Maryland rail maintenance facility ready for MARC trains

Maryland transportation and federal officials last week marked the completion of a new MARC Riverside heavy maintenance facility in Baltimore.

The $64.2 million facility is designed to improve MARC Train maintenance efforts and operational efficiency.

The new 35,000-square-foot building will enhance locomotive and rail-car maintenance capabilities and support major transit improvements along the Northeast Corridor, Maryland Department of Transportation-Maryland Transit Administration officials said in a press release.

Set to be fully operational by mid-2023, the facility features four slots for locomotives undergoing heavy maintenance and repair, which will free up the existing shop building to be used for preventative maintenance and federally required inspections, state officials said.

The facility also will support future projects for MARC Train, including the proposed commuter-rail Penn-Camden Connector.