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I agree with the idea of WMATA extending the Blue/Silver from Largo Town Center to Annapolis being ideally the least favorite. The costs to extend the system would be far astronomical than the State of Maryland could even fathom. So, that's out. The second option being the extension of the MTA Light Rail sounds slightly more doable, but still runs into TONS of problems. Namely the NIMBY crowd that went down screaming during the Purple Line talks. The costs would be slightly more manageable than deep boring tunnels under soft grounds, especially nearest the watershed that is Annapolis. The idea of extending the Orange Line sounds like it would be far cheaper than the Blue/Silver extension with more at grade or elevated options along the Hanson Highway. MY idea would be to branch off the Penn Line via MARC utilizing the defunct trackage seen between Bowie State and Odenton. I honestly think THAT would be immensely cheaper to clear out an existing track bed of overgrowth, and planning to extend from where the tracks ended along that line. Tying into the Penn Line/Northeast Corridor would allow for slightly faster connection times, as well as laying the groundwork for frequencies between Odenton and Annapolis with Odenton being the originating and terminating point for that line extension to keep MARC's rolling stock moving in between the NEC/Penn Line runs as it does with the variations between Baltimore-Penn, Martin State (weekends) and Perryville (Rush Service). What do you think? (A side note for the Annapolis Extension from the Penn Line: I would very much rather keep a lot of the stations above ground via the Park and Ride lots to simplify and keep costs lower. Another thing to note is that MARC utilizes the push-pull service, which would be far more beneficial than making a throughway via your proposed diversion via tunnels. I have a strong feeling Amtrak would resist the idea based on the fact that they will push for customer appreciation, thus dumping this particular problem on MTA/MARC. Same goes for ideas for expanding their Brunswick Line to include Hagerstown via Frederick et al. We just can't win as commuters, can we?)

Chestnut Hill East station is getting the same re-construction

A bunch of NIMBYs in Philadelphia got arrested recently for protesting at City Hall.

Us DC Metro employees just got a memo about trains returning to design speed in certain sections, i.e., running at 75 mph where the geography allows. This is to start in the new year, so soon. The goal is to make the trains run faster so passengers have shorter transit times, always a plus.

2:57 in, there's a claim that Annapolis was the state Capital since 1694. While it was designated in 1694, records show that it didn't become operational until all the government's records and operations were moved from the former Province of Maryland's former capital, Saint Mary's City (1634 - 1695) until March of 1695; when all state operations began because of the distance to get to Saint Mary's City being a bit unreasonable for most. Just a little history there from a Marylander who loves the history of this state a little too much.

Sounds good but Maryland is facing a massive budget deficit of $ 3 Billion. Maryland is the only regional state that has a deficit while Va. Pa, and Del all have budget surplus. Keep dreaming.

8000-SERIES TRAIN MENTIONED‼️🗣️💥💯

You are ascribing a level of competence to Amtrak and MDOT that just doesn't exist, even provided the funding could be found. There was a fairly active movement to extend the Orange Line to Bowie along Rt 50 in the early 1980s, but the competing shorter Blue Line extension to Largo won instead.

The metro proposals won't really work imo. Metro is not a regional rail. It should only connect a city to itself, not a city to other cities. Metro only works with high demand, high frequency, and low distances because metros are pretty slow (even the DC Metro averages only around 30 mph!) and expensive to build. Their main advantage is high frequency and capacity. We don't need that kind of capacity for this. We need speed. Having travelled all over the world and riding many rail systems, I think the solution is really clear. Electrified normal intercity/regional trains that are run by MARC or Amtrak (probably MARC) that run once an hour minimum but preferably every 30 minutes. You can also extend it to Ocean City or Rehoboth Beach or to Baltimore/Wilmington too, but we can start small at just a DC to Annapolis connection. It can even be single tracked. Enough capacity, high speed, low cost.

Before we even think about any of these proposals, the Key Bridge needs to be rebuilt.

All I know is The Purple Line from MDOT MTA is going to run from Montgomery County MD to Prince George’s County MD & connect to The Green, Red & Yellow Lines. As well as Amtrak & MARC.

