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Aberdeen
Havre de Grace MD
Perryville MD
These three towns are very close to each other, and therefore, grouped as such
Location / Name:
Aberdeen MD, Harford County
What's Here:
MARC / Amtrak station
Former B&O depot
Data:
GPS Coordinates: as needed
Phone A/C: 410
ZIP: 21001
Access by train/transit:
Amtrak and MARC
The Scoop:
Aberdeen MD is one of the few spots in Maryland where you will find a station on both of the railroads that go through town. Both tracks offer pretty good sight lines for photographing, especially on the CSX where the tracks are straight. Over on the corridor, if you have a telephoto lens, shooting northward you can get a NB signal bridge in the shot for southbound trains.
If you're looking for a place to eat, sleep, or get gas, there are oodles of them to the east of the I-95 interchange, and more over on Rt 40.
Aberdeen is also part of a trip I took back in 2007 with Michael Watnoski tracking down the remaining CPL signals and is here
Acknowledgements:
Google Maps
Wikipedia
Bing Maps
Websites and other additional information sources of interest for the area:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aberdeen_station_(Maryland)
http://www.harfordhistory.net/aberdeen%20b&o%20station.htm
http://www.aberdeenroom.org/bao-railroad-station-restoration.html
https://www.amtrak.com/stations/abe
https://www.greatamericanstations.com/stations/aberdeen-md-abe/
https://www.mta.maryland.gov/marc-station-information
Driving into Aberdeen via Pulaski Highway, aka, US Route 40, is the most direct route, but is slower than taking I-95 if coming from afar. Doing the Rt 40 thing tho allows you to also stop at other places such as Havre de Grace and Perryville to the north, or follow the NEC and CSX to the south. Closer to Baltimore, the ex B&O tracks run pretty close to the highway.
If coming in via the interstate I-95, get off at exit 85. If you are getting off in the NB direction, you can take the ramp directly onto West Bel Air Ave, which takes you to both of the stations in town. If taking the SB exit, you'll have to take a left at the end of the ramp onto MD22, the Aberdeen Throughway. Shortly after passing the remainder of the exit ramps after going over I-95, you can bear off to the right onto NE Rd, which will take you to W. Bel Air Rd, where you will take a left.
Map
The above map is available here as
a PDF. The one below is from Google maps.
The MARC / Amtrak StationGPS Coordinates: 39.50841, -76.16321
18 East Bel Air Ave, Aberdeen MD 21001
Amtrak Station Code: ABE
The Aberdeen NEC station serves both Amtrak and MARC regional commuter trains. Aberdeen is on the northern section of MARC's Penn Line, served by seven NB and six SB trains daily. There is talk of extending MARC service to Wilmington DE.
From Wikipedia: The station is serviced by most Northeast Regional trains running between Penn Station in New York City and Union Station in Washington, D.C., but only by some trains originating or terminating at South Station in Boston. On weekends, the station is served by one Northeast Regional bound for Norfolk, Virginia and one leaving Richmond. Acela Express and all long-distance trains pass through the station without stopping.
The station was originally built by the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore RR approximately in 1898, and inherited by the Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington RR. The current station is a modern structure built in 1943 by Lester C. Tichy for the Pennsylvania Railroad, it contains a 1960s-style pedestrian tunnel, with one of the entrances located at the former north station house. It also contains a pedestrian bridge built in 1982. Aberdeen was also served by an 1886-built Baltimore and Ohio Railroad station along what is now the CSX Philadelphia Subdivision just north of this one on West Bel Air Avenue. Prior to the mid-1980s there was a grade crossing located next to the station. It was removed after Amtrak completed the Northeast Corridor Improvement Project and replaced with an overpass. end Wiki.
From Amtrak: Constructed in 1943 on the site of an earlier depot, the Aberdeen station is served by Amtrak, MARC and local buses; it's a popular stop for staff of the nearby Aberdeen Proving Grounds.
Last year, my best friend and I took a trip to Boston for my aunt's 100th birthday. We took Amtrak out of the Aberdeen station because it was easier to deal with "things" when the train got back at 1 in the morning...... these two pictures are from w hen we got back.
ex B&O Aberdeen DepotGPS Coordinates: 39.51118, -76.17013
http://www.harfordhistory.net/aberdeen%20b&o%20station.htm
http://www.aberdeenroom.org/bao-railroad-station-restoration.html
The station is a Frank Furness design, and was built in 1885. It was last used (I think) in 1955? The older aerial shots also show where the small Aberdeen yard used to be. It looks like the town is still trying to raise the money to rehab the depot, although it appears that they have succeeded in moving it away from the tracks as CSX wanted on a cold and wet day, December 22th, 2014.
Amtrak PCL SignalsThis is the first set of NB signals north of the Aberdeen station.
NB & SB CSX CPL SignalsThe easiest way to get pictures of these fellows is to park in the lot for the "club" on Rogers St, and walk the short distance up the track.
These signals were replaced with standard color lights signals (I think) in 2019.
The main fire station and police headquarters are located on the same piece of property surrounded by Parke St, Franklin St, and Rogers St.
This crossing gate signal was adjacent to the B&O depot, looks like it has been replaced in this 2019 Google Streetview.
Disclaimers:
I love trains, and I love signals. I am not an expert. My webpages reflect what I find on the topic of the page. This is something I have fun with while trying to help others.
Please Note: Since the main focus of my two websites is railroad signals, the railfan guides are oriented towards the signal fan being able to locate them. For those of you into the modeling aspect of our hobby, my indexa page has a list of almost everything railroad oriented I can think of to provide you with at least a few pictures to help you detail your pike.
If this is a railfan page, every effort has been made to make sure that the information contained on this map and in this railfan guide is correct. Once in a while, an error may creep in :-)
My philosophy: Pictures and maps are worth a thousand words, especially for railfanning. Text descriptions only get you so far, especially if you get lost or disoriented. Take along good maps.... a GPS is OK to get somewhere, but maps are still better if you get lost! I belong to AAA, which allows you to get local maps for free when you visit the local branches. ADC puts out a nice series of county maps for the Washington DC area, but their state maps do not have the railroads on them. If you can find em, I like the National Geographic map book of the U.S..... good, clear, and concise graphics, and they do a really good job of showing you where tourist type attractions are, although they too lack the railroads. Other notes about specific areas will show up on that page if known.
Aerial shots were taken from either Google or Bing Maps as noted. Screen captures are made with Snagit, a Techsmith product... a great tool if you have never used it!
By the way, floobydust is a term I picked up 30-40 years ago from a National Semiconductor data book, and means miscellaneous and/or other stuff.
Pictures and additional information is always needed if anyone feels inclined to take 'em, send 'em, and share 'em, or if you have something to add or correct.... credit is always given! Please be NICE!!! Contact info is here
Beware: If used as a source, ANYTHING from Wikipedia must be treated as being possibly inaccurate, wrong, or not true.
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Last Modified 28-Jul-2021