22-06-24 PHOTOS: Downtown Frederick

Frederick, Maryland is an up and coming satellite city of Washington, DC with a vibrant downtown scene. In 2001 the forward thinking Maryland government funded an expansion of the MARC commuter rail to Frederick by sending some Brunswick Line trains over the Old Main Line from Point of Rocks to a rebuilt Frederick Branch that terminated at a Frederick Station just a couple blocks from downtown. Frederick sees a total of 3 peak direction round trips per day and in late June 2022 I was able to get photos ( mirror ) of most of them.

Prior to the restoration of passenger service, the Frederick Branch existed to serve a number of local industries including a feed mill and a Southern States. Today the freight traffic has largely evaporated leaving the passenger service as the primary use of the line. Here we look westbound past the station's Min-High platform towards the old industrial spur tracks. The signals are for WISNER ST interlocking that mark the limits of CTC signaling. On the left is a surviving CSX direct traffic control block limit sign.

The station track itself is considered unsigned, but this dwarf signal will display lunar white if the track is free and red if occupied.

The low level platform can accommodate full length trains with an ADA min-high at the west end. The track dead ends at a buffer stop at the east end of the platform.

The station building is a new facility built for MARC in the classic B&O style It also serves as a hub for Frederick's local bus service, TransIT as well as Greyhound.

The history of the line through Frederick is split between the B&O and the PRR, in the guide of the York, Hanover and Frederick RR. The division post is still present halfway down the length of the platform.

The first train of the evening arrived at 5:29pm and consisted of MP36PH-3C #11 and 5 single level cars with cab car #7760 on the opposite end.

The storage yard for Frederick Branch trains is located about a mile west of the station between Frederick and Monocacy. Upon discharging the passengers and changing ends, crews receive an approach signal indication at WISNER ST in advanced of a Restricting indication at the interlocked yard entrance.



The second train of the evening arrived at 6:59 and consisted of MP36PH-3C #26 with 1 single level coach and a 3 Bombardier bi-level coaches.

By the time the third train arrived at 8:21pm it was dark and I was several beers in at one of the three breweries located within one half mile of the station. However earlier on I caught a very valuable and very trendy JDM Nissan Skyline GT-R parked out on the street of what had been a blue collar light industrial and milling community.

Well that's all for Downtown Frederick. I highly recommend stopping by if you happen to be driving past on Interstate 70. There's ample parking at the county offices across from Attaboy Brewing.