| 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.
Click
Here to see a map of the Baltimore area trackage covered by the MA &
PA.
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.

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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.
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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.
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The MA & PA's frieght
shed still serves as the ELMER PACKIE Shops of the Baltimore Streetcar
Museum on Falls Road.
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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.
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Matching Yard Shed also
in city use sits aside the Roundhouse just below the 28th Street Bridge
on Falls Road.
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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.
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The right of way at Melrose
Avenue is easily noticeable in this depression leading under the footbridge
to Bryn Mawr School.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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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