The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is proposing to demolish the Edmund's House/Glencoe Station (B4-0546) located at 15512 Home Road at Gunpowder Falls State Park, in Baltimore County. The station is located just north of Glencoe Road in Glencoe, between Sparks and Monkton along the present-day Northern Central Rail Trail.

This structure dates from ca. 1860 (some sources say 1856) and was a train station on the Northern Central Railroad, later the Pennsylvania Railroad, between Baltimore and York, Pa. In the mid-20th century it was moved slightly from its original location and converted into a residence. It is located within the flood plain and experiences frequent severe flooding, the most recent was in 2010 and it has been vacant since then. The structure was recently determined to be eligible for the National Register. Preservation as a rail station trail stop would be redundant to the already-preserved Monkton station just to the north.

As part of the mitigation process for the demolition, the Maryland Historical Trust (MHT) has requested that DNR solicit comments from the public and investigate any possible ways to avoid, reduce, or mitigate this adverse effect on the historic property.
Comments, either by email or letter, would be appreciated by January 15, 2016. Comments or questions may be e-mailed to charles.mazurek@maryland.gov or phoned to 410 -260 -9932. Postal letters may be sent to Charles N. Mazurek, Md. DNR, Tawes State Office Building, 580 Taylor Avenue, Annapolis, MD 21401.

The Baltimore Chapter NRHS History Committee Chairman, Martin K. van Horn, an active Northern Central historian, is actively working with the DNR in historical review and commentary. No official position, for or against demolition, has been taken at this time by the Chapter.

For a vintage engraving depicting this structure, see page 50 of The Story of the Northern Central Railway by Robert L. Gunnarsson (Greenberg Publications, 1991).

This is a bummer. I'm a big NCR fan.

What's your take on it? Is the structure in decent condition?

With the warning that I have not seen the structure recently in daylight, but do have the Md. DNR report on the structure, with photos:

It's one of those stations that's a house that happened to be a station--think Shawmont on SEPTA near Philly. Most railfans passing it would never guess it was a station. There are architectural details--many hidden by new construction--that are distinctive to stations, such as exterior eave brackets. The roof needs to be replaced, and the powers that be apparently had tarped it at one point. I am told that there is an extensive black mold problem.

The item has been shared with a Facebook group centered around the Northern Central Rail Trail. The only two to comment on it advocate the demolition, suggesting a playground and/or picnic tables to replace it.

I have seen far more dilapidated structures restored to glory. The problematics here are what is gained by such restoration in this case. The Monkton depot is nicely restored and only a mile or two up the line, serving as a visitors center and restroom stop. And there are probably restrictions as to what can be done in this flood plain.

Ahh, sounds like it's probably a goner then.

I'll have to go check it out before it disappears then, because, someday, I'll probably need some references for it for my other part of my railroading hobby... http://Conrail1285.com

If anyone out there is still curious, heres a picture of the station/home I found on google maps with a quick search. Its not in the best condition, but certainly appears as though it could be restored without too much difficulty... should money and resources become available.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/15512 ... 4e40?hl=en

-Andrew