Indian Head Rail Trail
| Indian Head Rail Trail | |
|---|---|
-3.jpg) Looking west from the White Plains Trail Head of the Indian Head Rail Trail in White Plains, Maryland. | |
| Length | 13.1 miles (21.1 km) |
| Location | Charles County, Maryland |
| Established | 2008 |
| Use | Hiking, Biking |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Website | destinationsouthernmaryland |
The Indian Head Rail Trail is a 13.1-mile (21.1 km), shared-use rail trail that runs from Indian Head, Maryland, to the White Plains, Maryland. It was built on the abandoned right-of-way of the old Cape Charles Railroad, a subsidiary of the New York, Philadelphia and Norfolk Railroad (NYP&N), which ran from 1910 to 1972. Planned phases would extend the trail all the way to Cape Charles.[1]
History
[edit]The U.S. Navy built the Indian Head Branch to the Naval Powder Factory at Indian Head in 1918-19 as part of the build up during World War I. It was built off the Pope's Creek Subdivision from a junction at White Plains, Maryland to aid in the production of smokeless powder (a propellant used in firearms and artillery).[2] The road was opened on Armistice Day - May 29, 1919 - but was not completed for actual service for several months.[3] It continued to provide an important link for the production of powder during World War II.[4] The Navy also used it to bring coal, supplies and other materials to Indian Head until the early 1970's after which it fell into disuse.[5] In 1999, the Navy gave a tourist train permission to use the line, but it ran few trains, derailed often and, after several lease violations, the Navy cancelled the lease.[6][7]
With the failure of the tourist train, the Indian Head Naval Surface Warfare Center briefly considered using the line to have coal delivered to the base, but found the investment required for repairs was too great, so in 2003 they announced plans to donate the railroad line to Charles County for the creation of a trail.[8] In 2005 the Navy declared the line and several rail cars left behind by the tourist railroad excess. It all then became the property of the Department of the Interior and in 2006 it was donated to Charles County as part of the Federal Lands-to-Parks program.[9][2]
The trail project was briefly held up when, in 2007, Alcoa considered building a 950-megawatt coal-fired plant on the Navy base and using the rail line to deliver coal to it. In September 2007 Alcoa decided that if they built the plant they would not need the rails.[9][10] In 2008 the rails and ties were removed and recycled, and work on the trail began. The first section opened in December of 2008.[11][4] The second section of the trail opened in June 2009 and the trail was completed later that year.[12] A bathroom facility and two water fountains were completed in 2010.[13]
Trail route
[edit]The 13.1-mile paved rail trail travels halfway across Charles County from the town of Indian Head on the Potomac River, just outside the gates of the Naval Surface Warfare Center, to the inland community of White Plains. The trail passes the wetlands of Mattawoman Creek, Old Woman Run and Tobacco Creek, and through three wildlife management and environmental areas. It follows flat terrain, on a straight course to White Plains on a 10-foot-wide paved path with grassy shoulders bordered by forests and farmland.[14]
References
[edit]- ^ "Southern Tip Phases III and IV Preliminary Engineering Report and Feasibility Study" (PDF). Retrieved 8 December 2024.
- ^ a b "Indian Head, MD, Navy rail line becoming a trail". Retrieved 13 September 2024.
- ^ Singewald, Karl (10 July 1921). "Indian Head Proving Ground". The Baltimore Sun.
- ^ a b "The Story - Indian Head Rail Trail". Retrieved 1 August 2024.
- ^ Vogel, Steve (15 July 1999). "All Aboard! Navy Rail Track at Indian Head to Be Used by Tourist Train". The Washington Post.
- ^ "New Excursion Train Makes Inaugural Trip". The Washington Post. 23 March 2000.
- ^ Reel, Monte (26 July 2001). "Navy Cancels Deal For Excursion Train". Retrieved 16 September 2024.
- ^ "Charles Plans Bicycle Path". The Washington Post. 9 October 2003.
- ^ a b McConaty, Nancy Bromley. "Power plant might nix hiker/biker trail". Southern Maryland News.
- ^ Fries, Jay (12 September 2007). "Indian Head Rail Trail Proposal Revived". Southern Maryland News.
- ^ McConaty, Nancy Bromley (2008-12-05). "Trail Officially Open". Maryland Independent. La Plata, MD. Archived from the original on 2012-03-26. Retrieved 2011-06-30.
- ^ "Indian Head Rail Trail Section Set to Open". Southern Maryland Online. 16 June 2009. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
- ^ "New Additions to the Indian Head Rail Tra". Southern Maryland Online. 28 May 2010. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
- ^ "Indian Head Rail Trail Description". Traillink.com. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
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