198:
298:
acquired the
Northern Virginia Power Company, and in 1917 the Chambersburg, Greencastle & Waynesboro Street Railway, which came with its own utility service. In 1922 the entire system, including the Hagerstown & Frederick Railway, became the Potomac Public Service Company. The next year, the PPS absorbed the Cumberland utility known as the Potomac Edison Company (which included the
209:
Like the H&F, the
Hagerstown Railway was begun in 1896. The leading investors were Christian W. Lynch and William Jennings, who took a different approach to development by creating an urban loop within Hagerstown, with crossing lines on Washington Street and South Potomac Street, and a branch to
180:
branch was added in 1906, running down the east side of
Jefferson Boulevard. This extension served the H&F investors, who were largely the same as the Braddock Heights investors, by opening up more mountaintop resort land for development. An extension of this branch planned in 1907 which would
297:
to customers in the vicinity of its operations. As time went on, it became apparent to Emory
Coblentz that the real business opportunity was in the electric utility business. With an eye to expanding his utility market, Coblentz purchased the Martinsburg Electric Light Company in 1916. He also
341:
company owned by
Potomac Edison. A gradual decline set in starting with the closure of the Washington Street line in Hagerstown and the end of Electric Park, both in 1927. In 1929 the loop line on Mulberry Street closed, and in the same year the Braddock Hotel burned and was not replaced.
265:. During the next two years the network in Frederick was expanded and its facilities improved, with lines on Fifth Street, South Street and Market Street. In 1913, the Hagerstown Railway and the Frederick Railway were merged, becoming the Hagerstown & Frederick Railway.
717:
The town of
Myersville celebrated the H&F at an annual festival from the early 1990s until 2012, generally in late October. Despite the cancelling of the Trolley Festival, the community continues to refer to their H&F Heritage in other events and landmarks.
417:
Freight carried on, but the electric lines were removed on the
Thurmont line in 1955 and diesel equipment was substituted. Nevertheless in 1958 the track between Thurmont and Fort Detrick was taken up. Potomac Edison stopped all service on April 26, 1961.
377:
Passenger decline during the 1930s left the H&F's business dependent on freight service, primarily between
Frederick and Thurmont. The network in Frederick was kept busy switching freight between industrial sidings and connections between the
364:
to better suit the automobile took another toll. The new US 40 alignment between
Myersville and Hagerstown crossed the H&F right-of-way at several points. Rather than build level crossings, the line was abandoned, in 1938.
256:
Emory
Coblentz, a Middletown lawyer and stockholder in the F&M, took over the management of the F&M in 1908. He bought the Washington, Frederick & Gettysburg Railroad, which ran from Frederick to
390:
halted in 1940, and tracks were removed in 1943, although the line along Jefferson Boulevard to Dean's was kept in operation to cater to the resort trade in Braddock Heights at the Vindobona Hotel. The
672:
Suburban Coach #150 was privately owned in Myersville, and was the centerpoint of the Myersville Trolley Festival. It is now owned by the Town of Myersville and is on display in the new public library.
281:
days, mountaintop parks like Braddock Heights Park were popular summer getaways where city dwellers could entertain themselves and breathe cool mountain air. Electric Park in Funkstown had to rely on
313:
Immediately thereafter, in another consolidation, Potomac Edison became a subsidiary of a holding company, the American Water Works & Electric Company, which operated a group of companies in
349:
made things worse. The Chambersburg, Greencastle and Waynesboro was shut down in 1932, and the Shady Grove line followed suit. Emory Coblentz was caught in the financial collapse of his
526:
233:
950:
726:
A Historical Society was formed in 1999 to preserve artifacts and documents from and educate the public about the history of the Hagerstown & Frederick Railway.
940:
945:
406:. Later that year, service was discontinued on the Middletown and Braddock Heights lines. Most freight on the Thurmont branch was gone, with only service to
930:
299:
935:
910:
161:, nominally called the Myersville and Catoctin Railway, but leased to the F&M and operated as an integral part of the F&M. In 1904 the
915:
801:
414:
to leave non-utility-related businesses, such as transportation. With that incentive, the last H&F trolley ran on February 20, 1954.
925:
905:
616:
The former H&F Powerhouse and later Carbarn for Hagerstown still stands at the intersection of Summit and Lee Streets in that city.
