List of Washington, D.C. railroads
Encyclopedia
Common freight carriers
- Canadian Pacific RailwayCanadian Pacific RailwayThe Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
through subsidiary Delaware and Hudson RailwayDelaware and Hudson RailwayThe Delaware and Hudson Railway is a railroad that operates in the northeastern United States. Since 1991 it has been a subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway, although CPR has assumed all operations and the D&H does not maintain any locomotives or rolling stock.It was formerly an important...
(trackage rightsTrackage rightsTrackage rights , running rights or running powers is an agreement whereby a railway company has the right to run its trains on tracks owned by another railway company....
, not used) - CSX TransportationCSX TransportationCSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
(CSXT) - Norfolk Southern RailwayNorfolk Southern RailwayThe Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
(NS)
Passenger carriers
- AmtrakAmtrakThe National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
(AMTK) - Maryland Transit AdministrationMaryland Transit AdministrationThe Maryland Transit Administration is a state-operated mass transit administration in Maryland, and is part of the Maryland Department of Transportation. It is better known as MTA Maryland to avoid confusion with other cities' transit agencies who share the initials MTA. The MTA operates a...
- Virginia Railway ExpressVirginia Railway ExpressThe Virginia Railway Express is a regional/ commuter rail service that connects the Northern Virginia suburbs to Union Station in Washington, D.C., via two lines: the Fredericksburg Line from Fredericksburg, Virginia, and the Manassas Line from Broad Run/Airport station in Bristow,...
- Washington MetroWashington MetroThe Washington Metro, commonly called Metro, and unofficially Metrorail, is the rapid transit system in Washington, D.C., United States, and its surrounding suburbs. It is administered by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority , which also operates Metrobus service under the Metro name...
Defunct railroads
| Name | Mark Reporting mark A reporting mark is a two-, three-, or four-letter alphabetic code used to identify owners or lessees of rolling stock and other equipment used on the North American railroad network. The marks are stenciled on each piece of equipment, along with a one-to-six-digit number, which together uniquely... |
SystemThis is one or more of the Class I railroad Class I railroad A Class I railroad in the United States and Mexico, or a Class I rail carrier in Canada, is a large freight railroad company, as classified based on operating revenue.Smaller railroads are classified as Class II and Class III... s that the railroad became part of, if any. |
From | To | Successor | Notes |
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| Alexandria and Fredericksburg Railway | RF&P Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad The Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Potomac Railroad was a railroad connecting Richmond, Virginia, to Washington, D.C. It is now a portion of the CSX Transportation system.... |
1872 | 1890 | Baltimore and Potomac Railroad | ||
| Alexandria and Washington Railroad | RF&P Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad The Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Potomac Railroad was a railroad connecting Richmond, Virginia, to Washington, D.C. It is now a portion of the CSX Transportation system.... |
1854 | 1872 | Alexandria and Fredericksburg Railway | ||
| Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Baltimore and Ohio Railroad The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which... |
B&O, BO | B&O | 1831 | 1987 | Chesapeake and Ohio Railway Chesapeake and Ohio Railway The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway was a Class I railroad formed in 1869 in Virginia from several smaller Virginia railroads begun in the 19th century. Led by industrialist Collis P... |
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| Baltimore and Potomac Railroad | PRR Pennsylvania Railroad The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.... |
1867 | 1902 | Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington Railroad Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington Railroad The Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington Railroad was a railroad that operated in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and the District of Columbia in the 20th century was a key component of the Pennsylvania Railroad system. Its 131 mile main line ran from Philadelphia to Washington... |
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| Chesapeake Beach Railway Chesapeake Beach Railway The Chesapeake Beach Railway , now defunct, was an American railroad of southern Maryland and Washington, DC built in the 19th century. The CBR ran 27.629 miles from Washington, D.C. on tracks formerly owned by the Southern Maryland Railroad and then on its own single track through Maryland farm... |
1896 | 1935 | East Washington Railway | |||
| Chesapeake and Ohio Railway Chesapeake and Ohio Railway The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway was a Class I railroad formed in 1869 in Virginia from several smaller Virginia railroads begun in the 19th century. Led by industrialist Collis P... |
C&O, CO | C&O | 1891 | 1987 | CSX Transportation CSX Transportation CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles... |
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| Consolidated Rail Corporation Consolidated Rail Corporation The Consolidated Rail Corporation, commonly known as Conrail , was the primary Class I railroad in the Northeast U.S. between 1976 and 1999. The federal government created it to take over the potentially profitable lines of bankrupt carriers, including the Penn Central Transportation Company and... |
CR | 1976 | 1999 | CSX Transportation CSX Transportation CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles... /Norfolk Southern Railway Norfolk Southern Railway The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada... |
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| East Washington Railway | 1935 | 1976 | N/A | |||
| Georgetown Barge, Dock, Elevator and Railway Company | B&O Baltimore and Ohio Railroad The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which... |
1888 | 1972 | Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Baltimore and Ohio Railroad The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which... |
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| Orange, Alexandria and Manassas Railroad | SOU | 1872 | 1872 | Virginia and North Carolina Railroad | ||
| Penn Central Transportation Company | PC | 1968 | 1976 | Consolidated Rail Corporation Consolidated Rail Corporation The Consolidated Rail Corporation, commonly known as Conrail , was the primary Class I railroad in the Northeast U.S. between 1976 and 1999. The federal government created it to take over the potentially profitable lines of bankrupt carriers, including the Penn Central Transportation Company and... |
