Eastern Railroad Discussion > New to DC area

I am heading to the DC area (Not sure where I will settle exactly) to be married in the near future. Better half is in Germantown right now. I am on the road and tying up loose ends and doing a little rilfanning as I go.
Hows the area for fanning (Didn't have time when I was there for a few days before) Judging as it is a area of the country I have not been to before and only done Western railfanning, I am kind of excited to see something that's not toxic yellow or burnt ornage for a change. (Any small lines in the area?)
Thanks in advance
Art from Wyoming

Amtrak is certainly all over the place along with MARC and VRE in the vicinity. CSX and NS also own rails through and around, and not far are the Eastern Shore RR, the Maryland Midland and who knows what all. The east you'll soon see is paved with rail, and in the DC area most are busy as a beehive.

The Alexandria, VA station is a frequent hang out for the area's railfans, especially when the weather begins turning warmer -- soon. And they know where most everything is in that area. This station, served by Amtrak and VRE, is across the street from the Washington Masonic Memorial, which is a HUGE monument that can be seen from all over the area. It's just a few miles south of the Potomac River, and small signs direct motorists off I-95 to it. Also, look through the yellow pages for the location of current hobby shops, and CALL before you go -- some of them have moved or even closed, such as the Great Train Store that used to be in downtown DC's Union Station.

Welcome to the DC area. There are a lot of great places to railfan within easy driving distance. Contact me off-list when you get here. I can suggest a few E Lists to subscribe to and give you some directions to the best places in the area to railfan.

You might have already discovered that Germantown is on the CSX Metropolitan Subdivision, which is a good place to start. CSX Freight, MARC commuter and Amtrak's Capitol Limited all go through Germantown.

Point of Rocks is nearby. It is the junction of the Metropolitan subdivision and the Old Main Line. It has a picturesque Victorian-era station and often hosts a bunch of railfans.

There are plenty of other places to visit and watch trains. The MARC stations at Riverdale (Camden Line) and Seabrook (Penn line)are both good. Washington DC Union Station is a good place to go as is the L'Enfant DC station of the Virginia Railway Express.

Enjoy!

Plenty of shortlines within reach of DC.

Approximately an hour's drive will get you the Winchester & Western and the Maryland Midland. Both are great lines, with nice scenery. There are also a couple of "grungy" shortlines in Baltimore, the Canton RR and the Patapsco & Back Rivers. They are essentially industrial RR's, hence my term.

If you want more info, just ask. I'm short on time at the moment. Second the Alexandria comments. One of the best spots in DC to watch trains, and plenty of people there to help you learn.

Mike Derrick
http://www.shortlinesusa.com

Maryland Midland is indeed one of the most attractive shortlines in the country, and they'll be fairly close to your back yard once you move to D.C. Right now they have a couple of Helm GP40s on lease for testing, which disrupts the beauty of their orange-blue livery, but supposedly this is a short-term thing in anticipation of buying locomotives that will be repainted into their colors. They're based in Union Bridge, Md., and their traffic is growing.

The scenic gems in the immediate area are the former B&O main line from Point of Rocks on west -- pretty much all the way to Pittsburgh, which takes in the Harpers Ferry area, the Magnolia Cutoff, and Sand Patch -- and the former RF&P between Woodbridge and Fredericksburg. The former has good valley/mountain scenery and, west of Hancock, lots of signal bridges and masts with B&O CPLs. Don't miss the HO Tower at Hancock, its days are numbered.

The former RF&P has a diverse array of bridges over the estuaries that feed into the lower Potomac River, including the Occoquan River, Neabsco, Powells Creek, Quantico Creek (Possum Point), Aquia Creek, Potomac Run, and the Rappahannock River. These bridges are likely to be modified or replaced in the near future if Virginia follows through with triple-tracking plans, so be sure to devote some time to this line, which also has the diversity of CSX freight (including the Orange Juice Train), VRE commuters, and frequent Amtraks (including the Auto Train south of Lorton).

The NS Manassas Gap Branch (Manassas to Front Royal, VA) has a fair amount of freight traffic and lots of good photo angles. Try Rectortown,VA for some good shots of historic buildings, trains, and lots of curves. At Riverton, VA (west side of the Gap) the branch crosses the former N&W Shenandoah Valley line, and NS built a new connecting track there about 10 years ago, all interlocked. Most traffic from the south now runs via the MGB and Riverton. The line is unsignaled but has one spring-switch section of double track in the middle, with automatic distant and home signals.

If you're a biker, ride the Georgetown Branch bike path, which runs from Silver Spring around through the Maryland suburbs and down the Potomac bluffs into Georgetown. It's got some interesting bridges and one short, brick-lined tunnel (Dalecarlia). It used to be an interesting rail operation, and makes a great bike trail.

