Streetcars of the Monumental City

Photos by Adam Paul

Not named for the intelligence of its Operators or Passengers, the Dummy Line got its name from the operation of self-propelled steam cars which were enclosed so as not to frighten horses. This line operated in the late 19th Century from the Council Grove Waiting Station within Druid Hill Park along a curved stretch of track to then operate along the Park's Southwestern border before arriving at the gate station near Fulton and Druid Hill Avenues, across from the eventual location of Park Terminal.

Reportedly, at some point in its existence, the line continued along Druid Hill Avenue to turn back at North Avenue, although the dates of this operation are not necessarily known. Operation of this line was significant in many ways. First and foremost, it was the first transit line in the region to operate using self-propelled vehicles. In addition, it was a rare operation in using a wye arrangement to reverse on it's Northern end.

Operation of the "Dummy Line" was suspended by it's operator the "City Park Railway" well before the dawn of electrification, sometime before 1879. However, there are a few ghosts to relate its existence in the present day.

Druid Hill Map
Path of the Dummy Line through Druid Hill Park can be observed as the indigo line leading to the F star.

Most significant of these are three shelters, only one of which, the Council Grove Station, remains in its original location. The others have since been relocated to more populous spots within the park. In addition a short stretch of right-of-way can be traced leading away from the Council Grove Shelter. The remaining right-of-way was largely swallowed up by a "Park Expressway" constructed in the 1950's connecting Druid Hill Avenue and McCulloh Street with Reisterstown Road. Regardless, considering the time that has passed since its abandonment, the haunting of the Dummy line is remarkable indeed.


Council Grove was nearly demolished in the late 1960's due to neglect and vandalism, but now sees happier days greeting visitors to the Baltimore Zoo. Cars of the line pulled alongside the Northwest end of the station, seen in the left part of the photo.	The little ornate Rotunda Station once stood in the mid-portion of the line, but was relocated to an area overlooking the lake.
The Orems, or Chinese Station once occupied a plot on the Western corner of Fulton and Druid Hill Avenues, but was moved across the street to this location during the 1980's. This structure once carried many decorative flares that have since been removed.	Not the easiest to make out in the photo, but quickly familiar in real life, this curved grade lines up perfectly with the boarding platform of the Council Grove Station, and continues beyond the tree in the backdrop for a short stretch before hitting the regrading done in the 1950's for the "Park Expressway."
Evidence of the line's one time journey to North and Madison can be seen in this illustrated 1869 map of Baltimore, which shows a steam powered car heading down Druid Hill Avenue about to turn onto North.

AM I A DUMMY? CONTACT ME!!!