699:
411:
302:), and applied its name to the entire operation. Potomac Edison thus covered a territory covering western and central Maryland, the
767:
588:
The 1910 H&F Frederick Terminal and Offices in Frederick at 200 East Patrick Street survives as the former headquarters of
241:
606:
225:
itself. This section was completed in 1902. Work began immediately on the connection from Wagner's Crossroads to Myersville.
920:
619:
While it is now an apartment, Myersville's station on Main Street is still designated by the H&F's "MYERSVILLE" sign.
676:
471:
433:
403:
379:
182:
740:
706:
has been developed by the community, ending across Main Street from the site where the H&F Station once stood.
221:
In 1901, work began on an extension east to Wagner's Crossroads (later Boonsboro Junction) and from there south to
202:
143:
735:
361:
229:
653:
survive at creek crossings, and traces of old embankments remain visible in undeveloped areas. In some cases,
506:
630:
Frederick - Along Rosemont Avenue, and tracks still in the road on E. 5th between N. East St. and Pine Avenue
623:
589:
277:, both as business ventures in their own right, and as traffic generators for the trolley business. In pre-
357:
charges. Having resigned from Potomac Edison and lost everything, he died in 1941, effectively destitute.
211:
321:
under the West Penn Electric Company brand. The Potomac Edison name carried on until the 1990s when the
596:
437:
383:
237:
396:
392:
170:
158:
151:
48:
669:
Freight Motor #5 is displayed at the former site of the H&F Thurmont Station along Main Street.
387:
293:
The Hagerstown & Frederick had always run what originally amounted to a side business, selling
222:
215:
186:
177:
166:
147:
44:
33:
146:
Park, the mountaintop resort that was intended to provide patronage for the line. Service between
258:
809:
763:
759:
307:
303:
654:
346:
278:
696:
703:
692:
610:
410:
a significant contributor. Many utilities, including Potomac Edison, were ordered by the
322:
595:
Beachley's Store in Braddock Heights long did duty as a store, post office, station and
470:
Hagerstown, connection to Hagerstown network, Williamsport branch and Shady Grove Line,
282:
274:
96:
682:
Interurban Combine #171 is used as a private residence between Frederick and Thurmont.
899:
890:
885:
880:
875:
695:
park has been proposed along the old H&F line between Frederick and Thurmont. A
369:
service in Frederick had already been terminated in 1937, and in Hagerstown in 1939.
592:. The exit for trolleys onto Patrick Street is still visible as the main entrance.
603:
407:
318:
273:
In common with many more urban trolley systems, the H&F owned and operated two
197:
142:. Construction began early in 1896, almost simultaneously with the development of
294:
68:
334:
245:
131:
876:
Trolley crossing Funkstown Bridge - Western Maryland Historic Library, Whilbr
150:
and Braddock Heights commenced on August 22, 1896. The line was complete to
844:
650:
366:
261:, and incorporated it into the F&M in 1909, renaming the F&M as the
236:. Passengers could then take the CG&W on to the mountaintop resorts of
402:
The Hagerstown-Williamsport line was closed in 1947, the last service in
314:
114:
110:
709:
A non-profit organization was formed in 2018 to promote this proposal.
626:
are still visible where sidewalks have been set back from the street:
138:
system was developed by George William Smith and initially called the
354:
228:
In 1905, a new line was started, running north from Hagerstown to
196:
333:
By the 1920s the H&F faced competition from two sources: the
633:
Braddock Heights - Along Maryland Avenue and Jefferson Boulevard
350:
173:
became possible, making the still separate lines an interurban.
135:
787:
432:
Frederick, connection to Frederick network and Thurmont Line,
338:
169:
to Myersville, and through service between Frederick and
645:
Bethel - OpposumTown Pike next to Bethel Lutheran Church
130:
The Hagerstown and Frederick Railway, a suburban (later
859:"Hagerstown & Frederick Railway Historical Society"
858:
830:
527:
Chambersburg, Greencastle and Waynesboro Street Railway
234:
Chambersburg, Greencastle and Waynesboro Street Railway
831:"Hagerstown & Frederick Trolley Trail Association"
722:
Hagerstown & Frederick Railway Historical Society
675:
Interurban Combine #168 is displayed outside of the
639:
Funkstown - In the vicinity of the old Electric Park
67:
62:
54:
40:
29:
24:
464:Boonsboro Junction, connection to Boonsboro Branch
452:Braddock Junction, connection to Jefferson Branch
399:section was closed and the track lifted in 1945.
285:for coolness, but served much the same function.
