Topic Drift...



Shore Line is building new facilities to protect the collection from coastal floods.

http://shorelinetrolley.org/support-us/elevating-the-collection/

Wesley

Since this is about the first operational piece of railroad in the U. S. I'm hoping I don't get dinged for "railfanning", but any word on if the Old Main Line sub through Ellicott City was seriously damaged in the flooding? I'm sure it was at least closed for inspection after the flooding, does anyone know if it is currently open? This is CSX's by-pass route for hazmats around the DC area, in addition to being the main route for coal traffic to Baltimore for export. I find both incidents of recent flooding to be upsetting, since this was part of my qualified territory when I worked for CSX. I also was on a very well-done bus tour of the OML conducted by John Hankey several years ago, put on by DC Chapter NRHS. We spent quite a bit of time in the Ellicott City depot area with John, and if you ever get a chance to talk to him about it, ask him to recount the Tom Thumb re-enactment run from the museum to Ellicott City with dignitaries from about 35 years ago. Very funny! Of course John always is.

No damage to the "Old Main Line" that I've heard of; they high-railed the line with trucks the whole time flooding was occurring, both this time and the previous flooding that hit the Frederick area two weeks earlier.

Other reports, however, are that CSX has been attempting to get away from using the OML, what with no customers of any note on it and its troublesome geography/geology. Reports are that the OML is seeing fewer trains than even at the beginning of this year.

Soon to become the next rails to trails candidate!

*Ducks and runs*

Thanks for the info, Sandy. I don't know what CSX would do about the Hazmat issue without the OML, since the Federal Government banned hazmat shipments from coming through DC on either the Cap/Met or Alexandria Extension after 9/11? Maybe they would just give up those shipments to NS as being cheaper than maintaining the sub. The OML does have quite a few tunnels that need to be maintained.

You know, the OML would be a great scenic tourist line; in a major metro area for ridership, interesting geography, low speed to begin with (top speed 45 mph towards the Point-of-Rocks end but 25-35 mph most of the way), and serves interesting points like Ellicott City and the E. Francis Baldwin designed station at Sykesville. It would be possible to totally separate that line from the rest of CSX in Baltimore, from the museum switch on the Mt. Claire branch to where it turns west at Relay. Just would take a trainload of money to acquire and maintain it. But look at the historic locations you get in return, not just the first complete railroad line in the U. S. to Ellicott City (Mills) and Sykesville, but also the Carrollton Viaduct on the Mt. Claire branch, the oldest existing railroad bridge in the U. S., as well as the spur to Frederick at the other end, which also serves MARC, and could provide the passenger equipment to operate over it on weekends. It would be a gem of a ride.

At the risk of sounding all foamy, you would have potentially an excellent location for "a home for mainline steam"--and I dare say, parts of it could well be an immersive experience.

You even have an "excuse" to restore authentic B&O steam from the museum!

Wouldn't it be nice to see the 4500 or the 5300 running again, on home rail to boot?

Yeah, believe me the thought occurred, and I didn't want to get foam all over me. My stated musings were out there enough, but I think totally valid.

Tread lightly with all the daily reports on the "CSX Cap and Met" facebook group. Consider for instance the new used of DPU'd coal trains to Baltimore...cutting the number of trains, but the tonnage is still there. Another example would be the massive 371/372 which now carry all the merchandise.

And daily operational changes under "precision railroading", like in which case Q217 now works Jessup. One day a train may use the OML, the next day it can't.

Between having to run trains around the AM/PM rushes on the Cap and Met subs, the hazmats that have to run, and fewer "movements" because of combined trains, "Getting away from using the OML" is simply not a true statement.

Just something to read about Ellicott City.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryla ... story.html

The building will not be demolished or anything. However, all of the buildings down the street used to block floods from onrushing the station. There will be no protection after that.