Ghosts of The Maryland & Pennsylvania Railroad

"The Ma & Pa"
all photos by Adam Paul

Longest surviving piece of MA & PA trackage in Baltimore is this track at the North Avenue Bridge which was used as an interchange to the Pennsylvania Railroad tracks just west of Pennsylavania Station. In reality, the rails were laid down by the PRR around 1960, as they still used the rails after MPA abandonment to reach Morgan Millwork.

It was often called "WORLD FAMOUS." Others referred to it as the "model railroad built to the scale of 12 inches to the foot." Officially known as THE MARYLAND & PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD, the "Ma & Pa" was arguably the most loved and cherished railroad in Baltimore. It carried with it a degree of charm not often seen on the larger railroads, largely the result of it's hilly, twisting route and smaller trains. It ran steam trains in regular service until the early 1950's, which were only sidelined as the road's traffic declined.

In 1958, the "Ma" of the Ma & Pa all but died, as the Maryland district trackage was abandoned, aside from a small part in Northernmost Harford County to Whiteford. Eventually, by the 1970's, the line would assume control of a ex-Pennsy line into Taneytown, but this would wind up being scaled back within a few years to operate only as far South as Hanover, Pennsylvania.

Today's "Ma & Pa" is a far cry from the road of the past. Operating in tandem with a subsiary known as "YORKRAIL," the Ma & Pa operates two lines between York and Hanover, as well as a very small portion of it's original line as far south as East York. Gone is the remainder of the line to Whiteford, as well as a later branch to a power plant in Peach Bottom, PA.

With regard to the Baltimore portion of the line, an occasional rumor would surface of a proposal to convert the right of way to a bus way or light rail line, although little real evidence exists to support this. However, within the Baltimore region, the majority of the MA & PA's right-of-way remains traceable, although most easily in non-leaf seasons. While a few obstructions hinder the path of the line, most of the line's way is complete as far as Towson and beyond. In addition, a number of notable structures remain as well, having been converted to other uses.

FOR MORE ON THE MA & PA, THE MAIN NOTABLE REFERENCE IS GEORGE HILTON'S BOOK "THE MA & PA," NOW IN ITS THIRD PRINTING AND AVAILABLE FROM BETTER TRANSPORTATION BOOK DEALERS. THIS BOOK HAS BEEN READ BY MYSELF, AND FORMED THE BASIS FOR THIS BRIEF.

GHOSTS OF "THE MA & PA:"
TRAVELLING FROM SOUTH(WEST) TO NORTH(EAST)

The southernmost reach of MA & PA trackage was this spur into the Morgan Millwork factory at Falls Road and Trenton Street, last used by the PRR.
The MA & PA's frieght shed still serves as the ELMER PACKIE Shops of the Baltimore Streetcar Museum on Falls Road.

Most often seen of all MA & PA relics is the old roundhouse, seen on the local news whenever a snowstorm looms, as it is a division for storing of road salt. Rails in foreground belong to the BSM.
Matching Yard Shed also in city use sits aside the Roundhouse just below the 28th Street Bridge on Falls Road.

A discarded portion of rusted rail peeks through the ivy in Stony Run Park, just north of Cold Spring Lane. Other than this small length, no other known rail survives on the right of way through Baltimore.
The right of way at Melrose Avenue is easily noticeable in this depression leading under the footbridge to Bryn Mawr School.

This quaint house on West Lake Avenue served as the Ma & Pa's HOMELAND Station. Rail grade is just out of view to the right of the frame.
The most passed MA & PA Ghost in the city is probably this stretch of rail poking though the pavement of Charles Street just above Stevenson Lane. Note the protective rails on either side of the running rail. Camera looks Southwest towards the city.

Although most of the grade in the area remains pretty much untouched, the stretch through the Towson University Campus is a major exception, as most of it here is hard to trace due to regrading and redevelopment. A refreshing exception lies South of the Towson Center just East of Osler Drive where a hint of the grade peeks through before being obliterated due to Osler Drive's lower elevation. Here the camera looks West (and downward) towards the jutting end of the grade.
Another view of this difficult to photograph location from the South looking toward the shored embankment shows a Ma & Pa tie on the left superseeded by a larger wood piling retaining the elevated grade. From here East, the grade is easily traceable (although covered by neatly trimmed grass) along the southern edge of the property of the Towson Arts Center before becoming vague just before reaching Cross Campus Drive.

An endearing Ma & Pa ghost are these twin abutments at York Road just above Towsontowne Boulevard, shown here looking West from the Eastern abutment. Note the brass marker plaque denoting their significance at sidewalk eye level in the center of the opposite abutment.

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The southernmost reach of MA & PA trackage was this spur into the Morgan Millwork factory at Falls Road and Trenton Street, last used by the PRR.	The MA & PA's frieght shed still serves as the ELMER PACKIE Shops of the Baltimore Streetcar Museum on Falls Road.
Most often seen of all MA & PA relics is the old roundhouse, seen on the local news whenever a snowstorm looms, as it is a division for storing of road salt. Rails in foreground belong to the BSM.	Matching Yard Shed also in city use sits aside the Roundhouse just below the 28th Street Bridge on Falls Road.
A discarded portion of rusted rail peeks through the ivy in Stony Run Park, just north of Cold Spring Lane. Other than this small length, no other known rail survives on the right of way through Baltimore.	The right of way at Melrose Avenue is easily noticeable in this depression leading under the footbridge to Bryn Mawr School.
This quaint house on West Lake Avenue served as the Ma & Pa's HOMELAND Station. Rail grade is just out of view to the right of the frame.	The most passed MA & PA Ghost in the city is probably this stretch of rail poking though the pavement of Charles Street just above Stevenson Lane. Note the protective rails on either side of the running rail. Camera looks Southwest towards the city.
Although most of the grade in the area remains pretty much untouched, the stretch through the Towson University Campus is a major exception, as most of it here is hard to trace due to regrading and redevelopment. A refreshing exception lies South of the Towson Center just East of Osler Drive where a hint of the grade peeks through before being obliterated due to Osler Drive's lower elevation. Here the camera looks West (and downward) towards the jutting end of the grade.	Another view of this difficult to photograph location from the South looking toward the shored embankment shows a Ma & Pa tie on the left superseeded by a larger wood piling retaining the elevated grade. From here East, the grade is easily traceable (although covered by neatly trimmed grass) along the southern edge of the property of the Towson Arts Center before becoming vague just before reaching Cross Campus Drive.
	An endearing Ma & Pa ghost are these twin abutments at York Road just above Towsontowne Boulevard, shown here looking West from the Eastern abutment. Note the brass marker plaque denoting their significance at sidewalk eye level in the center of the opposite abutment.