The Short Line Trail, Catonsville, Maryland

The Short Line Trail in Catonsville, Maryland, is a former rail line that ran from Baltimore to Catonsville. It was privately sponsored, so that the investors all had stops along the line. It was completed in 1884 and ran passenger service (mostly commuters) until the early 1900s. It occasionally ran freight and remained in that service until the 1970s. The conversion of the trail started in the late 1990s and is still underway. The current trail is bifurcated by the Baltimore Beltway.

Sign for the "inside the beltway" portion

Some history

The trail

One initiative making the trail even better is the Birds of Paradise Birdhouse Project. Part of the trail runs through a neighborhood called Paradise, thus the name. Local organizations and families have decorated and modified the birdhouses that adorn the trees along the trail.

Will a bird go willingly in the cat's mouth?

Another item for the cat's mouth?

Colorful examples

Maybe this is really a bat house?

The trail runs by the Baltimore National Cemetery. Much like Arlington National Cemetery, it is dedicated to soldiers. Our scout pack and troop both come to put flags out on Memorial Day every year.

Cemetery Overlook

The trail is very inauspicious, with lots of benches and nature to appreciate.

One end of the trail

Doesn't feel like a city trail at all

Lots of bridges branch off into neighborhoods, giving plenty of access.

Over a drainage ditch

A fancy bridge

Bare-bones bridge

A trail with...

A small bridge

The Paradise Avenue crossing

End of the line (for now)

On the outside of the beltway is a continuation of the trail. I parked by the General William J. Witte Armory of the Maryland National Guard to start this part of the Short Line.

Armory no longer in use?

Trail head

Across the street from the Armory, the trail goes left and right. The leftward path leads to downtown Catonsville a few blocks away.

Off to shopping

The other direction is more wooded and leads back toward the other side of the beltway.

The rightward path

Amazingly, some paths out to the neighborhood are nicer than others.

Fancy fox crossing

Less fancy human crossing

The trail leads up a short hill to the intersection of Wade Avenue and Asylum Lane.

A naturalish stairway

The top of the stairs is a long ramp

Asylum Lane sign

Asylum Lane itself

The road looks a little dodgy. It used to lead to the Spring Grove State Hospital (probably called an Asylum back in the day, it was a hospital for the insane). The hospital had a power plant near the rail line. The trains delivered coal. The land has been taken over by the University of Maryland Baltimore County.

End of Asylum Lane

Continuation of the trail

Like many right of ways, this trail has power lines overhead. 

A good spot for power walking

This dead tree was interesting to me

Further along are two gate posts from the Main Gateway Lodge House of the Asylum. The house is no longer there. 

Posts

A nicer bridge

The bridge above leads to a part of the trail that still has railroad tracks!

The rail line still visible

The rails end at Wade Avenue which leads over to the bridge over the beltway. I turned back. On the way I spotted some deer having brunch off on the side.

It's hard to win a staring contest with deer

Back at the armory