MARC Train, Serving Baltimore, Washington And The Surrounding Region

MARC Train, also known as the Maryland Rail Commuter Service, is a commuter railroad agency funded by the State of Maryland and operated by the Maryland Transit Association (which is part of the Maryland Department of Transportation). It has been in operation since 1984 and operates mostly over ex-Baltimore & Ohio Railroad trackage under contract with CSX Transportation (successor to the B&O). MARC has become an increasingly popular mode of transportation for those who live and work in and around Baltimore/Washington, D.C. (stretching as far west as Martinsburg, WV), opting to take commuter trains over the increasingly-busy Interstate and highways.

Today, MARC has three main railroad lines of service, which include the Camden Line, Brunswick Line, and Penn Line. Also, the commuter railroad plays host to over 30,000 daily passengers and currently makes stops at 43 different railroad stations. Here is more information regarding all three lines courtesy of MTA:

The Penn Line of the MARC Train Service operates primarily between Baltimore’s Penn Station, through BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport Train Station, and Union Station in Washington, D. C. Stops include Baltimore City, Odenton, and Bowie State University. In addition, there are 4 stops north of Penn Station [at Martins Airport, Edgewood, Aberdeen, and Perryville] located in Harford County, Maryland. The Penn Line is the only line of the MARC Train Service to offer mid-day trips between Baltimore and Washington. The Penn Line is operated under contract with the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) on a section of track known as the Northeast Corridor, the busiest portion of Amtrak railroad. The Penn line is the most traveled of all three MARC Lines boasting an average daily ridership of approximately 20,000 commuters (Oct 2007).

The second largest line of the MARC Train Service is the Brunswick Line. The Brunswick Line has an average daily ridership of approximately 7,000 commuters (Oct 2007). The Brunswick Line operates between Brunswick, Maryland and Washington Union Station. This line also includes an extension to Frederick, Maryland and Martinsburg, West Virginia. Stops along the Brunswick Line include areas surrounding Washington D. C. such as Gaithersburg, Rockville, and Silver Spring, Maryland. The Brunswick Line is operated under contract with the CSX Transportation Inc., a freight railroad system, and travels over the CSX Metropolitan, Old Main Line, and Cumberland Subdivision tracks.

The Camden Line is the third line of the MARC Train Service. Trains on the Camden Line operate on sections of track that were originally part of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad which began operation in 1830, making it the oldest passenger rail line in the United States. The trains on this line operate out of Camden Yards in Downtown Baltimore City and travel to Union Station in Washington D.C. The Camden Line is the smallest of the three MARC Lines with an average daily ridership of approximately 4,500 commuters. The Camden Line also operates under contract with CSX Transportation Inc. Stops include Dorsey, Laurel, and College Park, Maryland.

When MARC began in 1984 it took over many of the commuter operations once handled by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and later Chessie System in and around the Baltimore region. The ability of the transit service to revive the B&O’s operations is a testament to the adage; particularly regarding passenger railroading that if the service is provided and reliable riders will come. In any event, if you are a local resident of the region MARC Train serves or would just like to learn more about the agency please click here to visit their website.