=Western Maryland Railway=

Baltimore & Hanover Railroad- Glyndon to Lineboro, MD


January 19, 2003

By the early 1900's the Western Maryland Railway had developed into compact Class 1 railroad that went from its own tidewater port west to the best crossing of the Alleghenies (see Railroutes of the Alleghenies)and on to a midwest freight connection with a group of other independent-minded railroads. Throw in WM's three coal hauling arteries and a strategic bridge route to the Reading, add a sense of class and good management, and the result was a railroad company that operated up through the 1970's and still lives on in the hearts of many to this day.

The Western Maryland, however, did not forget its roots. The genesis of the WM was a railroad company that wanted to serve local businesses in areas that the trunk lines ignored. Keeping to this mission, the WM under John Mifflin Hood connected a group of local lines in York County Pennsylvania with the Western Maryland Railway at Emory Grove Maryland in what would become known as the Dutch Line. The Baltimore & Hanover RR, the present day Maryland portion of the WM Dutch Line, had the same president as the Bachman Valley RR in 1881, but different directors from Baltimore, Carroll County and Hanover PA.

Here is a post on the WM List March 13, 2003 to make this point.

The way Average Speed was calculated by the ICC was by dividing Freight Train Miles by Freight Train Hours. In 1947, the average speed on a Class I RR was 16.0 MPH.

The roads with the highest averages were the RF&P (24.3 MPH), CNO&TP (21.5 MPH) and T&NO (20.6 MPH) - all three with relatively little local traffic. The three slowest were the EJ&E (6.9 MPH), LIRR (8.1 MPH) and WM (10.6 MPH) - three with a lot of local traffic.

Roads having higher speeds than the national average of 16 MPH included: - UP (20 MPH), WAB (19.7 MPH), AT&SF (19.6 MPH), SSW (19.4 MPH), NKP (19.2 MPH), D&H (17.8 MPH), NP (17.1 MPH), SOU (17.1 MPH) DM&IR (17.0 MPH) & ERIE (16.4 MPH).

Roads having lower average speeds than the national average included: - B&O (12.6 MPH), RDG (12.8 MPH), PRR (13.5 MPH), NH (14.0 MPH), C&NW (14.7 MPH), C&O (15.3 MPH), NYC (15.4 MPH), SP (15.4 MPH), GN (15.8 MPH) and N&W (16.0 MPH).

Tim Gilbert

How does this square with WM's claim as the Fast Freight Line? My way of thinking, they were both! In an inteview in Working on the Western Maryland, a WM sales rep states he could get freight from the midwest to Baltimore THREE days quicker than the PRR by using the Alphabet Route system. At the same time, the Dutch Line freight and the Thomas Subdivision coal business featured customized and very local service, driving down the average speed stats above, but greatly benefitting the local businesses and producers in those areas!

Glyndon Maryland

Emory Grove

Woodensburg. Photo by Don Huber April 1, 2003. This former WM station is presently used for other purposes.

This village is sleepy but it is certainly not boring

Don notes that Fowblesburg is 2 miles north of Woodensburg . He took this photo the same spring 2003 day.

The post office is Upperco, WMs timetable calls this location Arcadia. The wooden bridge, No. 259, is classic Western Maryland timber construction. The bridge numbering means that the structure is almost 26 miles from Baltimore. By the way, when these photos were scanned, a new scanner was used and one result is this scan is backwards!

Hampstead is home to a huge Sweetheart Cup facility, but is there a rail connection? According to Don Huber, who replied to this page by email, there is not a connection to Sweetheart or the Black & Decker plant. When the Baltimore & Hanover first came to this village of 300 in 1879, property values doubled. Don notes that the station is now owned by the town and is being renovated by volunteers. Hampstead, near mile 29, is the top of a ~1% grade that starts at mile 24, with one stretch at 1.27%. The B&H, except for the upper section along Gunpowder Falls, did not follow a natural stream route, rather it ran more or less straight across country from the mainline near Glyndon to existing railroads in York County Pennsylvania, as President Hood took over PRR business that previously fed into the Northern Central at Hanover Junction.

Greenmount was the location of a WM freight station and a 1200 foot siding. Don Huber of Manchester Maryland took this photo on March 9, 2003, several years after the structure was destroyed by fire. Greenmount was at milepost 31 .

Maple Grove is the location of a CSXT maintenance of way facility. There are several stacks of ties in the yard along with bumpers. A Baltimore & Annapolis caboose is on display here. Don Huber took this shot on Sunday March 16, 2003

Underpasses in rural Carrol County. The one at Alesia looks lightweight, bridge No. 355 is a 19 foot I beam construction.

The Baltimore and Hanover follows the Gunpowder Falls stream from the divide between the Codorus near Hokes downstream to between Lineboro and Alesia.

Lineboro gets its name from its location astraddle of the Mason Dixon Line. Denny Wertz has relatives in this area who own a farm equipment business.

Other York County Railroad Pages

York 2003 Ma & Pa Muddy Ck. Hanover Porters
Spring Grove B&H York PA 2001 Bachman Valley


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Western Maryland Railway and Related Rail Links
Western Maryland Railway Yesterday and Today
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D796 K942

From The Bull Sheet
CSXT Freight Schedules
D796 (MON-FRI)
Station ArrivalDeparture Additional Information
. . .. UPDATED 6/7/02
. . ..  
HANOVER PA ----0930 ORIGIN
YORK ROAD PA 09400950 1 mile approx
PORTERS PA 10051020 3 miles approx
LINEBORO MD 10501100 10 miles approx
HAMPSTEAD MD 11201130 10 miles approx
WOODENSBURG MD ----1145 7 miles approx
EMORY GROVE MD 11551205 2 miles approx
OWINGS MILLS MD 12401340 5 miles approx
LEHIGH YD MD ----1410 17 miles approx
ARLINGTON MD 14301450 1 mile approx
WALBRIDGE MD 15001510 1 mile approx
CURTIS BAY MD 15301645 8 miles approx
WALBRIDGE MD 17301745 8 miles approx
ARLINGTON MD ----1755 1 mile approx
LEHIGH YD MD 18001815 1 mile approx
OWINGS MILLS MD 18501900 17 miles approx
EMORY GROVE MD 19151925 5 miles approx
PORTERS PA ----2030 29 miles approx
BITTINGER PA ----2050 8 miles approx
BERLIN JCT PA ----2120 2 miles approx
NEW OXFORD PA 21352150 3 miles approx
GULDENS PA ----2210 5 miles approx
GETTYSBURG PA ----2230 5 miles approx
ORRTANNA PA -------- 7 miles approx
GLADHILL PA -------- 11 miles approx
HANOVER PA 2359---- 36 miles approx
Comments: Hanover Local
Assignment subject to change
Hanover Local
Local freight
D796
Baltimore Division
Times updated 6/7/02


CSXT Freight Schedules
K942 (SAT-THURS)
Station ArrivalDeparture Additional Information
. . .. K942
. . ..  
HANOVER PA ----2300 TIMES ARE EXAMPLES
BITTINGER PA 23302345  
FULTON YD MD 02450315  
WESTPORT MD 03450400  
ANNAPOLIS JCT MD 05000545  
HANOVER PA 0700----  
Comments: Loaded Rock Runner
Assignment subject to change
Times are examples
Loaded Rock Runner




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More Baltimore & Hanover by Don Huber!
Back to Spring Grove!

Western Maryland Railway and Related Rail Links
Western Maryland Railway Yesterday and Today
World's Greatest Railroads!