 Map of the B&A Railroad from 1970 | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Annapolis, Maryland |
| Locale | Annapolis and Baltimore, Maryland |
| Dates of operation | 1887–1991 |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Electrification | 6,600 V AC (1908–1914) Overhead line, 1,200 V DC (1914–1950) |
The Baltimore & Annapolis Railroad (B&A) was an American railroad of central Maryland built in the 19th century to connect the cities of Baltimore and Annapolis. From 1897-1968 the railroad ran between Annapolis and Clifford along the north shore of the Severn River. From Clifford, just north of the present day Patapsco Light Rail Stop, it connected with the B&O's Curtis Bay branch so that trains could travel to Baltimore, though from 1914 to 1950 it bypassed this to travel instead to Carrol Junction and then to a terminal on Russell Street via the Camden Cutoff.
It had periods of bust and boom that resulted in different owners, changed names and abandonment and sale. It started operation in 1897 as the Annapolis and Baltimore Shortline, but changed it's name in 1893 to the Baltimore and Annapolis Shortline, or often just the Annapolis Shortline. In 1914 it changed to electric power and in 1921 it was purchased by the larger Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis Electric Railway (WB&A). The WB&A went bankrupt in 1935 and the railroad emerged from the bankruptcy as the Baltimore & Annapolis Railroad. B&A electric passenger operation between the two cities continued until 1950 when the section of rail between Carrol Junction and Clifford Junction was purchased for the Baltimore-Washington Parkway. At that time the B&A switched to diesel and became solely a freight carrier while operating buses for passenger service. Freight service to Annapolis ceased in June 1968 and service south of Glen Burnie stopped in 1969. Tropical Storm Agnes damaged the Patapsco River bridge in 1972 stopping all service and the railroad unsuccessfully tried to abandon the whole line, but it was forced to resume service in the 1980s. In 1979, the line south of Glen Burnie was sold to various entities with the bulk of it turned into a rail trail. In 1991 the railroad was sold to MTA for a light rail line, service was stopped and the railroad was replaced.
After the light rail was completed, freight rail continued for a short time before being shut down in the 1990s. The B&A briefly continued operations in the Carolinas but stopped in the early 21st Century. The bulk of the right-of-way now serves as part of Baltimore's light rail system and as the Baltimore & Annapolis Trail.