MDRAIL

The Maryland Southern Transportation Systems a/k/a MDRAIL (reporting mark MDST) is a Class II regional railroad operating approximately 191.9 miles of track in southern Maryland. Headquarters for MDRAIL are located at White Plains, MD in Charles County. The railroad has been 100% privately owned since its inception in 1998.

MDRAIL is a bridge route for primarily CSX run-through traffic bypassing Washington D.C. (post 9/11) and also a regional operation serving on-line and branchline customers. CSX is the primary interchange carrier offering MDRAIL nationwide access.

Operations began in 1998 on a section of ex-Pennsylvania Railroad track from Bowie to Morgantown, Maryland. In 2002, MDRAIL purchased the Navy line from White Plains to Indian Head, MD adding 19.3 miles of track to the system. In 2003, MDRAIL purchased the old right-of-way from Herbert Junction to Mechanicsville, MD from the state and restored the rail line adding another 10 miles of track to the system. In 2008, MDRAIL completed construction of the Federally mandated Capitol Bypass Corridor designed to divert hazardous rail cargo from traveling through Washington, DC. This new line added close to 21 additional route miles to the system.

Also in 2008, MDRAIL took majority ownership of the assets belonging to the Maryland Midland Railway (MMID), beating out Gynese & Wyoming in a landmark deal that would expand the MDRAIL system by an additional 63 route miles and providing access to Alleghany coal fields. This acquistion gave MDRAIL ownership of track between Highfield, MD on the Pennsylvania border in the west to Emory Grove, MD in the east. MDRAIL also acquired exclusive run-through rights with CSX Transportation from Emory Grove to the Laurel Connector which is the northern most terminus of the Capitol Bypass Corridor.