Nostalgia & History > That one minute when you hope everything is hooked up right

You are at Dorsey Maryland, Summer of 1968. B&O has dumped 24 cars of a Baltimore bound train, at Dorsey Maryland. Dorsey is on the Metropolitan subdivision of the Baltimore division. Located between Baltimore and DC, it was and is a critical link in B&O and now CSX. Back then there were several commuter runs and long haul passenger trains also using this line. Wreck crews were called from Baltimore and Brunswick Maryland to get the mess cleaned up ASAP. You are watching the Brunswick wrecker just putting its muscle into one of the derailed cars. What I found just as interesting in this shot is the intensity of all of the men. All eyes are on the movement to insure that everything holds, and no cable breaks loose causing injury or any more damage.

Bill Rettberg
Bel Air, MD



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/16/19 11:04 by Roadjob.

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Nice photo and story.  You are correct about this main line and I can attest from my own knowledge that these B&O wreck train workers were really hustling to get at least one main line track back into service ASAP to keep all those passenger trains moving.  Some freight trains bound for Cumberland and points west were surely sent up the Old Main Line, the original B&O main line from Baltimore to Point of Rocks where they would rejoin the main line to continue west.  Thanks for the photo and story.
John in White Marsh, Maryland

That steam crane by itself would be interesting, but with the workers, this photo is truly a slice of history.
Bob

That was one long train!

Yes it was LOL! How about I shorten that to 24. 

Bill Rettberg
Bel Air, MD

That is a neat photo and as one who has worked a few derailments I can say that yes, if you are close by when the derrick starts taking a strain on the cable, it is all eyes on what is happening.

I'm sure you know this, but if it's Dorsey, it's the Washington (not Metropolitan) Subdivision.
-Ted