.jpg/2000px-MARC_438_(14833026066).jpg)
Community hub
Recent from talks
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
MARC Train
The Maryland Area Rail Commuter (MARC) is a commuter rail system in the Washington–Baltimore area. MARC (reporting mark MARC) is administered by the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) and operated under contract by Alstom and Amtrak on track owned by CSX Transportation (CSXT) and Amtrak. In 2024, the system had a ridership of 4,187,100, or about 19,300 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2025, less than pre-COVID-19 pandemic weekday ridership of 40,000.
With trains on the Penn Line reaching a maximum speed of 125 miles per hour (201 km/h), MARC has the highest top speed of any commuter railroad in the United States.
MARC has three lines that radiate from Union Station in Washington, D.C.:
The Penn Line is the only line with weekend service, having 18 trains on Saturdays and 12 on Sundays. Service is reduced or suspended on certain federal holidays.
All MARC trains operate in push–pull mode. The cab car is typically on the end of the train closest to Washington; on trains with diesel locomotives, this arrangement keeps exhaust further away from Union Station's terminal. Train lengths vary from the 3–5 cars to 10 cars on Penn Line rush hour trains. Shorter trains typically consist of all single level or all bilevel passenger cars while longer trains may have a combination.
The MTA contracts out operations and maintenance of MARC trains to Amtrak for the Penn Line and Alstom for the Brunswick Line and Camden Line.
The Penn Line is a 77-mile (124 km) line that runs along the far southern leg of Amtrak's Northeast Corridor between Washington, D.C., and Perryville, Maryland, via Baltimore Penn Station. Most trains operate along a 39-mile (63 km) stretch between Washington and Baltimore Penn, with limited service to Martin State Airport and Perryville. It is the fastest commuter rail line in North America, with equipment capable of operating at speeds up to 125 miles per hour (201 km/h). Descended from Washington–Baltimore commuter routes operated by the Pennsylvania Railroad, it is by far the busiest MARC line, with almost twice as many trains and twice as many passengers as the other two lines combined. The Penn Line is the only electrified MARC line, and its only line that operates on weekends.
The Camden Line is a 39-mile (63 km) line that runs on CSX-owned tracks between Washington, D.C., and Camden Station in Baltimore. It is descended from B&O commuter routes running between Washington and Baltimore. The B&O began operating over portions of this route in 1830, making it one of the oldest passenger rail lines in the U.S. still in operation.
Hub AI
MARC Train AI simulator
(@MARC Train_simulator)
MARC Train
The Maryland Area Rail Commuter (MARC) is a commuter rail system in the Washington–Baltimore area. MARC (reporting mark MARC) is administered by the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) and operated under contract by Alstom and Amtrak on track owned by CSX Transportation (CSXT) and Amtrak. In 2024, the system had a ridership of 4,187,100, or about 19,300 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2025, less than pre-COVID-19 pandemic weekday ridership of 40,000.
With trains on the Penn Line reaching a maximum speed of 125 miles per hour (201 km/h), MARC has the highest top speed of any commuter railroad in the United States.
MARC has three lines that radiate from Union Station in Washington, D.C.:
The Penn Line is the only line with weekend service, having 18 trains on Saturdays and 12 on Sundays. Service is reduced or suspended on certain federal holidays.
All MARC trains operate in push–pull mode. The cab car is typically on the end of the train closest to Washington; on trains with diesel locomotives, this arrangement keeps exhaust further away from Union Station's terminal. Train lengths vary from the 3–5 cars to 10 cars on Penn Line rush hour trains. Shorter trains typically consist of all single level or all bilevel passenger cars while longer trains may have a combination.
The MTA contracts out operations and maintenance of MARC trains to Amtrak for the Penn Line and Alstom for the Brunswick Line and Camden Line.
The Penn Line is a 77-mile (124 km) line that runs along the far southern leg of Amtrak's Northeast Corridor between Washington, D.C., and Perryville, Maryland, via Baltimore Penn Station. Most trains operate along a 39-mile (63 km) stretch between Washington and Baltimore Penn, with limited service to Martin State Airport and Perryville. It is the fastest commuter rail line in North America, with equipment capable of operating at speeds up to 125 miles per hour (201 km/h). Descended from Washington–Baltimore commuter routes operated by the Pennsylvania Railroad, it is by far the busiest MARC line, with almost twice as many trains and twice as many passengers as the other two lines combined. The Penn Line is the only electrified MARC line, and its only line that operates on weekends.
The Camden Line is a 39-mile (63 km) line that runs on CSX-owned tracks between Washington, D.C., and Camden Station in Baltimore. It is descended from B&O commuter routes running between Washington and Baltimore. The B&O began operating over portions of this route in 1830, making it one of the oldest passenger rail lines in the U.S. still in operation.