Crofton mention 🗣️ Great vid. I want more transit here

Here's my thoughts on proposals 1 and 2. If they extend the Metro from Largo or New Carrollton, I think it would make more sense if there was a forced transfer there, with the new lines running from either station to Annapolis. Would mean that any backups on the (maybe at some point) Orange/Silver tunnel don't affect the line out to Annapolis. It would also just make the line too long, and could maybe order 4-car trains just for that line, since you likely wouldn't need the capacity that would come with a regular DC Metro train. And if you need say, 6-car trains, then allowing for the platforms to be lengthened up to 6-cars, without needing to tear down the tracks, could be done when the line is being built

Good idea, extend the crime line. Everywhere the train or bus goes, the crime goes with. Idiots! 😂

I’m in favor of Marc. It’s more suitable for longer distances and they can build a line from dc to ocean city and from Baltimore to ocean city via both Annapolis and the eastern shore and Calvert county. Also a line could be built from Baltimore to western md via Frederick

I'm curious about your thoughts on extending MARC service to Hagerstown, Cumberland, and other points in Western Maryland. I think what this would really need is running a new MARC line along I-70 from Baltimore.

With little adjustments to curves for a little more money, they could make the Annapolis rail link 186 mph capable and be part of a hs2 style rail system for the northeast corridor like what lucid stew envisioned. If you remember, even in high speed areas of the nec, northeast regionals and even commuter systems like mbta and nj transit run their trains on the same tracks.

It wouldn’t be quite as good for intercity connectivity outside of MD, but I’ve always liked the thought of an electrified rail line between Columbia and Annapolis through Odenton, which could connect directly to both the NEC and the CSX mainline. You could then have services originating in annapolis or columbia that go to baltimore or dc, as well as direct service between annapolis and columbia. I’m def biased cuz I often travel to Columbia and it’s frustrating that there’s basically no way to get there by transit, but I think the project could be done for pretty cheap by following the right of way of MD state route 32 for most of the route.

As to your really good ideas,there is a caveat,there has to be a change in the Federal Subsidized Roads,Airlines,and Waterways! If EQUALITY BEFORE THE LAW,REALLY EXISTS,THAN RAILROADS/ PUBLIC TRANSPORT HAS TO BE GIVEN A CENTURY PLUS,OF FUNDING TO MAKE UP,OF THE PAST NEGLECT! And all operations,should be NON-PROFIT,as the competition is highly Subsidized! Self explanatory! Thank you,for a set of great ideas! Thank you 😇 😊! And a belated Merry Christmas,and Happy New Year! Thank you 😇 😊!

Originally from Baltimore and back in the 90's they thought about running the Light Rail all the way to Annapolis on the old B and A right of way, but nimby's killed it.

Sounds like the former reading westrenton to Newark they're response is that they get High speed from west trenton towards Newark that's crazy because the same line the is the septa R4 it isn't high speed and that's running

Next lets talk about getting some rail down here to Southern MD,......yeah I know that is never going to happen

Don’t need it. Don’t want it. It used to have a rail connection, long since gone. There isn’t enough population or density to support it. There once was a right of way to extend the Orange line from New Carrollton to Bowie. That’s been all sold off because it wasn’t practical. These are suburban areas where it’s just not wanted. We don’t want a Hunt Valley situation. Traffic on 50 is nothing (drive it every day). These plans will cost BILLIONS to serve like 5 people. They already can’t take care of what they have, the State and WMATA are broke, both the Purple and Silver lines are both huge boondoggles, and after COVID, the ridership just isn’t there. Another thing to consider, a vast quantity of people who live in Annapolis aren’t going to DC or Baltimore to work, but to areas all over the DMV like Columbia, Greenbelt, Silver Spring and other places where these connections will be useless. They also tend to be upper middle class to wealthy..they ain’t taking Metro or Light Rail.

