Camden Line

The Maryland Transit Administration is planning a sweeping expansion of its popular but crowded MARC commuter train service, including weekend runs and additional weekday trains by next year and a tripling of the system's capacity by 2035. The detailed blueprint, outlined in a briefing by MTA Administrator Paul J. Wiedefeld, envisions a system that eventually would stretch from Virginia to Delaware and have the capacity to carry more than 100,000 riders a day. The plan, the cost of which would amount to billions of dollars over the next 28 years, would add tracks in areas that are bottlenecks and would increase the frequency of train arrivals.

It happened again to Steve Beasley on Tuesday. For at least the 10th time this summer, the Maryland Rail Commuter train between his home in Laurel and his job in Washington was delayed.The minutes ticked by. Nearly an hour passed. He would be late for work again.It has been that way since June 1, when CSX Corp., owner of two of MARC's three rail lines, took over parts of the Conrail freight system. Freight traffic increased far beyond CSX's expectations and, in the competition for the rails, passenger trains have lost out.In June and July, 372 MARC trains were late, according to the Mass Transit Administration.

The management of the state's MARC commuter train service has apologized to its Penn Line passengers for a series of "major service disruptions" as a result of malfunctioning locomotives. In an e-mail to riders, MARC said that three times over the past two weeks, the locomotive on the 5:37 p.m. train from Washington has broken down - resulting in crowding and delays on later trains. The failures involved high-horsepower electric locomotives MARC bought as an add-on to a purchase of 15 identical locomotives by Amtrak.

Maryland's commuter train system is getting a major revamping with a timetable that adds midday and rush hour service, a new stop at Laurel Race Course and a cafe-parlor car that will offer food, drinks and first-class seats.The revised schedule unveiled yesterday by Mass Transit Administration goes into effect Jan. 31. State officials said the changes should make train service more convenient and reliable than in the past."What we're trying to do is enhance our service and create a more flexible schedule," said Maryland Transportation Secretary O. James Lighthizer.

Snow or no snow, Len Sipes is planning to make his usual train journey this morning from Martin State Airport to Washington and be at his desk by 8:30 a.m. "The federal government is open. I report," said Sipes, press spokesman for a federal agency. Sipes said he's prepared to stay as long as his agency needs him, but he's hoping it won't need him too long. He'd like to catch the 12:20 p.m. Penn Line train out of Union Station, though he's expecting a madhouse as federal workers make an early exodus.

Commuters experienced delays on roads, bridges and transit systems around the state as Marylanders felt the effect of a 5.8-magnitude earthquake in Virginia Tuesday, but most of the disruptions were clearing up by late afternoon. Jack Cahalan, a spokesman for the Maryland Department of Transportation, said from his cellphone outside the evacuated department headquarters in Hanover that service on the MARC and light rail were suspended immediately after the quake. The subway and light rail had reopened by about 3:30 p.m. MARC train service out of Washington's Union Station resumed shortly after 4 p.m. on the Penn and Brunswick lines, and Camden Line service was expected to start up shortly afterward.

Elkridge residents are turning to lawmakers from Howard County for help fighting the potential placement of a CSX rail transfer facility in their community, arguing that lower costs should not be the only factor considered. The site in Elkridge is the cheapest of four potential locations, and the only one estimated to stay within the original $150 million cost estimate — which CSX and the state had agreed to split equally. But Elkridge residents say the project would devastate the property values of the 353 homes that lie within a quarter-mile of the facility.

Service on MARC's Camden Line was restored Tuesday afternoon between Washington and Baltimore while Anne Arundel County firefighters investigated possible chemical leaks on a mile-long CSX train, fire and transit officials said. MTA spokesman David Clark said Train 853 is departing Dorsey operating about 45 minutes late. Passengers should expect 5-10 minute delays between Savage and Dorsey, Clark said. The CSX train was stopped at Montevideo Road at the Anne Arundel-Howard County line about 1:40 p.m., said Division Chief Michael Cox, an Anne Arundel fire spokesman.

Maryland's MARC commuter trains, which have always operated Monday through Friday, will begin offering weekend service between Baltimore and Washington on the Penn Line in coming months. The expansion - put on hold in 2008 when the recession hit - is possible as the result of the new transportation revenue law that raises the state's gas tax, officials said. The governor signed the bill Thursday. The news was welcomed by Baltimore officials, who said it would offer city residents a less expensive means than Amtrak of traveling to Washington for weekend events while also encouraging D.C. residents to travel to Charm City.