Other spots include the Thomas Viaduct (Relay, MD), a Bollman truss bridge in Savage, MD (between Baltimore and Washington), and of course the B&O Museum, which will re-open in November. And do also visit the new transportation exhibit at the Smithsonian Museum of American History, which just opened in December. Its centerpiece is Southern steam loco 1401.

There's LOTS of railfan stuff in the Wash/Baltimore area. Enjoy it all!

Just came back in to check messages. Wow! Thanks for all the info! can't wait to get there!
Art from Wyoming

And Don't forget Shenandoah Junction! There'll be several there on Friday (me included). Also, Brunswick is a nice spot. I have never EVER been hasseled by police(I stay out of the gauge and in front of D.N.E. signs).

--Dan

The nearest major CSX terminal would be in Brunswick MD, about 35 minutes away. There are 4 CSX tracks through town, with 2 running on each side of the yard. MARC commuter lot (and the yard itself) sits in between the mains. Baltimore trains generally blow through town, while Richmond trains change crews. Trains waiting for rested crews will generally park on the "inside" through tracks.

THE ABSOLUTE BEST hobby shop in the region (caters to both modelers and railfans) is MainLine Hobby Supply in Blue Ridge Summit, PA, literally a stone's throw from the MD/PA state line near Highfield. Trips to the hobby shop are generally combined with trips to see the MMID. Scoot up I-270 to Frederick (20 min), take US-15 (divided hwy) north to Thurmont (20 min), exit at the second Thurmont-area exit, follow the MMID north/west through Sabillasville (where the WM/MMID horseshoe curve is) to Highfield via MD 550 (10 min) and scoot across the state line to the hobby shop. The shop is on PA Rte 16. Its a dark mustard-yellow colored pre-fab style building with crossbucks as an ornament in the front lawn.

http://www.mainlinehobby.com/

As to where to settle, the only advice I have is DO NOT settle anywhere that leaves you with a daily commute that crosses the Potomac River in any shape or form. If she is in Germantown, then try to settle somewhere along the I-270 corridor or NW burbs. Right now, the new housing subdivision sprawl is reaching as far north and west as Frederick and Point of Rocks, so there are lots of rural vs urban options. Having to cross any of the bridges in the DC area as part of a daily commute ABSOLUTELY SUCKS. Total chokepoints.

If you get the chance to stop by Cumberland, definitely do it. There is a huge CSX yard there complete with a hump, car shops, and engine shops. Amtrak has trains that go through there, one eastbound, and one westbound. Not to mention the dozens of CSX freight trains that go in and out of that yard daily. Wheeling and Lake Erie also has trackage rights from Connelsville, PA to Hagerstown, MD and runs through there occasionally. Hope to see you trackside!





-John Zuna

It was a nice treat when the WSRR showed up at a Brunswick-Walkersville Football game! FYI The Brunswick mascot is the "Railroader" or "Hammerdude." We have an ex-B&O Caboose that sits vigilant atop a hill overlooking our football field.

--Dan

There are several DC, MD and VA locations on my web page all with maps showing the location.

Dave Marshall
n8oayscan@woh.rr.com
http://www.railfanswelcome.com

cota1992 Wrote:
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> and only done Western railfanning, I am kind of
> excited to see something that's not toxic yellow
> or burnt ornage for a change.

Lot of those around here LOL

I moved to this are about 2 1/2 years ago and after living in other areas and fanning in over 38 states the one thing I can say about the DC area is access is more difficult here than in many other areas of the country. In the Rockville area the metro runs along the B&O and it is often fenced to keep people away from the Metor third rail, the B&O/CSX falls victum by default. City streets don't follow a logical pattern in the burbs of MD, VA and in DC. You may be able to see a place you want to go but you can't always drive to it from where you see something. The key to this area is MAPS. Look for the ADC maps, they are by county.

Even with good maps, I feel one of the reasons fans go to Point of Rocks and Alex. station is easy access. I have explored most of the B&O thorough the area and it can be a challenge to follow the tracks at all locations.

The next challenge is the traffic. It is tough in this area. The other day I heard a train on the radio and made a run for the tracks to see a odd-numbered train. It was lunch time and I made it to the tracks as about his 45th car passed by.

All of this should not be taken as negative comments. It is a nice area, however you will have to deal with these things before you can really enjoy the area's railroads.

Going out in the country, to say the Maryland Midland is a pleasent experience. And a reason a lot of people live in the outer areas and commute down I-270.

The Western Maryland Scenic RR also operates from Cumberland To Frostburg, MD by way of an old Western Maryland line (hence the name). They have a 2-8-0 and a couple GP30's along with several passenger cars and cabooses.




-John Zuna