Capital Subdivision

The Capital Subdivision is a railroad line owned and operated by CSX Transportation in the U.S. state of Maryland and the District of Columbia. The line runs from near Baltimore, Maryland southwest to Washington, D.C. [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20021126171126/www.trainweb.org/csxtimetables/Baltimore/Capitol.html CSX Timetables: Capitol (sic) Subdivision] ] along the Baltimore and Ohio Rail Road former Washington Branch. [http://oldrailhistory.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=326&Itemid=362 (DC Map)] [http://oldrailhistory.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=327&Itemid=363 (MD Map)]

The northeast end of the line is at Relay, Maryland, near the historic Thomas Viaduct where it meets the Baltimore Terminal Subdivision and Old Main Line Subdivision. Its southwest end is at the yard north of Union Station, at a junction with the Metropolitan Subdivision and Amtrak's Northeast Corridor. The Alexandria Extension runs south from a junction at Riverdale, Maryland to the Landover Subdivision in Southeast D.C. near the Anacostia Freeway overpass; this is used by freight to Virginia.

MARC Train's Camden Line provides passenger service over the entire length.

History

, passed February 22, 1831, authorized the B&O to build a branch from their main line within 8 miles (13 km) of Baltimore to Washington. As this line would take much business from the parallel turnpikes, especially the Washington and Baltimore Turnpike, the law specifically allowed those companies to subscribe to the stock of the railroad. The line opened on August 25, 1835, splitting from the B&O main line at Relay, roughly 7 miles (11 km) from Baltimore.

The original Washington terminal was located in the block bounded by New Jersey Avenue, North Capitol Street, C Street NW and D Street NW. Trains reached that location via the current location of West Virginia Avenue, street-running trackage on I Street NE and Delaware Avenue, and private right-of-way just south of the current location of Louisiana Avenue. When the Washington Terminal Company opened the new Union Station in 1907, that alignment was changed to the current routing, partially using the former location of Delaware Avenue.

The B&O became part of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway in 1963 and the Chessie System in 1973. In 1980 Chessie became part of CSX, which now owns the line.

tation listing

References

* [http://www.earlpleasants.com/search_1.asp Railroad History Database]
*Mileposts from [http://web.archive.org/web/20040718192935/www.trainweb.org/csxtimetables/Contents.html CSX Transportation Timetables]
* [http://www.trainweb.org/oldmainline/wasmile.htm#top Washington Branch Milestone Pictures]

External Links

[http://oldrailhistory.com U.S. Railroads 1826 - 1850]