Walkersville Southern Railroad
In 1993, the Maryland Department of Transportation selected Walkersville Southern Railroad as its operator of the Frederick-Walkersville line. Learn More about Frederick here.
Volunteers cleared the right-of-way and began reconstruction immediately. The first train ran from Frederick to Columbia in 1904. It is located at 34 W Pennsylvania Ave, Walkersville, MD 21793.
A scenic choo-choo ride on the Walkersville Southern Railroad is a family favorite, and the family can also enjoy a FREE railroad museum. Children will love the museum with educational displays and model trains. Grandparents will appreciate the railroad’s free museum and children can also see the trains. There are many things to do in the area, and the train is a great way to spend a day.
Visitors can dine on a delicious four-course meal in a dining car from the 1920s. A complimentary wine tasting or a special Mother’s Day dinner is included with the train ride. For more family fun, the Walkersville Southern Railroad also offers private birthday parties in its caboose. Train rides are scheduled on a limited schedule. They depart at 1:30 p.m. on Saturdays. In October, they run every Saturday and Sunday. Trains leave from Walkersville’s turn-of-the-century railroad station. The rides are just over an hour long and pass by a 100-year-old lime kiln. They also cross a bridge over the Monocacy River.
In 1991, the railroad began restoration of the old line south of Walkersville. By 1995, it was running excursion trains as far south as the Monocacy River. By March 1996, the bridge was rebuilt, and the trains began crossing the river once again. The Walkersville Southern Railroad was able to operate on Saturday and Sunday, and opened to public transportation on Route 26. Before this restoration, the railroad had originally planned to reach downtown Frederick, but decided to abandon its plans to cross the street.
The railroad operates an ex-US Navy ammunition box car in the MOW trade, known as “WMSR 7.” This train is painted in Western Maryland and PRR colors. The railroad also has a small museum on site. The museum contains an assortment of railroad equipment, including the WMSR train, which is the only remaining part of the former ice plant. A large shed across the track is the engine house for the Walkersville Southern Railroad.
The Pennsylvania Railroad operated along this line for many years. After the merger, the line was sold to the State of Maryland. The line remained dormant for about 20 years before the city was destroyed by Hurricane Agnes in 1972. In 1980, the line became part of the Maryland Midland Railway, which used it to transport lime to the city. It reopened to service north of Walkersville in 1991. But the railroad was never as popular as it once was. Browse next article
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