CSX Popes Creek line

Dose anyone have any time tables for times when CSX runs from Washington DC and down the Popes Creek Line?

The trains generally originate in Benning Yard. There is no set schedule, although activity has picked up with some additional traffic in recent months.

In addition to coal going to the power plants at Chalk Point and Morgantown, there is also gypsum and limestone traffic. There is a (usually) 3 times a week stone train that runs to a facility just north of La Plata that generally operates on a Monday-Wednesday-Friday schedule. These movements are usually at night but with the long daylight hours as we enter summer there is a chance you may catch it in daylight.

Radio frequencies on the line are 161.07 and 161.34.

A couple of good places to catch any activity are in Bowie at the railroad museum which is adjacent to the wye for the Pope's Creek sub or the wye in Brandywine where the Herbert sub going to Chalk Point branches off from the Pope's Creek sub.

We're running the limestone for the plants mixed with the gypsum/urea alot. There is a seperate LaPlata rockrunner Q754/Q755 that runs down at 0001 (on duty time) and back at 1800. Trains go on duty at 0001,0030, 0400, 1200, 1500, and 2200. Although each one typically does the same thing (ie, take loads down, or do the flip-flop between plants), nothing is set in stone and is subject to massive change due to Amtrak, available crews, engines, cars, etc, etc.

I grew up on the Popes Creek line. Anyone who knows me knows my pet railfan fantasy is to create the MARC Pope's Creek line but it's good the line is seeing business.

I know from living there a train usually runs through Croom between Midnight and 2am every day expect Saturday it seems. I also remember frequent morning trains. When I lived at home during Winter break and would drive up to Baltimore not to get home until 2-3 am, it always seems the train came through 20 minutes after I got home, despite me coming home later some nights.

It's very, very hard to get a good train photo on the line because of the combination of limited runs, position of the sun, and Amtrak. You have to get very lucky.

As much as I know it's difficult to predict movements on the line, I'd love any insight as to when I might catch an AM northbound or a southbound PM.

That's pretty much the opposite of how the trains run. The only jobs in the AM around sunrise are usually going south (a very late B804, or a very late Q754), or a B809 that is taking loads down as opposed to the plant-flop or MTs up. In the afternoons, most of the traffic runs north, i.e., B806, B807, Q755, etc.

That's pretty much the opposite of how the trains run. The only jobs in the AM around sunrise are usually going south (a very late B804, or a very late Q754), or a B809 that is taking loads down as opposed to the plant-flop or MTs up. In the afternoons, most of the traffic runs north, i.e., B806, B807, Q755, etc.

I know, I've noticed there aren't many pictures of the line on Railpictures.net probably due to this fact. I wonder if the heat wave will require them to run more coal down the line.

They're not running anymore coal than they normally do down there. I think *I think* they generally keep a stockpile of about 5-6 days worth at the plants. Don't hold me to it, but yeah. Here are a few shots.

In the hole at Coll siding. We took lite power from Wine siding to pick up these cars.


Afternoon shots are great a the Farmer's road crossing on the industrial track. I like the view..while waiting on some rr.


At DAN, waiting for our pickup.


The industrial track...again


Big Mac at the Red Top.

Wow those are some grate pics

Is the Washington DC freight bypass being considered? I still think that this line should be chosen.