Baltimore Area Hotspots

[Anonymous]

I'm looking for some good safe and legal freight train watching hot spots in the Baltimore-Washington corridor, hopefully even yard activity. Any suggestions out there?

[eolafan]

When I lived in Severna Park years ago I used to take my then young son out along the NEC at Odenton and there was (and I am sure still is) lots of trains and action. You will find Odenton on a curve and you don't hear the electric trains coming until they are right on top of you going 100 mph plus...what a thrill!

[Anonymous]

Thanks James, You are right. Odenton station is great. My now twentyfour year old son and I trainwatch at the Odenton station once a week as we have been doing for many years. The Amtrak and MARC action is nonstop and we occasionally see some pretty interesting train makeups. Five miles down the road in Jessup is a CSX mainline and MARC station we also visit to see freight traffic. I'm sure there are more legal interesting spots to visit but I just don't know where they are. I would like to see some switching activity too. Thanks for your suggestion and thank God you're not in Severna Park now with the 28 inches of snow. I'm still digging out in Annapolis. Bill

[Anonymous]

Relay/St Denis is a good place to fan as it has 2 tracks going west towards DC and east towards Baltimore and points east. Also the "Old Main Line" The original trackage in the US. This is the start of the Balto. Sub. so trains are restricted to 30 mph. To get to here From I 95 take I 195 East towards the airport get off at RT 1,make a right make first right,follow over bridge (you will see the tracks below) road curves to right make the 2nd right ( Relay Catholic Church) Stop when you get to the tracks >> There is ample parking and often other railfans there as well.
Goming from DC up RT 295 B-W Pkwy same as with I 95 only you got West on I 195 to Rt 1.
very easy to find and presents a better chance for pics and is safer than 100 mph trains whizzing past.
BAA mp9.0 Clear.
RSVP csxfan_dan@comcast,net for more info.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the hotspot tip. Unfortunately, I've been there before. Years ago before the security crackdown my kids and I used to sit at the end of the Patapsco River viaduct,at the monument,where the CSX and "OLD LINE" met and got some great pictures. Don't go out there now though! FYI there is perhaps one of the best spots in MD. off Rt.1 in Halethorp where the CSX tracks cross over the NE Corridor tracks. Nonstop CSX, AMTRAK and MARC traffic. Unfortunately, DEFINATELY off limits now, CSX will arrest anyone out there. We were warned in no uncertain terms.

Any info on yard areas where we can watch switching activity legally in the Baltimore area? I'm a big CSX fan also with a good size basement O guage layout too. Is there much coal traffic on the "old line" from Ellicot City to the CSX mainline in Relay? Thanks, Bill