Georgetown Branch -
Baltimore & Ohio
Thanks to Mike Palmer for the pictures on this page.
Additional photos and historic info available at Ben Sullivan's webpage dedicated to the Georgetown branch.

 

 

Rail bridge over Canal Road near the corner of Arizona Ave, within Washington, DC limits.  This was taken through the windshield during a downpour--therefore the blurry traffic lights and blue windshield tint).

 

 

 

 

 

The branch left the CSX (B&O) main at Georgetown Jct, near Silver Spring MD.  Some maps show a short segment of branch in operation near the main line; it might have lasted a few years there as there are warehouses and light industry near the old main line connection.

An Auto Club map shows the line extending all the way to the Maryland-DC border; this might have been for service to "Filter Plant Siding" indicated on the SPV atlas.  In the atlas, the line is shown going from Georgetown Jct in MD to Chevy Chase, Bethesda, Dalecarlia Reservoir, into DC to "Filter Plant Siding", and into Georgetown.

The furthest end of the line paralled the Chesapeake & Ohio canal into Georgetown.  The years of construction and abandonment are not known, but the line was in service as recently as 1981, as it was used when the Smithsonian ran the "150th year anniversary" of the John Bull locomotive, the oldest operating steam locomotive still in existence.

The northern section of the line is now a paved trail called the "Georgetown Branch Trail".  Further south, in the Bethesda area, the paved trail is known as the "Capital Crescent Trail".  The line passes through deep cuts and has not been built on, but it is in a heavily built up area so there is a lot of car traffic.

The rails are still in place at the location of the Connecticut Ave (MD Route 185) crossing, as this street is probably too congested to close off for rail removal.

 

Northern end of Georgetown Branch Recreation Trail, facing south from Stewart Ave (crossing) near Brookville Road.  This location is less than a half mile from the Georgetown Branch Junction site.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Abandoned rail siding, and trail bridge [route of branch] over River Road (MD Route 190), facing southwest.  This area now has office buildings but looked like it could have been small warehouses in the past.