Bay Ridge and Annapolis Railroad
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| Bay Ridge and Annapolis Railroad | |
|---|---|
 1915 Map showing the Bay Ridge and Annapolis Railroad |
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| Locale | Annapolis, Maryland, to Bay Ridge, Maryland |
| Dates of operation | 1886 – 1904 |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8½ in (1435 mm) (standard gauge) |
| Headquarters | Annapolis, Maryland |
The Bay Ridge and Annapolis Railroad, originally called the Annapolis and Bay Ridge Railroad, was a 4.5-mile long short line railroad in central Maryland. It ran 4.5 miles from a junction with the Annapolis, Washington & Baltimore Railroad to the resort town of Bay Ridge, Maryland. It mainly provided transportation between Annapolis and the resort, but also connected with a carferry and steamer service to the Eastern Shore. A small connection was eventually made to the Baltimore & Annapolis Short Line. Shortly after opening it fell under the control of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad and changed its name. It was never able to make money so it was shut down in 1904 and the tracks were removed in 1918. Very little sign of it remains today.
Contents |
[edit] History
[edit] Origins
The Annapolis and Bay Ridge Railroad was incorporated by the Bay Ridge Company on April 8, 1884 with the right to build a railroad from Annapolis or any point on the Annapolis and Elkridge Railroad to Bay Ridge, MD in Anne Arundel County[1].
The Bay Ridge Company began work on the railroad and rebuilt the beach resort on the [[]Chesapeake Bay]] in 1885. The hotel was doubled in size, the boardwalk expanded, and beach cottages were constructed. The company even opened a zoological exhibit with lions, tigers and bears. [2]
The railroad began operation on July 10, 1886 and for the next 17 years, thousands of people used it to visit the "Queen Resort of the Chesapeake."[3] The start up costs, however, were enormous, and in September 1886, the Bay Ridge Company issued $300,000 worth of bonds. Robert Gerrett, President of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, bought $150,000 worth of the bonds giving the B&O a controlling interest in the Bay Ridge Company and the Annapolis and Bay Ridge Railroad.[2]
By 1887 the company had changed its name to the Bay Ridge and Annapolis Railroad (BR&A), sometimes called simply the "Bay Ridge Railroad." At a point prior to 1890, a small connection was made from Chesapeake Junction to the Baltimore & Annapolis Short Line near West Annapolis[4].
[edit] Carferry Connection
For 13 months in 1890-91 the BR&A connected to a carferry and steamer service run by the Baltimore & Eastern Shore Railroad. That service ended in October 1891 and was replaced by a steamer-only operation out of Baltimore.
[edit] End of the Line
The railroad was never profitable and in 1904 it ceased operations. In 1918, with steel at a premium due to World War I, the tracks were removed.
[edit] Stations on the Line
- Bay Ridge Junction
- Bay Ridge
[edit] Surviving Landmarks
- Some right-of-way visible at Bay Ridge Junction and at points in Bay Ridge
[edit] References
- ^ Session Laws of Maryland, 1884 (1884). Retrieved on November 24, 2006.
- ^ a b George H. LaBarre Galleries Rarities Sale 12 Catalog. Retrieved on November 30, 2006.
- ^ Carol Patterson and Jane McWilliams (1986). "Bay Ridge on the Chesapeake".
- ^ USGS Owensville Quadrangle (1892). Retrieved on December 1, 2006.
[edit] External links
- A Brief History of Railroads in Annapolis - The South Shore Line
- A Brief History of Railroads in Annapolis - The B&O South Shore Line
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| See also: List of defunct United States railroads | |