214:. By 1897 line Potomac Street line extended to
808:. Maryland Greenways Commission. Archived from
337:and the Blue Ridge Transportation Company, a
8:
353:, and was indicted (and later acquitted) on
19:
642:Beaver Creek - At either end of the village
300:Cumberland and Westernport Electric Railway
157:Two years later an extension was built to
602:The Boonsboro H&F Station is now the
951:Railway companies disestablished in 1961
779:
941:American companies established in 1896
613:and opens to the public once a month.
232:. This permitted a connection to the
117:built in the 19th and 20th centuries.
18:
946:Railway companies established in 1896
697:short portion of the line in Thurmont
7:
665:Four "Trolleys" are known to exist:
657:feeders still use the right-of-way.
886:Summer trolley in Hagerstown Square
573:Braddock Heights (Beachley's Store)
386:(PRR) lines. Passenger service to
306:of West Virginia, and a portion of
931:1961 disestablishments in Maryland
412:Securities and Exchange Commission
140:Frederick & Middletown Railway
20:Hagerstown & Frederick Railway
14:
754:Harwood, Herbert H. Jr. (1970).
687:Hagerstown & Frederick Trail
107:Hagerstown and Frederick Railway
936:1896 establishments in Maryland
911:Interurban railways in Maryland
525:Shady Grove, PA, connection to
109:, now defunct, was an American
636:Middletown - Along Main Street
1:
845:"Myersville Trolley Festival"
165:built a connecting link from
881:Trolley in Hagerstown Square
677:Hagerstown Roundhouse Museum
916:Washington County, Maryland
870:Photographs of the trolleys
713:Myersville Trolley Festival
493:Bethel/Charlesville Station
472:Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
461:Mount Lena (aka: Smoketown)
434:Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
380:Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
248:prevented direct transfer.
183:Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
181:have taken the line to the
967:
926:Frederick County, Maryland
906:Defunct Maryland railroads
741:List of Maryland railroads
203:Braddock Heights, Maryland
736:Airview Historic District
230:Shady Grove, Pennsylvania
16:Defunct American railroad
788:"Surviving H&F Cars"
604:Boonsboro Trolley Museum
507:Western Maryland Railway
505:Thurmont, connection to
252:Growth and consolidation
891:Trolley in Williamsport
590:the Frederick News-Post
329:Competition and decline
205:with an H&F trolley
201:Jefferson Boulevard in
427:Frederick - Hagerstown
360:The reconstruction of
206:
649:Additionally, bridge
597:electrical substation
438:Pennsylvania Railroad
384:Pennsylvania Railroad
200:
189:was never completed.
921:Hagerstown, Maryland
49:Hagerstown, Maryland
584:Surviving landmarks
533:Williamsport Branch
325:brand was applied.
185:yard facilities in
34:Frederick, Maryland
21:
806:Maryland Greenways
802:"Frederick County"
756:Blue Ridge Trolley
702:2016-12-20 at the
661:Surviving Trolleys
622:Traces of the old
609:2016-12-20 at the
554:Boonsboro Junction
263:Frederick Railroad
207:
193:Hagerstown Railway
163:Hagerstown Railway
55:Dates of operation
760:Golden West Books
570:Braddock Junction
404:Washington County
308:Northern Virginia
304:Eastern Panhandle
242:Blue Ridge Summit
126:Early development
103:
102:
958:
863:
862:
855:
849:
848:
841:
835:
834:
827:
821:
820:
818:
817:
798:
792:
791:
784:
773:
655:Allegheny Energy
565:Jefferson Branch
549:Boonsboro Branch
514:Shady Grove Line
502:Catoctin Furnace
496:Lakeview (Early)
347:Great Depression
279:air conditioning
244:. Incompatible
144:Braddock Heights
99:
93:
89:
87:
86:
82:
79:
22:
966:
965:
961:
960:
959:
957:
956:
955:
896:
895:
872:
867:
866:
857:
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843:
842:
838:
829:
828:
824:
815:
813:
800:
799:
795:
786:
785:
781:
776:
770:
753:
749:
732:
724:
715:
704:Wayback Machine
693:rails to trails
689:
663:
611:Wayback Machine
586:
424:
375:
373:End of the line
