Maryland rail commuters dodged the national railroad strike that closed two of the state's three commuter lines yesterday by switching to cars, buses and subways, leaving service on the lone operating line relatively tranquil and uncrowded.
Curtailed service by the Maryland Rail Commuter system probably caused longer queues at Shady Grove and two other suburban Washington Metro rail stops and trimmed by about 1,400 the number of people passing through Washington's Union Station, transit officials said.
But several commuters and state officials saw little evidence that yesterday's rush hours were more frustrating than normal.
"It could be a non-problem," said Steven Sklar of Mount Washington, a veteran rail commuter to Washington.
While Congress moved swiftly to end the strike, state transportation officials promised to offer extra bus service, parking and express trains from Baltimore's Pennsylvania Station to help harried riders on the MARC system for as long as the walkout lasted.
Cliff Black, an Amtrak spokesman, said the strike resulted yesterday in the cancellation of 15 long-distance passenger trains that normally run through Penn Station -- all with service on freight tracks outside the Northeast corridor.
The result was a cutoff of daily passenger service from Baltimore to Richmond and Newport News, Va.; Atlanta; Birmingham, Ala.; New Orleans; Chicago; and various points in Florida.
Unaffected, according to Mr. Black, were the approximately 60 northbound and southbound Amtrak trains with daily stops in Baltimore.
MARC's Penn Station line, which operated despite the strike, was braced to absorb an additional 2,800 riders yesterday because of the closing of the parallel Camden Station line. Special express trains ran at 6:25 a.m., 7:25 a.m., 5:25 p.m. and 5:50 p.m.
But only about 800 of the riders expected showed up, a MARC official said, leaving some cars with extra seats.
Several hundred commuters who usually ride the closed MARC Brunswick line took advantage of limited bus service to Washington Metro rail stations provided by the state, said Joseph Nessel, director of MARC's passenger services.
Susan Gainen, a Brooklyn Park resident who works in Alexandria, Va., said the strike didn't scare her but Washington's notorious traffic problems did.
"I would never drive down there if I had a choice," said Ms. Gainen, who was waiting at Baltimore-Washington International Airport's station. "You can underline it, capitalize it, put it in 22-point railroad Gothic type: NEVER!"
