Baltimore and Potomac Railroad
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Railroad |
| Founded | 1853 |
| Founder | Walter Bowie and siblings (advocates) |
| Defunct | 1902 |
| Fate | Merged with Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad |
| Successor | Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad |
| Headquarters | Baltimore, Maryland , United States |
Area served | Maryland, Washington, D.C., Virginia |
| Products | Rail transportation |
| Owner | Pennsylvania Railroad (controlling stake from 1867) |
| Parent | Pennsylvania Railroad |
The Baltimore and Potomac Railroad (B&P) operated between Baltimore, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. from 1872 until 1902. As a subsidiary of the Pennsylvania Railroad, it served as the second rail connection from the nation's capital to the Northeastern U.S., providing competition to the older Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.
Today, segments of its original route form part of Amtrak's Northeast Corridor, recognized as the busiest intercity passenger rail line in the United States, as well as the Penn Line under the Maryland Transit Administration's MARC commuter rail system. The Baltimore and Potomac Tunnel, constructed between 1871 and 1873 beneath northern Baltimore, remains operational, whereas the Virginia Avenue Tunnel in Southeast Washington (built 1870–72) was replaced during 2016–18.
Origins and Construction
The railroad's extension into southern Maryland was driven by advocacy from Walter Bowie and his siblings, including future governor Oden Bowie. Their efforts culminated in a charter granted on May 6, 1853, permitting construction from Baltimore through Upper Marlboro to the Potomac River in southern Maryland, with authorization for branch lines up to 20 miles in length. Although surveying commenced in 1855, progress stalled due to the Civil War.
In 1866, B&P requested approval for a Washington branch near Collington (present-day Bowie) and secured contracts for constructing the main line. Working alongside the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) and Northern Central Railway (NCRY), PRR acquired a controlling stake in B&P by 1867, facilitating construction between the Annapolis and Elk Ridge Railroad (A&ERR) and Upper Marlboro. Simultaneously, development proceeded from Bowie toward Washington.
By 1869, B&P obtained rights-of-way through Baltimore, including an 800-foot tunnel connecting to NCRY. Grading advanced from the Patapsco River to the District Line and from Bowie toward Upper Marlboro, with bridges erected along these sections.
In 1870, Congress authorized extending B&P's Washington branch across the Potomac River via the Potomac River Railroad Bridge into Virginia. Following flood damage in October of that year, B&P commenced building a replacement bridge. Concurrently, construction moved forward on both the Virginia Avenue Tunnel and Anacostia Railroad Bridge; track installation began by autumn.
Rail lines were extended southward from A&ERR in Annapolis to deep-water docks for material unloading; tracklaying south of Odenton started in May 1871. By August, bridges spanning the Big Patuxent and Little Patuxent Rivers were completed, with tracks reaching Bowie by month's end—utilizing Maryland's heaviest rail at that time. Construction trains operated during summer; major waterway bridges progressed alongside tunnel work.
Freight operations started in October 1871; by late November tracks reached Anacostia with bridges over Beaver Dam and Watts Branch finalized. The Virginia Avenue Tunnel was completed on January 13, 1872; shortly thereafter all Washington, DC tracks were finished. Rail lines extended near Upper Marlboro by February.
The new Long Bridge opened on May 14, 1872, enabling supply transport from southern regions. Congress approved a station at 6th and B NW (currently Constitution Avenue). Although the final spike on the main line was driven June 10, operations had yet to commence.
Passenger trains between Baltimore and Washington launched on July 2, 1872—the same day as the Alexandria and Fredericksburg line opened—allowing travel from Baltimore to Richmond despite incomplete tunnels necessitating omnibus transfers between stations. Temporary depots opened alongside telegraph services; many stations remained under construction.
Freight service on the Pope's Creek Branch began during summer 1872; passenger service followed by November. The branch officially opened January 1, 1873 but remained a minor route.
The Baltimore and Potomac Tunnel beneath Baltimore opened June 29, 1873, connecting B&P with PRR's Northern Central Railway to the north and Calvert Street Station. On July 24, the Union Railroad extended through an additional tunnel to PRR's Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore Railroad northeast toward Delaware and Pennsylvania. These links established Baltimore’s rail connections both northward and southward through Richmond to southern markets.
Connections and Crossings
Between 1873 and 1874, the Washington City and Point Lookout Railroad, collaborating with the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, established the Baltimore, Washington and Alexandria Branch Railroad linking Hyattsville, MD to Shepherd's Landing in Washington, DC. This initiative involved constructing a Howe truss bridge spanning the B&P line near Cheverly, MD.
In August 1873, the Western Maryland Railway connected to the B&P just west of the B&P tunnel at Fulton Avenue, creating a new route extending to Hagerstown.
Baltimore and Potomac Station in Washington, D.C.
The original Baltimore and Potomac station in Washington was a modest wooden structure. In 1873, it was replaced by a robust brick and stone edifice located at Sixth Street and B Street NW (now Constitution Avenue), which is presently occupied by the West Building of the National Gallery of Art. Due to its construction above the former Washington City Canal, foundation work presented significant challenges. The rail lines extended southward along Sixth Street to a wye junction at Sixth Street SW, Maryland Avenue SW, and Virginia Avenue SW.
On July 2, 1881, U.S. President James A. Garfield was shot inside the station's waiting area; he subsequently succumbed to infection caused by his wounds.
On November 1, 1902, the B&P merged with PW&B to create the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad (PW&B), which was controlled by the PRR.
New Washington Union Station alignment
The Washington Terminal Company inaugurated Union Station in 1907 to serve PB&W, B&O, and other railroads. All PB&W passenger trains from Baltimore were redirected onto the new Magruder Branch, which branched off at Landover and ran westward alongside the B&O Washington Branch as it approached the station.
Ownership changes and breakup
In 1968, control of the B&P passed to Penn Central. Amtrak took over intercity passenger operations on the Washington Branch in 1971; meanwhile, Penn Central continued commuter services without subsidies until its bankruptcy in 1976. Following this, Conrail assumed ownership and operated commuter trains until 1983 when responsibility shifted to local and state agencies. MARC took over commuter rail operations on the Washington Branch but did not purchase the line itself; Amtrak had acquired it in 1981. However, MARC did obtain certain assets such as Odenton station, which Amtrak did not serve.
The Pope's Creek Subdivision extending to Faulkner remained under Conrail control. After Conrail’s division in 1999, freight operations on the Washington Branch were managed by Norfolk Southern, while freight service on Pope's Creek was handled by CSX Transportation.
Catonsville
Opened in 1884, the Catonsville Short Line Railroad was leased by Baltimore & Potomac, forming a brief branch line running south from Baltimore to Catonsville.
Pope's Creek Subdivision
The 48.7-mile (78.4 km) route to Popes Creek was originally part of the main line as chartered but has functioned as a branch line from Bowie since its inception in 1873. Meanwhile, the Bowie-to-Washington stretch, covering 17.1 miles, was classified as a branch according to the original charter.
From Pope's Creek, two additional lines branched out: one heading towards Mechanicsville and another serving the Naval Proving Ground, Indian Head. The line reaching Mechanicsville was eventually extended further to the Patuxent River Naval Air Station located at Cedar Point. A spur known as the Herbert Subdivision branched off from Cedar Point, providing access to the Chalk Point Generating Station. The segment of the Cedar Point line located south of Hughesville was discontinued during the 1960s.
Along the Pope's Creek Line, several stations catered to both passengers and freight, including Collington. Presently, only a 5,200-foot siding remains active at milepost 3.0 on this spur, situated just south of its underpass beneath Maryland Route 450 near Maryland Route 197.