The Short Line Railroad Trail is a trail in Western
Baltimore County, Maryland
Baltimore County ( , locally: or ) is the third-most populous county in the U.S. state of Maryland and is part of the Baltimore metropolitan area. Baltimore County (which partially surrounds, though does not include, the independent City of ...
. The trail segment begins approximately at the Charlestown Retirement Community off Maiden Choice Lane, south of the
Baltimore National Cemetery, and ends at Frederick Road after traveling on several local streets in Downtown
Catonsville
Catonsville is a census-designated place (CDP) in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. The population was 41,567 at the 2010 census. The community lies to the west of Baltimore along the city's border. Catonsville contains the majority of th ...
. The trail connects the neighborhood of Paradise to Catonsville's Central Business District by using the abandoned right-of-way of the Baltimore and Potomac Railway. This portion of the B&P Railway was known as the "Short Line", spurring off the main line at
Saint Agnes Station.
Baltimore & Potomac Railroad
Construction on the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad (B&P) began on December 6, 1883, at an estimated price of $37,000. As Catonsville expanded, the City and Suburban Electric Company began constructing an electric line from Baltimore along Frederick Road to Catonsville. When
Streetcar #9 was completed in 1897, passenger ridership on the Short Line diminished significantly. This resulted in a deficit in operating revenue for the B&P causing them to discontinue passenger service in 1898.
Caton & Loudon Railway
The B&P had not released their claims as related to freight traffic, and continued to offer freight service on a flexible schedule that allowed them to earn a profit. The
Great Depression
The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
would eventually lead to the end of the Short Line Railroad due to decreasing revenues. In October 1945, Hudson Realty Company bought the Short Line, forming the new Caton & Loudon (C&L) Railway. As freight demand diminished,
Penn Central Transportation Company
The Penn Central Transportation Company, commonly abbreviated to Penn Central, was an American class I railroad that operated from 1968 to 1976. Penn Central combined three traditional corporate rivals (the Pennsylvania, New York Central and the ...
officially canceled the C&L Railroad on July 28, 1973.
Future expansion
In 2014, the
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
The University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) is a public research university in Baltimore County, Maryland. It has a fall 2022 enrollment of 13,991 students, 61 undergraduate majors, over 92 graduate programs (38 master, 25 doctoral, ...
announced plans to connect to the Short Line RR Trail, byway of
Spring Grove Hospital Center
Spring Grove Hospital Center, formerly known as Spring Grove State Hospital, is a psychiatric hospital located in the Baltimore, Maryland, suburb of Catonsville.
Founded in 1797 as a general medical and psychiatric retreat, Spring Grove Mental ...
on Hilltop Road.
See also
*
Trolley Line Number 9 Trail
References
{{coord missing, Maryland
Bike paths in Maryland
Catonsville, Maryland
Hiking trails in Maryland
Protected areas of Baltimore County, Maryland
Rail trails in Maryland
Transportation in Baltimore County, Maryland