One benefit of being off work due to the Covid outbreak was having some time on a weekday to catch some of the more mundane "local scene" that one is ordinarily too busy to bother with. Moreover, the complete lack of traffic due to stay at home recommendations made catching certain peak period activities way less bothersome. In my specific case I decided to use my Covid time to document the skeleton service that was still running on the MARC Camden Line. Because this limited service commuter operation serves a major city on each end, it sees service in both directions during both peak periods and a quirk of the scheduling makes it possible to catch both an eastbound and westbound run within about 20 minutes of each other. After using this to my advantage for the Thomas Viaduct, I next made visits to the Hannover Road grade crossing in Elkridge and the CARROLL - BAILEY corridor south of downtown Baltimore. You can see the full set of photos here ( mirror ).
The first point of exploration was the old Elkridge MARC station, located about 100 yards from where the CSX Capitol Sub crosses US Route 1. Closed in 1996 when the brand new Dorsey Park n Ride facility was opened, the Elkridge station's platforms, parking lot and access passage are still there, if you know where to look.
There was a building at the station site that now housed professional offices, but I couldn't tell if it ever had an association with the train station.
The under-track tunnel had been gated off, but was still in use by local cat ladies as a feeding station.
Antique lengths of rail had been employed as traffic control bollards.
The station is adjacent to the old coal and oil yard that used to get its shipments of home heating fuel by rail.
The Hannover Road grade crossing is located just around the curve west of the old Elkridge station. The first train of the evening set was the eastbound headed by MARC MP36PH-3C #32 with a sick horn. The 60mph curve at Elkridge is the first significant speed restriction on the 70mph line that trains encounter after leaving the DC terminal which contrasts with the twisty turney Old Main Line built just a few years before.
The second train had the same set I had previously encountered at the Thomas Viaduct with cab car #7759 and MP36PH-3C's #24 and #28. Located near the Hanover Road crossing include an old team track loading platform.
Up in Baltimore, CARROLL interlocking was seeing changes to eliminate a 2-track bottleneck that exists solely within the interlocking limits. The MARC track that runs to Camden Station will be through railed to connect with the existing track #3 that was installed between CARROLL and ST DENIS in 2007. The eastbound cantilever mast, installed in 2012 when the interlocking was re-signaled, will be replaced by a new signal bridge located slightly to the east to accommodate a new crossover.
This day's westbound trainset was using bi-level cab car #8059, seen here passing the new signal bridge location and then the existing cantilever location under a limited clear indication.
The train was powered by two MP36PH-3C's, including #31 seen here with a CSX local freight with caboose on track #2 in the background.
Work was also being performed on the Carroll industrial although they have quite a ways to go.
Moving a few blocks to the east I camped out at BAILEY interlocking to catch the eastbound MARC train on approach to Camden Station. Approach Slow was being displayed on the eastbound cantilever signal for the movement on the MARC track heading towards HB TOWER. When the train arrived power was being provided by MP36PH-3C's #13 and #32 and cab car duties were being provided by single level car #7760.
On the backyard wildlife front the deer were busy re-growing their antlers and Mamafox was engaged in parenting as her kits grew up under the shed.
Next week I'm back to Philly as I create some media at Elwyn.
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