Historical development Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail

zero mile of trail



monkton station


historical significance

the northern central railway, built in 1832, ran between baltimore, maryland, , sunbury, pennsylvania, , 1 of oldest rail lines in country. railway serviced growing baltimore, york , harrisburg industries, had 46 stops, 22 of in maryland, , operated 140 years. carried passengers, people vacationing @ bentley springs, , freight between baltimore , york or harrisburg, pennsylvania. during civil war, pennsylvania railroad-controlled northern central served major transportation route supplies, food, clothing, , material, troops heading south camp curtin , other northern military training stations.

already in financial trouble, ncr ceased operations between cockeysville , york in 1972 after hurricane agnes battered bridges. old bed, converted rail-trail in 1984, can still seen today. historical markers can found along trail such monkton train station underwent renovations , serving museum, gift shop, , ranger station.

history , evolution

in 1980s when proposed place hike , bike trail in place of train tracks, contentious battle raged between property owners , state. owners contended property taken under eminent domain purpose of train tracks, , that once property no longer used train property rights should revert previous land owners.

the state prevailed in fight property , maryland department of natural resources converted corridor trail opened public in 1984. trail used hundreds of people daily bicycle, foot , horse. trail provides access gunpowder river , loch raven watershed boating , fishing. in honor of dr. torrey c. brown s unconditional support trail, renamed torrey c. brown rail trail, after third secretary of maryland department of natural resources, in 2007.