The old Baltimore & Annapolis corridor is still intact from where it used to cross below Rt. 50 to the location of the old Severn River trestle swing bridge, then all the way to College Creek along the north side of Rowe Blvd. That's far and away the best route by a huge margin into Annapolis from the north. Replacing the old trestle with another bridge (exactly the same way that the old Rt. 450 low level drawbridge was replaced by a new high level roadway bridge) is the only way into town that makes any sense. With the insanely ruinous cost for tunneling, and the also insane cost for right of way acquisition via eminent domain and condemnation in the extremely expensive Annapolis real estate environment, using as much as possible of the splendid former B&A right of way that the state of Maryland so carefully preserved for exactly this reason is probably the only way that passenger rail service has any chance of ever reaching Annapolis again from the north. Speaking of historic rights of way, the original alignment of the old Annapolis and Elk Ridge Railroad (later part of the Washington, Baltimore, and Annapolis interurban line) is also intact from Rt. 50 via Defense Street and the north side of West Street, until it diverges into what's now a utility corridor carrying power lines, which then becomes Poplar Avenue and finally Loew's Access Road, until it runs right into the back of the old Annapolis train station location now occupied by the Anne Arundel County Department of Social Services. That old train station was also used by the old Baltimore and Annapolis line, which leads to this final and highly fortunate aspect of using intact former rail corridors. The alignments I've mentioned above could be used again with a combination of efficient surface running and reasonably affordable elevated structures. The only thing be needed to link the old route into Annapolis from the west with the old route into Annapolis from the north is less than a half mile of new alignment. In the context of lovely and historic downtown Annapolis blocks west of Church Circle, where the new station would replace the Social Services Dept. building, it would be cheaper but also quite ugly and obtrusive to build an elevated link, while vastly more expensive yet far less obtrusive to build a tunnel link. Either the elevated structure or the tunnel would leave the old WB&A surface alignment where necessary along the Loew's Access Road, then return to the old B&A surface alignment where necessary west of College Creek. What I've laid out here is a perfect fit in detail for the local Annapolis layout that would perfectly fit with the author's extremely sensible "Proposal 3" which seems to be the nest or his ideas. Looking closely at Google Maps while reading my details will show how sensible this arrangement would be within Annapolis, which I've in mind since first becoming interested in railroad history while also enjoying many happy times time at a college friend's family home on the Severn in the Wardour neighborhood during the 1980's.

Very thought provoking video, as someone who's lived in the DMV their whole life this would be a massive almost megaproject. This is indeed, a modest proposal that would be crazy to see. I don't know exactly how you would calculate this, but I'd be interesting to see the differences. WMATA is looking to cover more of the dense parts of the DMV (DC, Arlington, and parts of PGC) with a new metro line to alleviate the BOS and provide a more northward crosstown service rather then more stuff into the exurbs but its interesting nonetheless.

10:35 Did you call Crain Highway "KAREN Highway"?!? 😂😂😂😂

FWIW, residents in Anne Arundel County are the reason why the Baltimore Metro Subway exists in its current form. Mind you this was in the '70s so attitudes may have changed but I do believe there would be a lot of apprehension with extending Metro to Annapolis, be it from pearl clutchers and NIMBYS. There is a lot of wealth and influence in that part of Anne Arundel County and they would definitely fight tooth and nail to not see it be built

Me and a friend have been designing a system for annapolis and we thought to baltimore it would be separate from the light rail. However it would share trackage with it from glen burnie until just before camden yards where it would go into the csx tunnel and act like the tunnel in philly. The trains would be similar to those on the south shore line in indiana

wow WHAT some serious information and I wish this could come into play and make it happen

A connection to Annapolis is such an obvious thing that it drive me absolutely nuts there isn't one. And nothing to the DelMarVa beaches? Insane. Route 1 along the coast should have at the very least a light rail, but it barely even has a bus. Lord knows there's enough room for it on the massively overbuilt highway. But you know. Just one more lane will fix it, bro.

Proposal 3 love it with planig i like the idea

Absolutely crazy you didn’t include an option to reactivate the B,W,A line from Annapolis Junction - you could run trains from the Camden line (either from DC or Baltimore) to Annapolis.

