Baltimore MD Light Rail - Timonium MD to Oriole Park @ Camden Yards (from cab - May 17 1992)

A ride on the first section of the just-opened northern section of the Baltimore light rail line, shot from the rare perspective of the cab! In essence, a cab ride the entire way!

The system as it first opened, with some single track sections. The train can be seen being switched, and even some left-hand running!

Also shown is the field at Oriole Park, prior to the first opening day!

Another reason for this upload is the recent controversy involving the videographer who caught grief in early 2011 for doing MUCH LESS than is depicted in this video! Apparently things were VERY different in 1992! I would have been very conspicuous in the process of shooting this, from both standing up front right behind the door to the cab AND from carrying an old-fashioned bulky VHS camcorder!! INCREDIBLY OBVIOUS!! But no one batted an eyelash...

I challenge ANYBODY (short of the media) to try and get a video like this one TODAY! But, you wanna know something?? I have ANOTHER vid-even more comprehensive than this one-that I shot a few months later!! And again I made it without a hassle! So, what changed since 1992?? Why is light rail security now so anti-video despite written policy ALLOWING it?? What changed?? I can't think of anything.

Sorry about the last few scenes and sudden ending! The batteries on those old cameras didn't last that long!

Shot originally on VHS and mastered here in 720p.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Baltimore Light Rail
• light rail
• Timonium MD
• Oriole Park
• Camden Yards
• trains
• Baltimore MD

[BaltimoreAndOhioRR]

this is really neat! thanks for putting it together!

i really would like one day to do the same for the old main (to see the sights from cab-perspective that i've walked so many times), but i know it will never happen...

[bullfrog1954]

@BaltimoreAndOhioRR Here is a vid I know I'd NEVER be able to make today!!! I actually stood behind the door to the cab (& shot through the cab)-and NO ONE said a word!!

But, believe it or not, I actually have a vid more detailed than this one!

I've ridden the OML twice (behind Chessie 614) but only have still photos shot from the coach windows. Still-managed to get some rare stuff I'll have to scan & post one day!

[TaGaMeMNoN1983]

Made fun to watch part after part of your video while comparing the sites with Google StreetView. This is a fantastic light rail system restart for a city that had abandoned its large tram network. I hope the next line comes around 2020 and not later.

Thanks for filming then.

[bullfrog1954]

@TaGaMeMNoN1983 As somebody who lived in Baltimore when the streetcars ran I think it's great to have light rail, though my heart lies with the streetcars! Interesting that you thought to compare the vid with Google Street View! I much prefer to use light rail going downtown as opposed to driving-I'm not really a city traffic person. We get to Ravens/Orioles games by train! Other lines planned but don't know for when. Thanx 4 viewing!

[TaGaMeMNoN1983]

@bullfrog1954 i found the Baltimore Streetcar Museum as i was around North Avenue Station with StreetView. What an interesting Museum. Saw many vids of it since. Have you got own footage? My hometown has Streetcars too, so i´m very intersested in any other network on earth.

[bullfrog1954]

@TaGaMeMNoN1983 I have a lot of BSM footage from the 90s I'll eventually post (some recent as well-but viewers seem to prefer my older footage), as well as a 1974 film I made of a derailment there! The car with the max-traction trucks derailed and I have footage of the rerailing effort! Looking for a way to get this footage digitized!

[bullfrog1954]

@SUPERDAVIDLEVINE Yes it's very scenic-one of the selling points back then. Also it's very historic-original road bed dates to 1832! Started as Balto & Susquehanna; later Northern Central RY before becoming part of PRR in the 1860s. To the north, now a bike trail to PA. Thanx 4 watching!

[SUPERDAVIDLEVINE]

very nice and rather scenic on the orth andd not bad the soutth en withhat bridge allmost feel like a roller coast adn its a  disapointment on the nroth end of the old north centrol ending but that last ile and ahalf is sort of neat it was sort of neat when it wa s single trakc and thre was Lake Rolland and the little creeks that paffel the line and the part near the zoo for I belie e the railroad dated back to the 1830,s

[bullfrog1954]

@Wingnutcaseman That's one thing I've been thinking about since but can't figure out! Apparently ALL trains were running left there-even the northbound ones! Maybe a test/experiment by the MTA being the system had just opened-maybe to check safety? Or an operational issue of some kind-really can't say! Thanx 4 watching!

[Wingnutcaseman]

I enjoy seeing which segments and stations were previously single track and which track was "original". But why were they running left handed on Howard Street?