The above map in a PDF is here
RAILFAN GUIDES of the U.S.
Todd's Railfan Guide to
Hampstead MD
Part of the
Baltimore Railfan Guide
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Hampstead used to be on one of the two Western Maryland Railway routes out of Baltimore. This route went north from Emory Grove (Reisterstown), into Pennsylvania, through Porters Sideling, where it split into two additional lines. One went northeast into York PA, the other went west to Hanover, New Oxford, Gettysburg, and then rejoined with the mainline at Blue Ridge Summit PA.
Hampstead's big attraction is an ex Western Maryland Rwy depot. The Depot was recently rehabed, maybe the 2005 or so timeframe, and looks really nice.
There is also a B&O / Chessie System caboose next to the depot.
Hampstead also used to the home to DeWalt's headquarters, but once it got bought by Black and Decker, it was just a manufacturing facility for DeWalt's power tools. I believe the facility has been shut down in favor of cheaper labor and went south to Mexico :-(. BTW, Black & Decker's HQ is in Towson on Joppa Rd, but it was bought by Stanley Tools in (I think) 2009 or 2010.
If you are into fire departments, you're well
into volunteer country this far out, as there are three of them on this map
alone, and another two down in Reisterstown. For more info on the fire
companies:
Reisterstown
Volunteer Fire Company
- Station 41 - Engine 412 &
413/Squad 414/Medic 415/Utility 419
Boring Volunteer Fire Company
- Station 42 - Engine
422 & 424/Floodlight 423/Air Unit 426/Brush 428/Utility 429/Engine Antique 421
Arcadia
Volunteer Fire Company
-
Station 43 - Engine 431, 432 & 434/Brush 436/Utility 437
and 438
Glyndon
Volunteer Fire Company
-
Station 40 - Engine 401& 403/Truck 404/Utility 408 &
409
Hampstead Volunteer Fire Company
-
Company 2 - Engine 23/Engine/tanker 24/Truck 2 &
2-1/Utility 2/Ambulance 28 & 29/Brush 25
A Baltimore County
website which lists all of the fire stations in the county.
Carroll County
website which does the same.
Hampstead, BTW, is in Carroll County, not Baltimore.
FYI - Baltimore Co has 25 paid and 33 volunteer companies, while Carroll Co has
14 volunteer companies.
Hampstead is way north of Baltimore, and north of a town called Reisterstown. Reisterstown is at the end of i795, which branches off of the Baltimore Beltway on the NW side in Pikesville.
From the Beltway, take i795 till it comes to it's end, staying to the left when it splits to go to Westminster. Go straight thru the first traffic light, which will lead you around a gently curving to the right road to Reisterstown Rd, aka, MD route 30.
The above map in a PDF is
here
New map above, original map below....
The above map in a PDF is here
1
The Hampstead Depot
from September 2015
2 The B&O / Chessie System Caboose
from September 2015
Stuff by the Depot
These silos were turned into apartments, would love to see the
inside of them....
Crossing lights at Gill Ave, note the one sits out in the
street!
from September 2015, looking south (L) and north (R)
Not exactly next to the depot, but on the way into Hampstead
from the south
The crossing sign going southbound
Hampstead Banner on Main St
1 Arcadia Rd Crossing Gates
There used to be a set of signals here to, as evidenced by the signal base and battery box.
Looking north
from September 2015
Hampstead Volunteer Fire Company
430 Arcadia Volunteer Fire Company
from September 2015
420 Boring Volunteer Fire Company
from September 2015
from September 2015
from September 2015
On the way home to Towson, you come down I-795. The Baltimore Metro (Subway) runs down the middle of the interstate, and if you can catch them, they are running around 75MPH! Didn't have enough time to get ahead of it enough to catch the front end getting ready to pass under the interchange ramp :-(
New 08/29/2008
Last Modified:
09/27/2015