331:
323:Allegheny Power
291:
275:amusement parks
271:
254:
195:
128:
123:
95:
91:
84:
80:
77:
75:
74:4 ft
73:
58:1896–1961
17:
12:
11:
5:
964:
962:
954:
953:
948:
943:
938:
933:
928:
923:
918:
913:
908:
898:
897:
894:
893:
888:
883:
878:
871:
868:
865:
864:
850:
836:
822:
793:
778:
777:
775:
774:
768:
750:
748:
745:
744:
743:
738:
731:
728:
723:
720:
714:
711:
688:
685:
684:
683:
680:
673:
670:
662:
659:
647:
646:
643:
640:
637:
634:
631:
585:
582:
581:
580:
577:
574:
571:
567:
566:
562:
561:
558:
555:
551:
550:
546:
545:
542:
539:
535:
534:
530:
529:
523:
520:
516:
515:
511:
510:
503:
500:
497:
494:
491:
490:Yellow Springs
488:
485:
481:
480:
476:
475:
468:
465:
462:
459:
456:
453:
450:
447:
444:
441:
429:
428:
423:
420:
382:(B&O) and
374:
371:
330:
327:
290:
289:Potomac Edison
287:
283:Antietam Creek
270:
267:
253:
250:
194:
191:
127:
124:
122:
119:
101:
100:
97:standard gauge
71:
65:
64:
60:
59:
56:
52:
51:
42:
38:
37:
31:
27:
26:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
963:
952:
949:
947:
944:
942:
939:
937:
934:
932:
929:
927:
924:
922:
919:
917:
914:
912:
909:
907:
904:
903:
901:
892:
889:
887:
884:
882:
879:
877:
874:
873:
869:
860:
854:
851:
846:
840:
837:
832:
826:
823:
812:on 2008-06-30
811:
807:
803:
797:
794:
789:
783:
780:
771:
769:0-87095-034-7
765:
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632:
629:
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591:
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543:
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518:
517:
513:
512:
508:
504:
501:
498:
495:
492:
489:
486:
483:
482:
479:Thurmont Line
478:
477:
473:
469:
466:
463:
460:
457:
454:
451:
448:
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439:
435:
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328:
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324:
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316:
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309:
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301:
296:
288:
286:
284:
280:
276:
269:Trolley Parks
268:
266:
264:
260:
251:
249:
247:
243:
239:
235:
231:
226:
224:
219:
217:
213:
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155:
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149:
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141:
137:
133:
125:
120:
118:
116:
112:
108:
98:
92:1,435 mm
72:
70:
66:
61:
57:
53:
50:
46:
43:
39:
35:
32:
28:
23:
853:
839:
825:
814:. Retrieved
810:the original
805:
796:
782:
755:
725:
716:
708:
690:
664:
648:
624:right-of-way
621:
618:
615:
601:
594:
587:
544:Williamsport
416:
408:Fort Detrick
401:
376:
359:
344:
332:
319:Pennsylvania
312:
292:
272:
262:
255:
227:
220:
212:Williamsport
208:
175:
162:
156:
154:by October.
139:
129:
106:
104:
30:Headquarters
436:(B&O),
362:US Route 40
295:electricity
246:rail gauges
113:of central
69:Track gauge
900:Categories
816:2008-08-18
747:References
557:Mapleville
538:Hagerstown
519:Hagerstown
458:Myersville
455:Middletown
449:Kauffman's
397:Myersville
393:Middletown
335:automobile
171:Hagerstown
159:Myersville
152:Middletown
132:interurban
651:abutments
579:Jefferson
560:Boonsboro
499:Lewistown
484:Frederick
474:(B&O)
467:Funkstown
443:Hargett's
388:Jefferson
367:Streetcar
223:Boonsboro
216:Funkstown
187:Brunswick
178:Jefferson
167:Boonsboro
148:Frederick
63:Technical
45:Frederick
730:See also
700:Archived
607:Archived
487:Montevue
446:Fulmer's
315:Maryland
259:Thurmont
115:Maryland
111:railroad
88: in
25:Overview
541:Halfway
238:Pen Mar
210:nearby
136:trolley
121:History
83:⁄
766:
576:Dean's
41:Locale
36:, U.S.
440:(PRR)
422:Lines
355:fraud
764:ISBN
522:Reid
509:(WM)
351:bank
345:The
317:and
240:and
176:The
105:The
47:and
339:bus
902::
804:.
762:.
758:.
691:A
599:.
310:.
218:.
134:)
94:)
861:.
847:.
833:.
819:.
790:.
772:.
679:.
395:-
90:(
85:2
81:1
78:+
76:8
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