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| Pennsylvania Railroad Pennsylvania Railroad The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.... |
PRR | PRR | 1918 | 1968 | Penn Central Transportation Company | |
| Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington Railroad Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington Railroad The Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington Railroad was a railroad that operated in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and the District of Columbia in the 20th century was a key component of the Pennsylvania Railroad system. Its 131 mile main line ran from Philadelphia to Washington... |
PRR Pennsylvania Railroad The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.... |
1902 | 1976 | Consolidated Rail Corporation Consolidated Rail Corporation The Consolidated Rail Corporation, commonly known as Conrail , was the primary Class I railroad in the Northeast U.S. between 1976 and 1999. The federal government created it to take over the potentially profitable lines of bankrupt carriers, including the Penn Central Transportation Company and... |
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| Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad The Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad was the Pennsylvania Railroad's main line from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania southwest to Baltimore, Maryland in the 19th and early 20th centuries... |
PRR Pennsylvania Railroad The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.... |
1891 | 1902 | Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington Railroad Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington Railroad The Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington Railroad was a railroad that operated in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and the District of Columbia in the 20th century was a key component of the Pennsylvania Railroad system. Its 131 mile main line ran from Philadelphia to Washington... |
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| Richmond and Danville Railroad Richmond and Danville Railroad The Richmond and Danville Railroad was chartered in Virginia in the United States in 1847. The portion between Richmond and Danville, Virginia was completed in 1856... |
SOU | 1886 | 1894 | Southern Railway | ||
| Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad The Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Potomac Railroad was a railroad connecting Richmond, Virginia, to Washington, D.C. It is now a portion of the CSX Transportation system.... |
RF&P, RFP | RF&P | 1920 | 1991 | Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railway | |
| Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railway | RFP | 1991 | Still exists as a subsidiary of CSX Transportation CSX Transportation CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles... |
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| Southern Railway | SOU | SOU | 1894 | 1990 | Norfolk Southern Railway Norfolk Southern Railway The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada... |
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| Southern Maryland Railroad | 1882 | 1886 | Washington and Potomac Railroad | |||
| Virginia Midland Railway | SOU | 1880 | 1886 | Richmond and Danville Railroad Richmond and Danville Railroad The Richmond and Danville Railroad was chartered in Virginia in the United States in 1847. The portion between Richmond and Danville, Virginia was completed in 1856... |
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| Virginia and North Carolina Railroad | SOU | 1872 | 1873 | Washington City, Virginia Midland and Great Southern Railway | ||
| Washington, Alexandria and Georgetown Railroad | RF&P Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad The Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Potomac Railroad was a railroad connecting Richmond, Virginia, to Washington, D.C. It is now a portion of the CSX Transportation system.... |
1862 | 1868 | Alexandria and Washington Railroad | ||
| Washington City and Point Lookout Railroad | B&O Baltimore and Ohio Railroad The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which... |
1873 | 1874 | Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Baltimore and Ohio Railroad The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which... |
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| Washington City, Virginia Midland and Great Southern Railway | SOU | 1873 | 1880 | Virginia Midland Railway | ||
| Washington and Potomac Railroad | 1886 | 1900 | Washington, Potomac and Chesapeake Railroad | |||
| Washington, Potomac and Chesapeake Railroad | 1901 | 1910 | Washington, Potomac and Chesapeake Railway | |||
| Washington, Potomac and Chesapeake Railway | 1910 | 1918 | Chesapeake Beach Railway Chesapeake Beach Railway The Chesapeake Beach Railway , now defunct, was an American railroad of southern Maryland and Washington, DC built in the 19th century. The CBR ran 27.629 miles from Washington, D.C. on tracks formerly owned by the Southern Maryland Railroad and then on its own single track through Maryland farm... |
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| Washington Southern Railway | WSN | RF&P Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad The Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Potomac Railroad was a railroad connecting Richmond, Virginia, to Washington, D.C. It is now a portion of the CSX Transportation system.... |
1901 | 1920 | Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad The Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Potomac Railroad was a railroad connecting Richmond, Virginia, to Washington, D.C. It is now a portion of the CSX Transportation system.... |
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| Washington Terminal Company Washington Terminal Company The Washington Terminal Company was a corporation created in Washington, D.C. to provide support to railroads using Washington's Union Station. The company was established in 1901 and was jointly owned by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and the Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington Railroad. The... |
WATC | B&O Baltimore and Ohio Railroad The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which... / PRR Pennsylvania Railroad The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.... |
1901 | Still exists as a subsidiary of the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) | ||
| Washington and Western Maryland Railroad | B&O Baltimore and Ohio Railroad The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which... |
1889 | 1985 | N/A |
Electric
- Anacostia and Potomac River RailroadAnacostia and Potomac River RailroadThe Anacostia and Potomac River Railroad Company was the fourth streetcar company to operate in Washington, D.C. and the first to cross the Anacostia River. It was chartered in 1870, authorized by Congress in 1875 and built later that year. The line ran from the Arsenal to Union Town...
