Railroading in Frederick County, Maryland
Step into a living story of American railroading in Frederick County—where working tracks, historic depots, and hands-on exhibits bring the steam-era spirit to life. From the whistle of excursion trains rolling past farm fields to a sprawling model railway that traces the B&O’s passenger line, this is where families, railfans, and curious travelers find the heart of Maryland railroad history.
Walkersville Southern Railroad: Ride the Rails Through Time
All aboar-r-rd for a trip back in time on the Walkersville Southern Railroad. Your journey begins at a turn-of-the-century station and tool house, then heads out over track first laid by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1872. Settle into vintage 1920s passenger cars—or feel the breeze on an open flatcar—as the excursion glides past a 100-year-old lime kiln and into picturesque Frederick County farm country.
Brunswick Heritage Museum
In the railroading City of Brunswick, the Brunswick Heritage Museum tells the intertwined story of trains, canal boats, and the people who called this place home. The star attraction is a huge, interactive HO-scale model railroad that follows the Baltimore & Ohio passenger line from Washington, DC’s Union Station to the Brunswick Freight Classification Yards. Watch trains thread their way through stations and yards that shaped daily life along the Potomac.
The museum’s galleries delve into railroad equipment and memorabilia and broaden the lens with social-history exhibits - photographs, Victorian costumes, furnishings, and collections highlighting toys, baseball, and medical history.