RAILROAD SIGNALS of the U.S.

RAILFAN GUIDE to BALTIMORE
Northern Baltimore

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The map below shows the north central part of Baltimore City.

There is plenty in this part of town to check out.

For starters, there is the Baltimore Streetcar Museum (3), often overlooked by many because it IS in a downtown environment.  The collection concentrates on cars from Baltimore, with the exception of the influx of Septa PCC's last year when myself and others bought a couple of spare ones Philly had for sale... at 200 bucks, who could refuse?  Check out: http://www.railroadsignals.us/trolley.htm.

Located at the north end of the BSM track, is the old Ma and Pa roundhouse (2), still in fairly good condition because the City has been using it almost since the M&Pa gave it up in the 60's.  It's used to store salt for the winter, and the BSM is supposed to get it one of these days, once the City decides to relocate their salt operation.

A little less fanciful is a M&Pa warehouse, just south of the roundhouse, which we (the BSM) keep stuff in... it's not on the map, but it's easy to find.

A short trip up Falls Road is the warehouse complex used by Life-Like trains (1).  It's a wonder after all these years, that the whole mess hasn't slid off into the Jones Falls, as it sits on the bank of the Falls.  I'm not sure if they still use the facility or not, but it was marked the last time I went by.

The Light Rail shops (5) and NS Flexi-Flo facility (4) are co-located, and you really can't get into either one.  However, if you take the entrance ramp to 83 north from North Avenue, and stay to your right to take the 28th Street exit, you can get really good shots from the ramp since it is elevated over the two yards.  If a cop stops, as they often use the exit as a short-cut, just make sure you have a cellphone in hand, and tell him (or her) that your car quit, and you just got off the phone with triple-A or your wife for help.

The "Rebel-Yell" (6) on the Light Rail is so named because the tracks have to go up and down to negotiate going over the CSX tunnel, and then dipping under Howard Street.  One "urban legend" floating around is that if the trains go fast enough thru here, the pantographs will stick in the down position.  Not so says I.  The pantographs do not have any sort of locking mechanism to allow that.  The only thing that will keep them in the down position is the pantograph motor.

Penn Station (7) is Amtrak's showpiece in Baltimore, and was renovated back in the 90's.  It is accessible by car, bus, and Light Rail, altho to get there by L/R involves transferring at Mt Royal, since the MTA changed around the schedule once the double tracking was completed.  Service to Penn Station is provided by a short 1000 ft (or so) shuttle that goes back and forth between Penn Station and Mt Royal.

Across Mt Royal Avenue from the Light Rail stop is B&O's Mt Royal Station (8)... beautiful station, and it's easy to watch CSX freights come rambling thru.

Altho it's not something you can pix of, Amtrak's B&P tunnel (9) is just south of Penn Station... shoot, you can't even see anything while in there cause it's so dark!  You can get so-so shots of trains at the north end of the tunnel from Falls Road, just off Maryland Ave.

The same thing goes for CSX's Howard Street Tunnel (10).  However, you can get decent shots of freights at both ends at Mt Royal Station on the north and Camden Station at the south end.  The tunnel was lengthened several hundred feet in the 80's when they put interstate 395 into downtown.

Down off the "end" of I83, off to your right as you're going south, is the old Northern Central engine shed (11).  It's hard to miss, especially with the roof line.  Good shots can be taken from the street or I83.

Just a little further down 83, on the other side of the highway, is an old Western Maryland freight building (12).  it too is easy to spot, with orange paint all over it, and because it towers over the other buildings in the immediate area.

By the way, at the end of 83, at the corner of it, Fayette, and the start of President Street, is the Shot Tower.  It's one of the few remaining examples of a Civil War era manufacturing facility for making shot.

Back in the real downtown area, on the corner of Baltimore and Charles Streets is the old B&O RR headquarters building (13).

New 09/11/2007
Last Modified:
09/12/2007