WB&A

[Mark5]

 

[tom mann]

I have a few photos of the Race Track spur.  There is a lot left, considering.  I would be interested in knowing when the Penn Central or Conrail stopped using it.  Some of the ties looked pretty good and could not have been from the original 1914 construction.

http://picasaweb.google.com/tmann1/WBandA

[MrKLUKE]

.

[asciibaron]

MrKLUKE-

the wye at Annapolis Junction was the line to, strangely enough, Annapolis.  this was the Elk Ridge and Annapolis Railroad and went east through Ft. Meade along MD 32.  when 32 was extended in 1989/1990, the ROW was crossed at the location of the overhead bridge to the airfield.  the station on base is still standing and is visible from the highway.  the ROW was crossed again by the new 32 extension at the MD 175 exit - the dead straight road by the salt dome paralleled the ROW through the north end of Odenton.

at Odenton, the line crossed the PRR on a diamond and was protected by a single story tower almost on the spot of the current single story tower on the east side of the NEC.  the ltracks are still in place thru the trees as the spur to the old Formica plant at Telegraph road. the grade crossing near the True Value was the spot of a diamond with the WB&A.  here the line had connections with both the PRR and WB&A.  this junction was known as Academy Junction, as to not confuse it with Annapolis Junction. 

east from Odenton, the line followed the current route of MD 175 roughly to the north a few feet and then at Gambrills a few hundred feet.  The line crossed US 301 and what is now I-97 - just follow the power lines.  once across I-97, the ROW is very visible along MD 178 (Generals Highway).  the line came into Annapolis at what is now the Westfield Shopping hole, crossed US 50 by the Red Lobster, and continued along the north side of West Street behind the library.  here the line is a local trail, a road, and an access road to the Annapolis Loews Hotel. 

Tom-

i have spent many hours walking the old WB&A ROW in Bowie.  the trestle is very interesting, as is the old PRR racetrack lead area.  Lemons Bridge Road takes you back to the area near the spur off the NEC (it's near the power line tower).  to the north near Crofton, Brashers Road off of Patuxent Road is the ROW.  tread lightly if you go back there - the road is little more than a driveway to a very secluded house.  in the other direction, it continues into a swamp and then becomes a trail thru Waugh Chapel.

if you want to know anything about the WB&A ROW, let me know, i've been there and walked that.

-steve

[tom mann]

Steve,

When did they rip up the race track spur?  I got this eerie feeling that it was pretty recent while out there. Lots of spikes, tie plates, and ties.

[asciibaron]

Steve,

When did they rip up the race track spur?  I got this eerie feeling that it was pretty recent while out there. Lots of spikes, tie plates, and ties.

over 25 years ago.  you ever been out to see the WM - some sections look like they were pulled up last weekend.

-steve

[MrKLUKE]

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[tom mann]

Steve,

Is there anything worthwhile seeing south of Glendale?  The trail ends at 450.

[asciibaron]

Steve,

Is there anything worthwhile seeing south of Glendale?  The trail ends at 450.

nope - the developers and gangs in PG county have that stretch of ROW all to themselves.  it's all but gone once you hit Lanham...

[tom mann]

Steve,  yeah, things get a little rough southwest of 450.

For the second time, I've biked the trails from the WB&A to the NEC in search of the old Massaponax gravel plant.  I can't find any trace of it.  Any ideas? 

It should be around here:

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=39.031453,-76.749802&spn=0.009101,0.023518&t=h&z=16&om=1

[asciibaron]

Steve,  yeah, things get a little rough southwest of 450.

For the second time, I've biked the trails from the WB&A to the NEC in search of the old Massaponax gravel plant.  I can't find any trace of it.  Any ideas? 

It should be around here:

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=39.031453,-76.749802&spn=0.009101,0.023518&t=h&z=16&om=1

see that pond to the right...

-steve

[John]

Steve,  yeah, things get a little rough southwest of 450.

For the second time, I've biked the trails from the WB&A to the NEC in search of the old Massaponax gravel plant.  I can't find any trace of it.  Any ideas? 

It should be around here:

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=39.031453,-76.749802&spn=0.009101,0.023518&t=h&z=16&om=1



see that pond to the right...

-steve

that would be my guess also

[SquirrelHollow]

Look at this great industrial area to the north....

http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&oe=UTF-8&q=candlewood+road+ridgeview+maryland&ll=39.166919,-76.699913&spn=0.009383,0.015213&t=h&z=16&om=1

I'm sure you locals already knew about it, but it caught me by surprise.  I'm used to seeing a single spur off the mainline for individual businesses.

[asciibaron]

Look at this great industrial area to the north....

http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&oe=UTF-8&q=candlewood+road+ridgeview+maryland&ll=39.166919,-76.699913&spn=0.009383,0.015213&t=h&z=16&om=1

I'm sure you locals already knew about it, but it caught me by surprise.  I'm used to seeing a single spur off the mainline for individual businesses.

i remember going there as a kid and seeing that switched out - very cool - some of the tracks are gone now.  another cool place is just over the hill off the B&O - several warehouse districts financed in part by the B&O to drum up business - that was the early 60's.  then I-95 was built and the rest is, as they say, history.

-steve

[RockGp40]

I was assigned to the fire station that was first due to Candlewood Road and Coca-Cola drive for almost 4 years. I am disappointed that the Coca Cola facility back there doesn't utilize this spur and give it new life.

The NEC is still very busy near Candlewood Road, but freight trains are very few and far between. I thought that the coal trains heading for the power plants near Brandywine, MD, and by the Nice Bridge across from Dahlgren, VA, were supplied by this rail line, but now I think those trains come by way of D.C.

The tracks to the east of the Elkridge MARC station near Coca-Cola Dr. are long since abandoned too (near the Ramada Inn, just west of Route 295). However, within the past few years, I'd say 2-3, they saw a tiny amount of action. There was an old passenger car and 40' boxcar coupled next to one of the warehouses back there. Well, those cars are now gone. To the north of the Elkridge MARC station, those industrial sidings still see action. I see covered hoppers back there all the time.

Brian