ATLANTIC & CAPITAL RAILROAD

Pre-1800s 

18th Century 

 

1750s 

• 1751: Georgetown is developed. 

 

1780s 

• 1789: Georgetown, Maryland is established. 

 

1790s 

• 1792: Whitehouse construction begins. 

• 1797: Great-Great-Great Grandfather Reaid is born. 

 

19th Century 

1820s 

• 1827: Great-Great Grandfather Reaid is born. 

• February 28th, 1827: Baltimore & Ohio Railroad is developed as the first railroad for steam traction in America. 

• Great-Great-Great Grandfather Reaid worked for B&O. 

 

1830s 

• 1830: B&O began operations. 

• The Baldwin 2-4-0 was built. 

 

1840s 

• 1846: The Pennsylvania Railroad opens. 

• Great-Great-Great Grandfather built a locomotive for use of his future railroad (official No. 1 an 0-4-0). 

• 1847: Great-Great Grandfather Reaid began to build up a line from the B&O mainline sub all the way into Fort Meade. This area would be called the Laurel Hub and Reaid hired laborers to build the line. The line is called Annapolis, Laurel & Patuxent Short Line Railroad. 

• 1849-1856: The Baldwin 4-2-0 locomotive is built and was bought shortly after for the AL&P and becomes AL&P No. 2. 

 

1850s 

• 1850-1859: The Baldwin 0-6-0 (AL&P No. 3) is built and bought shortly after for the AL&P. 

• 1852: The Western Maryland Railroad is developed. 

• May 6th, 1853: Baltimore and Potomac is developed leading AL&P to connect with the mainline at Popes Creek once finished. 

• 1856: The 4-4-0 F Class William Mason & his sister are built carrying the numbers 25 and 26. 

• Construction is finished on the AL&P line. 

• Baldwin 0-6-0 is purchased. 

• November 1857: Annapolis, Laurel & Patuxent opens. 

• 1858-1918: The Rail port at Eagle Harbor served the Weems Steamboat Company, transporting things like logs, steel or many other things and connecting nearby the B&O or B&P/PRR junctions. 

 

1860s 

• 1861-1865: Civil War takes place. 

• Another locomotive (a 2-4-0) was bought for the AL&P but it was short lived (Original AL&P no. 4). 

• 1865: Great-Grandfather Reaid is born. 

• Great-Great Grandfather receives ownership of the AL&P. 

• 1868: The Chesapeake & Ohio Railway opens. 

• It's likely around this time the 2-4-0 was sent back and was scrapped. 

 

1870s 

• 1870: Popes Creek is fully developed. 

• Anacostia & Potomac is chartered 

• 1872: Baltimore & Potomac Railroad enters DC. 

• 1872-73: William Mason Madison 4-4-0 is built with works number 516B for AL&P (AL&P no. 4). 

 

1880s 

• AL&P No.1 began showing bad signs of poor maintenance. 

 

1890s 

• 1892: William Mason & His sister are retired. 

• AL&P No. 1 was likely retired at this time. 

• 1894: ACL No. 159 was built. 

• 1899: AL&P No. 5 arrives and this engine is a mogul (2-6-0 Configuration). 

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• 1900: Grandfather Reaid is born. 

• It was around this time, the bridge infrastructure for the marshy Annapolis, Laurel & Patuxent is improved for modern purposes. 

• A group of enthusiasts acquire the right-of-way following the South Patuxent River. 

• June 1900: Chesapeake Beach Railway opened. 

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20th Century 

1900s 

• 1903: The Spring Garden Swing Bridge is built to serve the big yards of Covington. 

• 1904: Port Covington opens to serve the Western Maryland Railway. 

 

1910s 

• 1910: Bowie & South Patuxent Narrow Gauge Line is underway. 

• Ma & Pa No. 1 is brought to the site during it’s construction. 

• November 1912: The B&O “Little Joe” Dockside Oil Guzzlers are built. 

• 1914-1918: WWI occurs 

• 1917: A major facility up the line on the B&O original mainline is made to help with the stress of world war one. The facility is called Woodstock Storage Facility. 

