Eastern Railroad Discussion > B&O's Baltimore Beltway Railroad

Most of you have heard or read about the fact that the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad built a major tunnel through downtown Baltimore (under Howard Street) which opened to traffic in June 1895.  Along with this major tunnel, the railroad also had to build additional smaller tunnels heading east beyond the Mt. Royal Station which is located at the north end of the Howard Street Tunnel.  This line was originally called the "Baltimore Beltway Line."  This line runs east from the Mt. Royal Station and crosses over the former Northern Central R.R. Line (now part of the Baltimore Light Rail Line), crosses over the Jones Falls (major stream that empties into the Baltimore Harbor of the Patapsco River), then the line continues going under various roads paralleling 26th Street in Baltimore City.  This is a main line that runs under many streets with several blocks in tunnels as it proceeds towards the Bay View Yard in East Baltimore.  On April 30, 2014 part of 26th Street between Charles St. and St. Paul St. began to buckle, then within a few hours, the large retaining wall separating the railroad from the street collapsed taking with it most of the wall, many automobiles parked on the south side of 26th Street, the trees, the lamp posts, and the sidewalk, sending everything down onto the railroad tracks of today's CSX main line.  It took over one year to rebuild a modern wall to hold up the new reconstructed 26th street.  Rail traffic was blocked for about 5 days before all the debris was cleared off the single track that runs through this area. 
Today on the local news, one of the Baltimore TV Stations reported that another part of 26th Street, west of where the wall collapsed before, has begun to buckle.  The news story showed all kinds of Baltimore City Officials along with some CSX employees looking at the situation and the fear is that this additional old retaining wall could fall down onto the rail line.  Unless something happens sooner, the next regularly scheduled newscast will be at 4 P.M. today.
After seeing and hearing this story, my own opinion is that the city and/or CSX should shore up all of the remaining walls alongside this important rail line as this is the main line that carries freight trains (no passenger service on this line now) between the cities north and south of Baltimore, Maryland.  Hopefully the powers in charge have caught this problem now before another major disruption to CSX and problems for the many home owners who have houses on the north side of 26th Street.
John in White Marsh, Maryland

Thanks for that report.

The Bal'mer Sun also has an article and some video about the current situation, and some footage of the 2014 mess.  I feel sorry for the neighbors, that looks like a nice neighborhood.

https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/bs-md-ci-east-26th-sinking-20181126-story.html

ClubCar Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Most of you have heard or read about the fact that
> the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad built a major tunnel
> through downtown Baltimore (under Howard Street)
> which opened to traffic in June 1895.  Along with
> this major tunnel, the railroad also had to build
> additional smaller tunnels heading east beyond the
> Mt. Royal Station which is located at the north
> end of the Howard Street Tunnel.  This line was
> originally called the "Baltimore Beltway Line." 
> This line runs east from the Mt. Royal Station and
> crosses over the former Northern Central R.R. Line
> (now part of the Baltimore Light Rail Line),
> crosses over the Jones Falls (major stream that
> empties into the Baltimore Harbor of the Patapsco
> River), then the line continues going under
> various roads paralleling 26th Street in Baltimore
> City.  This is a main line that runs under many
> streets with several blocks in tunnels as it
> proceeds towards the Bay View Yard in East
> Baltimore.  On April 30, 2014 part of 26th Street
> between Charles St. and St. Paul St. began to
> buckle, then within a few hours, the large
> retaining wall separating the railroad from the
> street collapsed taking with it most of the wall,
> many automobiles parked on the south side of 26th
> Street, the trees, the lamp posts, and the
> sidewalk, sending everything down onto the
> railroad tracks of today's CSX main line.  It
> took over one year to rebuild a modern wall to
> hold up the new reconstructed 26th street.  Rail
> traffic was blocked for about 5 days before all
> the debris was cleared off the single track that
> runs through this area. 
> Today on the local news, one of the Baltimore TV
> Stations reported that another part of 26th
> Street, west of where the wall collapsed before,
> has begun to buckle.  The news story showed all
> kinds of Baltimore City Officials along with some
> CSX employees looking at the situation and the
> fear is that this additional old retaining wall
> could fall down onto the rail line.  Unless
> something happens sooner, the next regularly
> scheduled newscast will be at 4 P.M. today.
> After seeing and hearing this story, my own
> opinion is that the city and/or CSX should shore
> up all of the remaining walls alongside this
> important rail line as this is the main line that
> carries freight trains (no passenger service on
> this line now) between the cities north and south
> of Baltimore, Maryland.  Hopefully the powers in
> charge have caught this problem now before another
> major disruption to CSX and problems for the many
> home owners who have houses on the north side of
> 26th Street.
> John in White Marsh, Maryland

John, the correct name was the Baltimore Belt Line. It was built long before the Beltway.

Here is my source of information: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltimore_Belt_Line

CSX is now dismantling the wall, before the whole mess caves in.  It appears that some of the fence and sidewalk already gave way.

Rail service has been suspended in the area, which means CSX's main north-south route is blocked.

https://baltimorebrew.com/2018/11/26/collapsing-wall-on-26th-street-now-being-dismantled/

BaltoJoey Wrote:

> John, the correct name was the Baltimore Belt
> Line. It was built long before the Beltway.
>
> Here is my source of
> information: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltim
> ore_Belt_Line

BaltoJoey; you are correct.  I don't know why I called it the Beltway, I'm just getting old.  Thanks for the correction.
John

I wonder if any of this current mess will pursuade CSX that it might be a good idea to upgrade the Howard Street tunnel. EHH nixes an upgrade a few years ago even though the government (both federaland Maryland I think) would pay a substantial share of the cost. I guess  EHH  figured an improved tunnel would not contribue to CSX's next quarter earnings.