Walkersville Southern Railroad

History:

The railway line between Walkersville and Frederick was built between 1869 and 1872 as part of the Pennsylvania Railroad Frederick Secondary. This was just a few years after the Civil War. During this time, while our nation was in the process of rebuilding, the railroad was busy carrying passengers and goods. The line ran from Columbia, Pennsylvania, through York and Hanover, into Maryland, running through Taneytown, Keymar, Woodsboro, Walkersville, and finally into Frederick. For decades there was a thriving business on the rails as dairy farmers sent milk and eggs to market, and local residents rode the train into Frederick for the day or perhaps north to the "big cities."


In 1968 when the Pennsylvania Railroad merged with the New York Central, the line was part of the resulting Penn Central Railroad. They would soon have their share of troubles. In less than three years, the new railroad filed for bankruptcy and, at about the same time, in 1972, Hurricane Agnes hit the Frederick area hard. The resulting flood completely washed out the bridge over the Monocacy River, severing the rail line two miles south of Walkersville. The entire line was put up for sale. The State of Maryland purchased the portion of the line within its borders, only utilizing the section north of Walkersville. For 20 years, the six-mile line between Walkersville and Frederick was out of service, buried under brush, weeds, and asphalt.