• At the same time Great-Grandfather Reaid developed a small transfer storage siding to accommodate Madison. 

• November 11th, 1918: WW1 is over. 

• AL&P closes shortly before Thanksgiving. 

• Madison and No. 1 are kept under the Reaid family but they didn’t want to risk moving No. 1, so Madison was the only one moved to the storage facility property later on. 

 

1920s 

• March 1925: ACL No. 159 was moved to the storage facility before withdrawal in April. 

• 1926: SR Ps-4 No. 1404 is built.  

• B&O Switchers No. 96 and 99 are sent to Philadelphia for an overhaul (they’re converted into coal burning tender engines) and worked at one of the watefronts. 

• The Sparky & Penny (3916 & 3917) are built at the Pennsylvania Railroad. 

• 1926-1935: Madison is loaned to the Chesapeake Beach Railway. 

• 1927: PRR K4 No. 5424 is built.  

• B&O President No. 5315 was also built during this time. 

• Madison is probably involved in the iron horse event. 

• 1928: Father Reaid is born. 

• 1929: The Great Depression 

 

1930s 

• 1930: Mother Reaid is born. 

• Madison is put on loan at the Chesapeake Beach Railway 

• 1932: Madison leaves before the bankruptcy of CBR. 

• 1933: ACL No. 0111 and 0118 are brought to CBR and were renumbered as no. 11 and 12. 

• 1935: The Chesapeake Beach Railway goes bankrupt and becomes the East Washington Railway. 

• The Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis becomes Baltimore & Annapolis. 

• 1936: A research facility center is built in the area of AL&P. 

• 1939-1945: WWII 

 

1940s 

• B&O No. 96 & 99 are withdrawn. They’re hidden on an old branchline or roundhouse by 3916 and 3917 along with their useful Alco friend who helped  

• 1948: 97 and 98 meet with B&O No. 5304 “President Monroe” Caitlin. Madison is possibly present and met these 2 prior to A&CR. 

• East Washington Railways No. 11 and 12 were withdrawn around this time (in real life scrapped). Reports of these 2 are that they had disappeared/escaped from scrap. 

 

1950s 

• October 24th, 1950: Henry Reaid is born. 

• 1951: Grandfather Reaid and his friend likely saved the Pratt Street Docksiders. His friend had an industrial site at the inner harbor (his other friend being the storage facility manager) and kept them there. (He's got more friends and his son to help him out). 

• 1953: SR No. 1404 was withdrawn and took a while to move to the facility. 

• 1956: PRR No. 5424 is withdrawn and bought to stay in the storage facility. 

• B&O No. 5315 was withdrawn and brought to the storage facility. 

• 1959: B&O No. 4587 was withdrawn and brought to the storage facility. 

 

1960s 

• October 24th, 1960: Henry Reaids 10th birthday. 

• December 1962: PRR No. 3916 & 3917 were withdrawn (scrapped in real life). Reports say they had escaped scrap.  

• June 2nd, 1967: Columbia Subdivision is established. 

• May 1968: Henry Reaid graduates from college and is working for the B&O for a short time. 

 

1970s

• October 24th, 1970: Reaids 20th birthday. 

• 1970: Henry begins to form a railroad preservationist group at the age of 20 (A&C Trust). 

• 1970-1978: As enthusiast, they go around many railroads discovering and studying many artifacts.  

• 1973: The Chessie System formed; taking over many of the railroads in the area. 

• Reaid also gets married around this time.  

• He also envisions a luxurious route that could make it as far as Ocean City and so made sketches and many things like that during the time. 

• 1974: The MP Series Diesel is built. 

• 1976: East Washington Railway is ripped up for good. 

• 1979: He finds the railroad that his Great-Great-Great & Great-Great Grandfather built but unfortunately half the land the old railroad is on was government and military property. The other half includes where the golf center would be later which is not military land. The B&SP sits on the otherside where it’s namesake is. 

• The Custom built Engine is “discovered”/brought out of the contained shed near the old terminus.  