- Baltimore and Ocean City Railway
- Baltimore and Washington Transit CompanyBaltimore and Washington Transit CompanyThe Baltimore and Washington Transit Company was incorporated in Maryland in the 1890s to build an interurban between Baltimore and Washington, and was authorized to enter Washington to a junction with the Brightwood Railway on June 8, 1896...
- Brightwood Railway
- Capital Traction CompanyCapital Traction CompanyThe Capital Traction Company was the smaller of the two major street railway companies in Washington, D.C. in the early 20th Century. It was formed through a merger of the Rock Creek Railway and the Washington and Georgetown Railroad Company in 1895. The company ran streetcars from Georgetown;...
- Capital Transit Company
- Capitol, North O Street and South Washington RailwayCapitol, North O Street and South Washington RailwayThe Capitol, North O Street and South Washington Railway was a street railway company in Washington, D.C. from 1875 to 1898. It was the sixth and final company to start during the horse car era. It operated on a loop, or "belt", around downtown and the National Mall. For that reason, and because of...
- City and Suburban Railway
- Columbia RailwayColumbia RailwayThe Columbia Railway was the third streetcar company to operate in Washington, D.C. It was incorporated and started operations in 1870, running from the Treasury Building along H Street NW/NE to the city boundary at 15th Street NE. It switched to cable power in 1895 and then electric power in...
- Georgetown and Tennallytown Railway
- Great Falls and Old Dominion RailroadGreat Falls and Old Dominion RailroadThe Great Falls and Old Dominion Railroad was an interurban trolley line that ran in Northern Virginia during the early 20th century.-History:...
- Metropolitan RailroadMetropolitan RailroadThe Metropolitan Railroad was the second streetcar company to operate in Washington, D.C. It was incorporated and started operations in 1864, running from the Capitol to the War Department and along H Street NW in downtown. It added lines on 9th Street NW, on 4th Street SW/SE, along Connecticut...
- Rock Creek RailwayRock Creek RailwayThe Rock Creek Railway was one of the first electric streetcar companies to operate in Washington, D.C. It was incorporated in 1888 and started operations in 1890. After expansion, the line ran from the Cardoza/Shaw neighborhood of D.C. to Chevy Chase Lake, Maryland...
- Tennallytown and Rockville Railroad
- Washington Railway and Electric CompanyWashington Railway and Electric CompanyThe Washington Railway and Electric Company was the larger of the two major street railway companies in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States, until 1933. At that time, it was merged with its main competitor, the Capital Traction Company, to form the Capital Transit Company...
- Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis Electric Railroad
- Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis Electric RailwayWashington, Baltimore and Annapolis Electric RailwayThe Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis Electric Railway , now defunct, was an American railroad of central Maryland and Washington, DC built in the 19th and 20th century. The WB&A absorbed two older railroads, the Annapolis and Elk Ridge Railroad and the Baltimore & Annapolis Short Line, and...
- Washington, Berwyn and Laurel Electric Railway
- Washington and Georgetown RailroadWashington and Georgetown RailroadThe Washington and Georgetown Railroad Company was the first streetcar company to operate in Washington, D.C. It was incorporated and started operations in 1862, running from Georgetown to the Navy Yard. Two additional lines ran on 7th Street NW/SW and 14th Street NW. In 1890 it switched from...
- Washington and Glen Echo Railroad
- Washington and Great Falls Electric Railway
- Washington Interurban Railway
- Washington and Old Dominion Railway
- Washington and Rockville Railway
- Washington, Spa Springs and Gretta Railroad
- Washington Traction and Electric Company
- Washington–Virginia Railway
- Washington, Woodside and Forest Glen Railway and Power Company