18-06-13 PHOTOS: Old Main Line

Since moving to Maryland full time, my "local" railroad has changed from the CSX Baltimore Terminal Sub to the Old Main Line Sub and although I am no longer half a block from the tracks I can still hear the occasional train whistling for a nearby grade crossing, if the atmospheric conditions are just right. Even though there's not a ton of interesting stuff left out on the OML after decades of CSX cleansing, I sort of have an obligation to visit and I can pair the bland visits up with my occasional trips to Washington, DC to create a sufficient amount of engaging content.

I'll be covering my DC trip first, followed by the OML pics and you can find the full set of photos here.

I'll begin Amtrak ACS-86 #629 at the head of some train with a baggage car, possibly overnight Train 67 from Boston.

Accross the tracks is MARC Kab Kar #7850 at the tail of a Baltimore bound Penn Line train.

Crossing under the Red Line via the Orange/Blue/Silver platform at Metro Center. Shame the original design didn't use islands on both levels to avoid forcing crossing passengers to congest another platform.

MARC Kab Kar #7846 at the DC Union Station track 13 bumper. 

A single MARC MP36PH-3C #10 at the head of a train of bi-level K-cars. This is going to be a slow ride :-(

Amtrak ACS-86 #636 at Washington Union Station as seen through an intervening high level platform.

Here we see Amtrak's 1942 vintage SW1 #737, a newer 2GS12B-R #599 and MARC SC44 #81 all hanging out in the storage area west of K TOWER at Washington Union Station.

Speaking of K TOWER here we see how it is situated between the west side of the station used by MARC and Regionals and the East side used by ACELA, VRE and the through trains to points south.

MARC #7846 again, this time at Halethorpe.

Let's take a quick break to look at this mama groundhog with her pups :-)

Off we go to the Point of Rocks station where the OML meets the Metropolitan Sub in a wye junction. The PoR station building was damaged a number of years ago by a snowstorm that collapsed the north side shelter awning, however it has since been repaired. The signals hint that something is on the way.

Large hi-rail truck in the CSX Point of Rocks MoW base.

Amtrak Train #29, the westbound Capitol Limited soon appears passing through EAST ROCKS interlocking and then past the Point of Rocks station. For some bizarre reason an Amfleet is riding behind the engines.

Although a rather rude butterfly was trying to block my shot, I managed to capture the Train 29 consist, which consisted of the Amfleet, Viewliner II baggage car, transition sleeper, two Superliner sleepers, dining car, lounge car and three coaches.

Track 2 shelter at Point of Rocks, built in the 90's or early 2000's.

The former B&O OML station of Ilchester is long gone, but the former location now hosts a defect detector along with some phantom steps.

The truss bridge over the Patapsco River was built by the American Bridge Company in 1902.

The 1902 bridge leads directly to the Ilchester Tunnel, which at 1400 feet is the second longest on the OML Sub. These two structures were both part of a project to alleviate some of the sharp curves on the 1830's alignment.

I was lucky enough to catch an eastbound CSX manifest train led by ET44AH #3441 and #3367, GP30 Road Slug #2294 and GP40-2 #6460.

I'll end with this photo of a local sitting on top of the western Ilchester tunnel facing while a tank car passes underneath.

Join me next time for a brief trip out to HARRIS tower.