Baltimore Light Rail and Metro

An Excursion on the Baltimore Light Rail and Metro Lines

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There are two light rail routes. The route from Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI) to Hunt Valley is about 30 miles in length. The travel time is about ninety minutes for an average travel speed of about 20 mph. In 2004, the light rail system recorded 6.07 million unlinked trips and 41.2 million passenger miles.

The metro line from Johns Hopkins Hospital to Owings Mills is about 15 miles in length. The travel time is about 30 minutes for an average speed of about 30 mph. In 2004, the metro recorded 12.4 million unlinked trips and 59.6 million passenger miles.

An all-day excursion ticket costs $3.50 and is good on both the light rail lines and the metro. This is the only ticket that can be used on both systems. The ticket machines carry signs indicating that a proximity card system is coming soon.

Here is a two-car light rail train about to depart from the airport stations, which is immediately adjacent to the main terminal building.

The light rail vehicles are have a high floor that is level throughout. Each car is an articulated unit riding on three trucks. There is no communication between adjacent cars. The ride was not as smooth as other rail vehicles on which I've ridden recently. There was a distinct "clunk-clunk-clunk" noise accompanied by rhythmic shaking suggestive of a flat spot on at least one wheel, perhaps due to wheel slide during emergency braking.

The light rail vehicle is reflected in a shop window along Howard Street in downtown Baltimore.

The stations generally are outfitted with short roof segments so that passengers have a modest amount of shelter while waiting for a train. Tickets must be purchased before boarding. I assume that there are fare inspectors though I didn't encounter any.

There is a button for everything. Signs tell the passengers to press a yellow strip to signal to the driver that they wish to disembark at the next station. The trains I rode actually stopped at every station regardless of the status of the stop request sign that was visible in the passenger compartment. In order to request that a door open at a station, passengers onboard the train must press a button on a small yellow box mounted on a stanchion close the doors. Passengers waiting on the platform must push a button located next to the door on the exterior of the vehicle. At the ends of the line, all doors open regardless of whether the buttons have been pushed. Station platforms are low and would have to be rebuilt if it was ever decided to deploy low-floor light rail vehicles with level floor loading.

Here is the train about to depart from Hunt Valley. The train actually arrives at one side of the platform to allow passengers to disembark and then moves to the other side of the platform to allow passengers to board.

Upon arrival at Hunt Valley, I helped a lady who had recently had hip surgery get off the train with her luggage. Though she was not in a wheelchair, she had trouble with stairs. She had not been familiar with the handicap access ramp system and had boarded the second car of the train, which has no ramp access. At the end of each platform is a ramp that provides access to the first door of the first car. The edge of the ramp does not reach the side of the train. The driver must leave the cab to deploy a bridge plate that reaches out to the ramp. Bikes are allowed on the trains. The one bike rider that I saw chose not bother with the ramp. He simply carried his bike up the steps to the train. He chose the articulation area in the middle of the car as a suitably out of the way area to store his bike.

Here the train is reflected in an office building near the Hunt Valley end of the line.

There are many grade crossings along the line with warning lights. There are no warning bells at the grade crossings. Some of the train drivers choose to use the light rail vehicles horn at each grade crossing.

The northern end of the line follows a creek and then the shore of a reservoir. There are segments where it is not evident that the line is within a major metropolitan area.

Here a northbound train is seen through the cab window at the rear of a southbound train.

The line parallels a highway for a short distance. The cars on the highway are easily able to overtake the trains when traffic is flowing freely.

Despite the best efforts of the city of Baltimore, sections of Howard Street along the line remain derelict.

The Lexington Market Station is a convenient transfer point to the metro.

The Lexington Market Station is perhaps the most impressive station on the metro.

The metro cars essentially identical to those used in Miami. The interiors are simple but clean and comfortable. The ride is extraordinarily smooth.

The Owings Mills end of the line is actually above ground.

One segment of the line parallels a highway. The posted speed limit is 60 mph yet the trains actually keep pace with the general flow of traffic and overtake some of the slower cars when they reach cruising speed between stations.

The line is entirely underground through the downtown area including the terminal station at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Most of the underground stations are much simpler than the Lexington Market Station.

The Howard Street section of the light rail line features an odd zigzag track configuration. The northbound train zigzags across the northbound motor vehicle lane in order to be able to access a curbside station. The trains and motor vehicles do not actually share lanes; however they do zigzag across each other at intersections. Along the Howard Street section of the line, the trains do not have traffic signal priority.

The stations feature novel flip-up seats. This eliminates the risk of sitting on a wet seat.

A passenger made the pigeons happy by disposing of the remains of his lunch prior to boarding a train. This is a lot better than finding the empty soda cup and some chicken bones under the seat in front of me on the light rail train. Baltimore has very little graffiti compared to other cities in the United States and there is virtually no graffiti on the light rail and metro system.

The harbor is visible from the line just south of the stadium area.

Here is the train back at the airport terminal.

Here is a last look at the train from the airport parking garage.

