all the detail I can find. I'd like to find a map that shows this route (or what's left of the easement), as well as some information on when the line went in, where the trains went, schedules, etc. I figured that this is absolutely THE place to find this kind of information. So, anyone...

Thanks in advance!
Brad

The line you mention is shown on the 1942 Topo maps accessible through this website: http://historical.mytopo.com/quad.cfm?quadname=Havre%20de%20Grace&state=MD&series=15

Good luck.

Art House
Gettysburg, Pa.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/12/13 07:12 by aehouse.

Occasionally someone on Ebay sells Octoraro Branch timetable reprints. The last time I was in there (10-12 years ago) the rails were still all in place on the Station.


DT

The 1942 topos are great. Thanks for that tip. It does show the Octoraro line pretty well. What it doesn't show is the line running from Bainbridge to Colora and how that intersection worked. That line must have gone in after the 1942 survey.

I'll check Ebay for the time tables. Good tip.

Thanks,
Brad

brodgers Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The 1942 topos are great. Thanks for that tip.
> It does show the Octoraro line pretty well. What
> it doesn't show is the line running from
> Bainbridge to Colora and how that intersection
> worked. That line must have gone in after the
> 1942 survey.
>
> I'll check Ebay for the time tables. Good tip.
>
> Thanks,
> Brad

Brad, I found the line on the 1955 topo map at historic aerials.

link: http://www.historicaerials.com/aerials.php?scale=2.89625175445152E-05&lat=39.6213368061274&lon=-76.0891591668031&year=T1955

If you click on the 1952 Aerial photo map. It shows the freight houses.

BaltoJoey



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/13/13 16:53 by BaltoJoey.

Again, this is perfect. Thank you for all of the help.

Now, I'd like to figure out if the easement from Bainbridge to Colora is still owned by the government, or if it was sold back to the landowners. Is there an easier way to do this other than looking through tax parcel plats for Cecil County?

Brad

Brad, if the ROW is still owned by the government you would never know it as almost all of it, save cuts and fills, is long obliterated. I think that may require a trip to Elkton to determine what the current deeds have to say.


DT