Baltimore Belt Line
| Baltimore Belt Line | |||
|---|---|---|---|
B&O's overhead third-rail system at Guilford Avenue in Baltimore, 1901, part of the Baltimore Belt Line. The central position of the overhead conductors was dictated by the many tunnels on the line: the ∩-shaped rails were located at the highest point in the roof to give the most clearance | |||
| Overview | |||
| Status | Operational | ||
| Owner | Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (Original) CSX Transportation (Current) | ||
| Locale | Baltimore, Maryland, United States | ||
| History | |||
| Electrified via overhead rail | 1895 | ||
| Electrification removed | 1952 | ||
| Technical | |||
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge | ||
| Electrification | formerly electrified | ||
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The Baltimore Belt Line was constructed in Baltimore, Maryland, by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) in the early 1890s to connect the railroad to its new line to Philadelphia and Jersey City (the terminal serving New York City). It included the Howard Street Tunnel, the Mount Royal Station for B&O's Royal Blue Line passenger trains, and the first mainline railroad electrification in the United States. Today, CSX Transportation operates the line as part of its Baltimore Terminal Subdivision.