Technical Tours 

DAY ONE: AM MARC Technical Tour

MARC Train is glad to welcome CRC Summit attendees to join us for a technical tour of the MARC Camden Line and our Riverside Maintenance Facility in Baltimore. 

The Camden Line, which is part of CSX Transportation’s Capital and Baltimore Terminal Subdivisions, is one of the oldest continually operated rail lines in the United States, segments of which date back to the very first Baltimore & Ohio Railroad train between Mt. Claire Station and Ellicott City in 1830.  During the ride, MARC Train staff will provide commentary about the history of the rail line and point out scenic and historic highlights along the way.  MARC and CSX management will also discuss infrastructure projects completed over the past ten years under the MARC-CSX Joint Benefit Projects program.  MARC and CSX each contribute annually to this fund, which is used to design and execute projects that increase the reliability of both MARC and CSX operations. 

Upon arrival at Baltimore Camden Station, tour participants will remain on the train for the 2 mile trip to Riverside Yard.  This is MARC Train’s primary heavy maintenance facility and is located on the site of the former B&O and CSX Riverside Yard.  Most of the current facility was built in the early 1980’s to replace structures removed to build I-95 and the Fort McHenry Tunnel.  MARC purchased the property from CSX and in 2023 completed construction of the Riverside Heavy Maintenance Building.

The Riverside Heavy Maintenance Building is our state-of-the art heavy works shop.  It is a 30,000 square foot building that features a 30 ton overhead crane, 10 ton auxiliary hoist, 100 ton drop table and a wheel true machine.    Prior to completion of this facility, all of the functions were contracted out to Amtrak or other third parties, which significantly increased locomotive and railcar out of service time and expenses.  If we needed to change out a traction motor or large engine room component, we had to rent multiple industrial cranes – often in adverse weather conditions – at significant expense.

The MARC Operations and Communications Center (MOCC) is the clearinghouse for all day-to-day operational issues.  While MARC Train does not dispatch any trains (all trains are dispatched by our host railroads, Amtrak and CSX Transportation), the MOCC monitors all service on the railroads’ CAD systems and our own GPS and remote diagnostics systems.  MOCC staff send service alerts to customers, make announcements at stations, coordinate service disruptions, update PTC back office servers, and much more.  The current MOCC, built in 2023, is a modern communications facility specifically designed for railroad operations needs in the PTC era.

Our trip will conclude with a brief visit to nearby Fort McHenry, which was the inspiration for Francis Scott Key to pen the United States National Anthem.  After another brief bus ride, we will arrive at Camden Yards MARC Station to board our charter Camden Line train for a non-stop run back to Washington Union Station and the remainder of the day’s CRC activities.

Please note that this tour will involve walking through an active rail yard and maintenance facility.  Personal protective equipment (PPE) will be required: hard hat, safety vest, safety glasses and closed-toe, sturdy shoes. safety shoes with a defined heel.  MARC Train has PPE available for attendees, please indicate on your reservation if you will need PPE.  However, we cannot provide shoes.  Photography is welcome during the tour, except in the MOCC or when tour members are actively walking through the railyard across active tracks.

DAY THREE: PM VRE Technical Tour

Depart from Union Station at 1pm on the Fredericksburg line to tour VRE’s Lifecycle Overhaul and Upgrade (LOU) facility.  Onboard, VRE leadership will discuss the capital projects viewed on the journey.

Designed to optimize processes and reduce downtime, the LOU allows VRE to perform expanded maintenance and overhaul of its railcars and locomotives.  Features include: 33,500 sf building capable of holding four railcars or locomotives at a time; drop table; wheel truing machine; overhead bridge crane; and space for technology upgrades. Opened in 2023, the LOU promises increased operational efficiencies and cost savings for VRE.

*schedule is subject to modification.