Passenger Trains > New MARC service Brunswick-Baltimore to bypass Washington

MDOT MTA. 9/2/2026 4:16 PM  

There will be a MARC Brunswick Line schedule on Monday, September 28. This change is being implemented to launch a new direct MARC service that connects the Brunswick and Camden Lines. The service will allow riders to travel directly between Brunswick Line stations and Baltimore's Camden Station without transferring at Washington Union Station. The service will directly connect Brunswick, Point of Rocks, Barnesville, Germantown, Metropolitan Grove, Gaithersburg, Rockville, Kensington, Silver Spring, College Park, Laurel, and Baltimore Camden Station,expanding regional travel opportunities for MARC riders.

Please visit http://www.mta.maryland.gov/Brunswick-Camden to download a copy of the new timetable and read full information about the changes. Paper copies will be available at stations early next week.

Uses the CSX freight connection near Ivy City.  No Amtrak or Washington Terminal involvement at all.

 



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 09/02/26 23:13 by GenePoon.

Kind of a shame it can't just use the Old Mainline the entire way across rather than dipping through DC. That said my understanding of that insanely historic route does lead me to believe that this may actually be faster even with the stops.

Certainly hope it works out for them.

I've connected a Brunswick Line to a Penn Line in the past and it wasn't a big deal.  In fact I didn't even get off the train because the Brunswick set immediately left as a Penn Line one.

If I can read between the lines it could be that scheduling another train into Union is the hangup and this is the best option for MARC to increase service.

I do wonder if a better intra-Maryland market would be Brunswick Line - Penn line service, get BrunSwick Line people to New Carrolton and BWI.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/03/26 06:38 by joemvcnj.

joemvcnj Wrote:
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> I do wonder if a better intra-Maryland market
> would be Brunswick Line - Penn line service, get
> Brundwick Line people to New Carrolton and BWI.

This train is above more than the routing. I'm willing to bet it is in essence a deadhead that MARC wll let you ride. In fact they used to have a single reverse peak Brunswick Line train that was basically a deadhead.  Because the MARC heavy repair shoppe facility is in Locous Point they will inevetably need to go via the Camden line. This new service gives whatever bad order equipment has built up at Brunswick Yard, a straight shot to the shoppes. 

There is facility in Frederick, but a Brunswick to Frederick move is pure overhead.

Back in the 1990s there was a train that operated from Camden to DC to Brunswick with a return to Camden via DC. I believe that one of these trains was the eastbound that collided with the Amtrak train at SIlver Spring in February 96.
CR

15 minutes from Silver Spring to College Park is impressive and beats driving and WMATA, which requires a transfer. Collect that "rare mileage" between QN and F Tower. As for linking to the Penn Line, there's no connection that would allow that without a reverse move in the Washington Union Station plant. And let's not forget a crew change. Amtrak would have kittens at the suggestion that Alstom crews would operate MARC trains on the Corridor.

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Paul Wilson
Arlington, VA



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/03/26 12:17 by Dcmcrider.

Hopefully this trip will be time competitive to Baltimore, especially from the stations well past the Beltway, over driving. I wish MARC the best of luck. 

I think they should ahead go ahead with the plans of expanding the Penn Line to Newark, Del. now. See what ridership is like and add the planned stations at North East and Elkton later. If it don't work, just cut it back to Perryville again.

MdRailfan Wrote:
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> I think they should ahead go ahead with the plans
> of expanding the Penn Line to Newark, Del. now.
> See what ridership is like and add the planned
> stations at North East and Elkton later. If it
> don't work, just cut it back to Perryville again.

How would the state funding work for an extension to Newark DE?  Has Delaware decided this is something they would consider funding?

It would fill in a nice gap for cheap skates who want to ride the NorthEast Corridor for cheap fares.

> Kind of a shame it can't just use the Old Mainline
> the entire way across

Consulted the 1948 Official Guide when B&O was still operating motorcar train 48 Mount Airy-Baltimore in the morning and 47 Baltimore-Mount Airy in the evening. One hour 50 minutes for 40 miles, although there were 8 intermediate stops and 13 flag stops. I wonder what the timing of a locomotive-pulled train would have been.   

ctillnc Wrote:
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> > Kind of a shame it can't just use the Old
> Mainline
> > the entire way across
>
> Consulted the 1948 Official Guide when B&O was
> still operating motorcar train 48 Mount
> Airy-Baltimore in the morning and 47
> Baltimore-Mount Airy in the evening. One hour 50
> minutes for 40 miles, although there were 8
> intermediate stops and 13 flag stops. I wonder
> what the timing of a locomotive-pulled train would
> have been.   

In the February 1926 OG page 417, there's one answer.    A train leaves Camden Station at 1.25pm,  arrives Ellicott City at 1.58, and arrives Frederick Jct at 3.45. It leaves Frederick Jct at 3.55 and arrives at Point of Rocks 4.20.  65.2 miles in a little under 3 hours.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/05/26 13:15 by Lackawanna484.