So goot transportaion is dead on delivery all the way to the customer?

why were us railroads never recognized as as esecial serive providers that nod allways need to be profitable

A lot to unpack here but several good points. However... MARC bought diesels because not only were they cheap (and at the time, the SC-44's were replacing the AEM-7s), they don't have enough engines to service the CSX-held Brunswick and Camden in addition to the Penn lines. Many trains off the Brunswick line do a few stints up and down the Penn line before going back to Brunswick. So they need the operational flexibility. That said, restoring the Mount Claire Connector between the Penn and Camden Lines would not only allow MARC to continue to run diesels into Camden Yards, but also access it's Riverside repair yard much easier. Thus, Annapolis-DC service *could* be diesel to a point. This would require the line to run exclusively on MD 50 until it got close... but then, if you did an initial termination at Riva Road (and the park & ride there), you'd get some starting cash because you can offload Commuter Bus to the train. Overall, you plan jives with mine: New MARC line. If it goes electric with EMUs? Even better.

The most viable option is a Metro extension from New Carrolton to Annapolis / Parole. I doubt real estate would be available in downtown Annapolis - anything downtown would need to be totally underground. Perhaps a light rail connection to Glen Burnie / BWI could be a second phase using the WB&A ROW, but the connection to DC is the priority. No bridging over the Severn River to connect the two lines, but a "union station" at the old naval station industrial site could be built.

Hell yes

There is so little room to run a train in Severna Park. It'd requir a lot of land acquisition. And tunnel under the Chesapeake is something that isn't favored for environmental reasons.

What's wrong with LRT on the old WB&A track from Annapolis to Odenton, with timed transfers to MARC's Penn Line? That has to be the least expensive rail option.

THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS VIDEO! I used to go to school in Annapolis and I've been thinking this connection was being slept on for YEARS, from the former B&A interurban line that's been largely forgotten somehow to the current bus services between Baltimore and Annapolis that CANNOT keep up with demand. More people should be talking about this!!!

Why not a MARC line into Camden Station Baltimore and perhaps continuing to Penn Station Baltimore through the old Mount Royal Station? That would supplement what you propose for the NEC and help revitalize Baltimore center.

Currently, there are several studies/proposals for building a new Chesapeake Bay Bridge. While building a new bridge, put a set of tracks in the middle and connect the Delmarva peninsula. Service could start in Wilmington and pass through Dover Delaware and have connecting service to points south. This line could relieve some of the congestion on the NEC!

There are provision on the east end of the Largo Metrorail station to allow the extension of the Blue line to the east. The elevated beyond east end of the station were built with provision for future junction turnouts that diverge to the left of the tail tracks that are clearly visible at 10:22 The tali track tunnels descend to a depth deep enough to allow the eastward extension to be in subway turning to the east under Medical Center Drive.

Metro's should not be used for intercity trips. Light rail is way worse and simply is not a viable solution Baltimore to Annapolis. Love your point on New Carrolton as a great transit hub, I think a Marc electrified spur line from New Carrollton down route 50 is best, cheaper, higher top speed and wide station spacing better served, more comfortable for long distance, can single track at points and have direct service to downtown DC and Baltimore.

I really agree with extending the light rail to Annapolis, but I feel like the line between DC and Annapolis should be a different line to achieve faster speeds and to keep from delays so far from DC cascading along the entire line. I think it should be a different service alla nhsl.

lol.. the good people of Annapolis don’t want anyone who depends on transit to have an easy way to get to Annapolis. Even though the light rail extension would be the best idea. The major issue with that is that the light rail isn’t profitable. But extending subway stations to Anne Arundel county is an automatic no, because of “elemental” reasons. And even though people might commute to and from Annapolis, not enough to justify the cost will be the story that will be told.

but what if we just add one more lane, bro?

What are the distances and estimated costs?

And here I was thinking the Tappan Zee Bridge freaked people out? Great video. Steve! Never been to Annapolis but if there was a train there I’d love to go! Also the idea of a semi-back up line in lieu of NEC isn’t the worst idea.

Good video. I think trains should go back to Annapolis. I’ve been saying this a lot. They want to replace the current bay bridges. Something should connect the Eastern shore. Extending the light rail from glen burnout sounds like it would be the easier option. But Marc service from BWI would be nice. Have it go across the new bridge. It could connect back to the NEC in Elkton or Newark. I think the reason Marc doesn’t have new electric locomotives is Amtrak stopped servicing them.