• They use his Grandfathers storage units that are situated at Annapolis Junction. They use Annapolis Junction as the main terminus until they could use the old spur siding near the Racetrack to reach the Laurel Junction hub. 

 

 

1980s 

• 1980-1984: Reaid has his first 2 kids. They’re twins. 

• The gang proposed and bought the old Annapolis Junction instead of most of the rails running next it being ripped up. He’ll find ways to overcome this. 

• It was hard, but eventually, A Eastern Shore Route, the one Henry Reaid, envisioned would come true even during the building of Patuxent Freeway. They began taking out their plans and started acquisitions during the time of restoring the old Laurel Hub terminus. 

• B&O No. 897 and 898 are bought from Striegel industrial site. 

• Eastern Shore Route is almost finished with the acquisitions. 

• Between 1985-1988: The Baldwin 4-2-0 is saved. 

• Laurel Hub/Junction becomes part of the Baltimore and Ohio Museum history. 

• April 1985: The spur sidings at Laurel are put into use to connect the Laurel Junction Hub terminus during it’s remodel phase. The name Laurel Junction became a thing due to track connections to B&O while back in the day it was just Laurel Hub. 

• July 1985: 2 diesels are bought to help with building after being sold off from Chessie. 

• July-August 1985: The headquarters is moved from Annapolis Junction to Laurel Junction. 

• September 1st, 1985: A derailment (This actually happened) happens at cherry lane a few miles away where the construction was taking place near the junction. (Some joker deliberately placed a bulldozer on the line). Henry and the gang arrive at the scene in maintenance vehicles. They witness the horror firsthand. 

• 1985-1990: Some locomotives are found hiding in Woodstock storage facility.  

• The storage facility was renamed to A&CR Woodstock Workshop. 

• Madisons transfer siding is taken up and moved to Laurel Junction. 

• 1986: B&SP has a joint venture with the A&CR to bring back the old standard gauge. 

• 1987: CSX is formed taking over the Chessie system. 

• Some wagons retained the kitty logo used for the Chessie System especially when finding or buying old rolling stock. Some got repainted into their origins of their current railroad though. 

• The storage facilities were moved from Annapolis Junction and the rails were used for some of the route. 

• B&O No. 99, 96, PRR No. 3916 & 3917 are discovered at a old spur in the Philadelphia area. 

• 1988: NSA is selling land where the old railroad sat. 

• 1989-1990: Official construction likely begins on Eastern Shore. 

• December 17th, 1989: Reaid has another kid. 

 

1990s 

• October 24th, 1990: Reaids 40th birthday 

• 1990-1992: The Annapolis junction receives another track to form a wye. 

• 1991: The military land where Annapolis & Patuxent (other side of Laurel Hub near route 1) sits is no longer under military hands and they begin restoration of the rest of the line during the Shore route build. 

• 1991-2020: The Baldwins and custom build receive rebuilds and improvements. 

• The restoration era. 

• 1992-1995: Most of the rails and tunnels are likely finished. 

 

21st Century 

2000s 

• October 24th, 2000: Reaids 50th birthday.  

• December 17th: He also has another kid which now he has 3 in total. 

• The Columbia Maryland Branch is seemed to be abandoned but unsure if A&C bought the line. 

• 2001: His first son is put to work after returning home. His other kids whereabouts are unknown.  

• September 11th: H. Reaid Jr. And Henry Reaid were heading to Union station (via RF&P subdivision) when 9/11 occured. They were held their with their precious equipment hauled by A&CR No. 1526 & 1526. 

• 2001-2010: The 0-6-0 is found abandoned rusting away due to nature and is rescued. 

• 2002: Acquiring Port Covington likely begins or earlier. They use the old tracks that remained to build up to the harbor. 

• The two addon batch of P42DC diesels were built as No. 208 and 209. 

• 2005: After careful required agreements with Maryland Port Administration a line is planned to reach baltimore harbor for tourist and steam work. They acquire the old port area of Baltimore (Port Covington). 

• 2007: Ferry services are established until the tunnel is finished. 

