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The Short Line Railroad Trail is a trail in Western
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. The county is part of the Central Maryland region of the state. Baltimore County partly surrounds but does not include the independent cit ...
. 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. The population was 44,701 at the 2020 US Census. The community is a streetcar suburb of Baltimore along the city's western border. The town is known for its proximit ...
. 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. TheGreat Depression
The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...
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 Railroad classes, class I railroad that operated from 1968 to 1976. Penn Central combined three traditional corporate rivals, the Pennsylvania Railroad, ...
officially canceled the C&L Railroad on July 28, 1973.
Future expansion
In 2014, theUniversity of Maryland, Baltimore County
The University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) is a Public university, public research university in Catonsville, Maryland named after Baltimore County, Maryland, Baltimore County. It had a fall 2022 enrollment of 13,991 students, 61 un ...
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 Menta ...
on Hilltop Road.
See also
* Trolley Line Number 9 TrailReferences
{{Maryland hiking trails 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