MARC Brunswick Line Study

About The Project

The Brunswick Line Study evaluates opportunities for expanded service on the Brunswick Line that are identified in the 2019 MARC Cornerstone Plan (the Plan). The Plan’s long-term vision for the Brunswick Line includes additional train capacity and frequency (mid-day, weekday, and weekend), with a focus on enhancing service on the Frederick branch.

Brunswick Line Study Technical Report

Click here to download a PDF of the Report

The Brunswick Line Study Technical Report (the Report) provides a history of the corridor, summary of existing rail operations, markets for increased ridership, environmental and railroad constraints, potential future service enhancements, and the feasibility of extending the MARC service into Western Maryland.

MDOT MTA has developed the following service enhancement options that are included in the Report:

• New reverse peak weekday rush hour service, one to five trains
• New weekend service in both directions, up to eight daily roundtrips
• Additional off-peak service throughout the midday, up to hourly service
• Additional service during rush hours in both directions, up to 20-minute headways
• Additional late-night service from Washington, one to two trains

The Report also explores up to four railroad alignment options to extend the Brunswick Line service into Western Maryland in order to comply with the Transit Safety and Investment Act (SB 199/HB 114). Four independent rail alignments, and the challenges and opportunities associated with each one of them, are considered including:

1. Hancock / Cumberland (CSX) – three round trip trains that serve Martinsburg, WV could be extended 23 miles west to Hancock along the CSX line.
2. Hagerstown (W&W) – three round trip trains that serve Martinsburg, WV could be extended 23 miles north to Hagerstown along the Winchester & Western Railroad (W&W) track north from Martinsburg, WV.
3. Hagerstown (NS) – three round trip trains that serve Brunswick, MD could be extended 13.4 miles along the CSX line to Shenandoah Junction (just west of Duffields Station) and then 22.3 miles north to Hagerstown along the Norfolk Southern Railway (NS).
4. Hagerstown (B&O) - three round trip trains that serve Brunswick, MD could be extended 3.1 miles along the CSX line to Weverton and then approximately 19.1 miles along the former B&O Hagerstown Line and then approximately 5.3 miles to Hagerstown along an existing CSX line for a total of 27.5 miles.

Project Survey - Let Us Know Your Thoughts

Do you have preferences on these potential Brunswick Line service options? Please take the short survey to let us know-

Project Schedule

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Project Events

An in-person meeting will take place Tuesday, April 4, 2023 in Hagerstown to discuss the study. Meeting details are below:

Time: April 4 from 6:00pm to 7:30pm
Place: Washington County Library, Room 308/309, 100 S Potomac Street, Hagerstown, MD, 21740

Contact Us

Contact the project team at brunswick@mdot.maryland.gov with any comments or questions or to request a briefing. Written comments can be sent to:

Office of Planning and Capital Programming
Maryland Transit Administration
6 Saint Paul Street, 9th Floor
Baltimore, MD
21202

Related Plans And Resources

• March 2023 Virtual Public Meeting Presentation
• Visualize 2045 Long-Range Transportation Plan – National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board
• MARC Cornerstone Plan
• Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) Travel Demand Modeling
• Brunswick Line Weekday Schedule