• May 24th, 2008: The line is opened fully to passengers and goods but the line only stops as far as Annapolis for ferry service. But the route to the harbor its still being developed. 

• January 2009: A special train is launched for the Presidents inauguration. The lead engine B&O No. 5315 “Andrew Johnson” is the lead of the train which is called the “President Flyer” Barack Obama visited during his tour then. 

 

2010s  

• October 24th, 2010: Reaids 60th birthday. 

• 2013-2014: Prior to opening Reaid meets the acquirements of MPA before opening the line. 

• The line to the swing bridge and the port of Baltimore is installed.  

• The counties in the pope creek branchline area acquires the pope line for a rail trail. A&CR and the counties would collab for a trail-by-rail run. A&CR seeked the branch as an opportunity to use the 48 mile line as a restoration to passenger service (After the successful tourism route to Salisbury. The branch hasn’t seen passenger traffic since the late 40s). which means restoring some of the line and using steam locos as excursions. They would also acquire rights for the Herbert Brandywine branch. 

• East Washington Railway No. 103 was rescued from Pasadena, Texas prior to an accident that cracked its frame. The crew refused to give up and after the private owner that bought the engine in 2000, some years later (2013) donated the engine to A&CR, Its body was separated from the frame & both parts were brought to Woodstock Workshops Facility and 103 was overhauled in under 10 years and became a switcher at the facility. 

• 2015: Full Eastern Shore Route is likely finished at this time making a new announcment about how their Atlantic Flyer had been extended beyond Easton or Annapolis. 

• 2016: Snowzilla affects the area. 

• 2017-2018: The harbor at Locust was significantly decreased to stop freight traffic. A&CR acquired the waterfront of one of the old piers and the old yard to run their small switchers here. with agreements under MPA, they could use this yard more often than what CSX use to. 

• 2018: 10 years since A&CR officially opened. 

 

2020s 

• 2020: Reaids 70th birthday. 

• Redevelopment was mentioned in the Locust Point area but A&CR would likely keep the waterfront and they would have to build around it. 

• December 2021: Explosion at the Curtis Bay Coal Plant. A&CR gets involved. 

• 2021-2022: The Pope Creek begins to see a major decline. Even though A&CR has rights now the plants that support the line have shutdown due to an environmental issue. 

• 2022: A&CR has control of the Popes Creek line fully by now especially the Herbert Subdivision. 

• New infrastructure and rail spurs are being installed in the important areas of the Herbert & Popes Creek line. 

• September 2022: EWR No. 11 is found during Chaney Enterprises major redevelopment thanks to a A&CR employee and their friend who worked at the cement works. 

• 2023: 10 years since the Harbor line to Baltimore was completed. 

• August 2023: The two B1 Boxcabs are sent to Huntington for an extensive overhaul into a Pantograph-battery hybrid. 

• 2024: Madison gets involved in a chase of thieves who hijacked a visiting engine down the Popes Creek. 

• 2025: Heritage events are being held at the moment on the Pope Creek line. 

• May 16th: A supercell/tornado likely almost hit the port where the engines were working at in Covington & Locust Point. This could be fake but unsure. 

• August-September: Henry is trying to get his hands on an Acela to decrease the workload on the old P42DCs since most are being retired. 

• October 2025: Hightide in the Chesapeake area. 

• October 31st: Halloween festival! 

• November 2025: Stockholders had gone down on all the major northern railroads. This has a heavy impact on A&CR. 

• Business is booming with passengers and more frequent meetup junction connections with Amtrak and Marc. 

• December 1st-24th: Polar Express train rides hosted along the Eastern Shore line hauled by B&O No. 5315 “Andrew Johnson”. 

• December 12th-14th: Little Engine That Could events with Madison took place with the new Hughesville spur finished. 

• December 15th: They finally decide to buy a pair of Acela engines which arrived around this time. 

• December 21st: A&CR is involved in the holiday train festival, bringing out No. 1 and Madison after her brave efforts. 

• December 23rd:The Acela’s have their test runs. 

• December 25th: No. 11s overhaul is just about finished but requires a few more configurations before fully operational by January 12th.