For more information, visit the following links:

Maryland Department of Transportation

nycsubway.org webpages on the Baltimore light rail and metro lines

urbanrail.com webpage on the Baltimore light rail and metro lines

Wikipedia article on the Baltimore light rail system

Wikipedia article on the Baltimore metro

	There are two light rail routes. The route from Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI) to Hunt Valley is about 30 miles in length. The travel time is about ninety minutes for an average travel speed of about 20 mph. In 2004, the light rail system recorded 6.07 million unlinked trips and 41.2 million passenger miles.
	The metro line from Johns Hopkins Hospital to Owings Mills is about 15 miles in length. The travel time is about 30 minutes for an average speed of about 30 mph. In 2004, the metro recorded 12.4 million unlinked trips and 59.6 million passenger miles.
	An all-day excursion ticket costs $3.50 and is good on both the light rail lines and the metro. This is the only ticket that can be used on both systems. The ticket machines carry signs indicating that a proximity card system is coming soon.
	Here is a two-car light rail train about to depart from the airport stations, which is immediately adjacent to the main terminal building.
	The light rail vehicles are have a high floor that is level throughout. Each car is an articulated unit riding on three trucks. There is no communication between adjacent cars. The ride was not as smooth as other rail vehicles on which I've ridden recently. There was a distinct "clunk-clunk-clunk" noise accompanied by rhythmic shaking suggestive of a flat spot on at least one wheel, perhaps due to wheel slide during emergency braking.
	The light rail vehicle is reflected in a shop window along Howard Street in downtown Baltimore.
	The stations generally are outfitted with short roof segments so that passengers have a modest amount of shelter while waiting for a train. Tickets must be purchased before boarding. I assume that there are fare inspectors though I didn't encounter any.
	There is a button for everything. Signs tell the passengers to press a yellow strip to signal to the driver that they wish to disembark at the next station. The trains I rode actually stopped at every station regardless of the status of the stop request sign that was visible in the passenger compartment. In order to request that a door open at a station, passengers onboard the train must press a button on a small yellow box mounted on a stanchion close the doors. Passengers waiting on the platform must push a button located next to the door on the exterior of the vehicle. At the ends of the line, all doors open regardless of whether the buttons have been pushed. Station platforms are low and would have to be rebuilt if it was ever decided to deploy low-floor light rail vehicles with level floor loading.
	Here is the train about to depart from Hunt Valley. The train actually arrives at one side of the platform to allow passengers to disembark and then moves to the other side of the platform to allow passengers to board.
	Upon arrival at Hunt Valley, I helped a lady who had recently had hip surgery get off the train with her luggage. Though she was not in a wheelchair, she had trouble with stairs. She had not been familiar with the handicap access ramp system and had boarded the second car of the train, which has no ramp access. At the end of each platform is a ramp that provides access to the first door of the first car. The edge of the ramp does not reach the side of the train. The driver must leave the cab to deploy a bridge plate that reaches out to the ramp. Bikes are allowed on the trains. The one bike rider that I saw chose not bother with the ramp. He simply carried his bike up the steps to the train. He chose the articulation area in the middle of the car as a suitably out of the way area to store his bike.
	Here the train is reflected in an office building near the Hunt Valley end of the line.
	There are many grade crossings along the line with warning lights. There are no warning bells at the grade crossings. Some of the train drivers choose to use the light rail vehicles horn at each grade crossing.
	The northern end of the line follows a creek and then the shore of a reservoir. There are segments where it is not evident that the line is within a major metropolitan area.
	Here a northbound train is seen through the cab window at the rear of a southbound train.
	The line parallels a highway for a short distance. The cars on the highway are easily able to overtake the trains when traffic is flowing freely.
	Despite the best efforts of the city of Baltimore, sections of Howard Street along the line remain derelict.
	The Lexington Market Station is a convenient transfer point to the metro.
	The Lexington Market Station is perhaps the most impressive station on the metro.
	The metro cars essentially identical to those used in Miami. The interiors are simple but clean and comfortable. The ride is extraordinarily smooth.
	The Owings Mills end of the line is actually above ground.
	One segment of the line parallels a highway. The posted speed limit is 60 mph yet the trains actually keep pace with the general flow of traffic and overtake some of the slower cars when they reach cruising speed between stations.
	The line is entirely underground through the downtown area including the terminal station at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Most of the underground stations are much simpler than the Lexington Market Station.
	The Howard Street section of the light rail line features an odd zigzag track configuration. The northbound train zigzags across the northbound motor vehicle lane in order to be able to access a curbside station. The trains and motor vehicles do not actually share lanes; however they do zigzag across each other at intersections. Along the Howard Street section of the line, the trains do not have traffic signal priority.
	The stations feature novel flip-up seats. This eliminates the risk of sitting on a wet seat.
	A passenger made the pigeons happy by disposing of the remains of his lunch prior to boarding a train. This is a lot better than finding the empty soda cup and some chicken bones under the seat in front of me on the light rail train. Baltimore has very little graffiti compared to other cities in the United States and there is virtually no graffiti on the light rail and metro system.
	The harbor is visible from the line just south of the stadium area.
	Here is the train back at the airport terminal.
	Here is a last look at the train from the airport parking garage.